We knew this was coming. Trump isn’t the first President to be displeased with segments on CBS’s New Magazine show 60 Minutes but he’s the first to actively work to shut it down. When his pals, the Ellison family obtained control Trump told them to trash the show and CBS News in general. THAT is what Bari Weiss was brought in to do and she’d been delivering. No more so than now, with her latest purge of 60 Minutes top managers and on-air talent.
It’s a sad and also infuriating end to an iconic news show. Yes, 60 Minutes has has some missteps during its almost six decades on the air but it’s been (ironically given Trump’s love of gold) the Gold Standard when it comes to prime time news reporting. In a typical evening news broadcast even top stories are given at best a couple of minutes or so coverage. 60 Minutes broke the mold by airing fifteen minute plus segments on important stories. Often those stories weren’t part of networks normal evening news reporting. It really was something. I’m an old fart, a senior citizen but I curiously parked myself in front of the TV for that very first show back in 1968. Even at eleven years old I realized I was watching something special. I kept watching and for decades.
Alas, as Raw Story reports the show which by the way came off a year of outstanding ratings (and in all the key demos) simply didn’t meet Bari Weiss’ standards and needs a total makeover. I don’t think the analogy of Weiss smashing a stopwatch (that ticking stopwatch was 60 Minutes’ signature) but not having the ability to put it back together is unfair. It’s spot-on. Weiss in case you forgot or never new had no experience in broadcast journalism when David Ellison installed her as Editor-In-Chief of CBS News. It was widely assumed she’d tried to shift the network into if not another Fox News at least towards a clearly conservative leaning outlet. Events sure seem to indicate that’s indeed been her goal and there’s no mistaking she wants CBS news to be less critical of Trump. Hell, she seems to be shooting for it to be as Trump friendly as she can make it!
I could write multiple articles about Bari Weiss and her long-standing claims of ‘victimhood’ for being a supporter of Israel. I’ll simply provide a link to her Wikipedia profile and you can judge for yourself. Look, there’s nothing inherently wrong with being a supporter of Jewish people having a Jewish state. It’s how Israel has gone about its affairs that has attracted much criticism over time and Weiss doesn’t think Israel should be questioned. Period. Again, as both an individual or having a podcast or show on some outlet I would say even if I don’t agree with her Weiss has every right to advocate her opinions. However, as the head of a major news outlet, and especially CBS which has a history far older than Weiss of standing up to power and telling the truth her attitude and approach to presentation of news to the public Weiss has a duty to be fair. A duty she is quite deliberately shirking.
We all have known she just hates 60 Minutes and not just because Trump does too. However on her ‘to do list’ when she was hired was to undermine the iconic news show. Perhaps even kill it off and as I said she’s decided it’s time to take a sledgehammer to that ticking stopwatch. Per Raw Story:
The mood inside the “60 Minutes” newsroom on Manhattan’s 57th Street was one of devastation Thursday after CBS News head Bari Weiss purged the program’s leadership — ousting beloved executives and announcing an inexperienced tech journalist as the new executive producer, despite the show finishing its season with a massive rating increase.
According to more than a half-dozen current and former staffers speaking with media watchdog Status, the firings triggered an emotional crisis inside the iconic newsmagazine.
Staffers are saying people there are devastated, and describing the mood as ‘like a funeral.’ Wow. I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone who worked there before Weiss came along is in fear for their own jobs. Just as Trump ordered DOJ to purge anyone who ever, ever (whether DOJ lawyers or FBI agents) who worked on investigations into his actions to be fired, I can easily imagine him telling David Ellison to ‘get rid of anyone at CBS who’s criticized me – starting with 60 Minutes!’ I don’t think it’s out of line to say what’s just happened is a (CBS) network version of the infamous Saturday Night Massacre during Watergate. (Who will imitate Robert Bork and promise to resign with others only to betray them in hopes of a promotion?) Make no mistake – Weiss is gutting 60 Minutes and installing leadership even less qualified than she is:
Executive producer Tanya Simon was summoned into a meeting Thursday morning with Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, the report said. She was relieved of her duties on the spot.
Senior executive producer Draggan Mihailovich was also fired as part of the purge.
As news of the firings spread, Weiss and Cibrowski announced Nick Bilton, a technology journalist with no television news or managerial experience, as the program’s next executive producer — only the fifth in the show’s nearly 60-year history.
Despite “60 Minutes” performing “exceptionally well by virtually every measure,” Weiss and Cibrowski claimed the program “requires a new approach,” Status reported.
That last part bears a bit of focus. The ‘Performing exceptionally well by virtually every measure.’ That word “Virtually” matters. Why? Because there’s one measure that as it turns out mattered more than every other combined. TRUMP didn’t like 60 Minutes. He made it clear to Ellison, who in turn made it clear to Weiss. You can read the Raw Story article for more staff reaction. For the moment keep in mind that Senior Correspondent Lesley Stahl’s contract is expiring. I think it’s a given Weiss won’t allow it to be renewed. Same for a bunch of other long-time contributors, both ‘talent’ and producers. For those that if allowed to do so stay they will face a work environment where they’d goddam well better work on Trump fluff pieces. Or stories that are Blazing Saddles fart scene level praising Trump administration ‘accomplishments’ up the public’s ass.
IF 60 Minutes comes back in the fall it won’t be the 60 Minutes we all have known. Not even close. They’ve purged a lot of talent and more will get the hell out as soon as possible. Weiss, and Ellison might find themselves burned by ‘Be careful what you wish for’ syndrome. A 60 Minutes that will please Trump will be a ratings disaster. Not even someone as rich as Ellison will throw so much money down a dry hole. The question I have is whether another outlet will try to assemble enough of the people who made 60 Minutes what it was to create a new show. I sure hope so.
There’s plenty of talent on that staff that has a good chance of being picked up to work at other, still reputable news outlets. I’d love to see enough of them wind up being part of a program that will not just compete with the new Weiss version of 60 Minutes but kick its ass! Just like the other networks are doing to Weiss’ version of the CBS evening news. Tony Dokoupil. Despite the ballyhoo this week about him getting four million viewers again (he’d gone months with less than that) he still lags several million or more viewers per night than the other major outlets!
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
