Bulwark Takes: Can “60 Minutes” Survive Bari Weiss?

Guest: Max Tani (Semafor)
Hosts: Sam Stein (The Bulwark), JVL
Date: December 23, 2025

Overview

This episode delves into the controversy surrounding Bari Weiss’s decision to spike a “60 Minutes” segment on U.S. detention conditions for Venezuelan migrants—an unprecedented move that has ignited the journalism world. Hosts Sam Stein and JVL are joined by media reporter Max Tani to unpack what happened behind the scenes, debate Weiss’s role and qualifications, discuss the corporate and political pressures swirling around CBS News, and ponder the show’s future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Decision to Pull the 60 Minutes Segment (02:11–04:30)

• Background: Bari Weiss, recently installed as head of CBS News, blocked a planned “60 Minutes” segment exposing the torture of Venezuelan migrants.
• Official Rationale: Weiss cited inadequate reporting, lack of on-camera response from the administration, and insufficiently “moving the ball forward” beyond what the NYT and Human Rights Watch had already covered.
  • Max Tani: “Barry watched it on Thursday and had these concern[s]... as soon as those concerns were raised, essentially the correspondent who reported out the piece was not pleased with it.” (04:30)
• Reporter Response: The seasoned 60 Minutes team—especially Sharon Alfonsi, who produced the piece—expressed outrage, leaking internal dissent and charging a politically motivated editorial override.

2. Corporate & Political Context: The Paramount/Skydance Drama (02:50–06:08)

• Corporate maneuvering: Weiss’s move happened amid high-stakes merger discussions; the Ellison family (Skydance) is eager to reassure the Trump administration they’ll have friendly news coverage, which affects regulatory approval.

  • JVL: “The Ellisons are trying to demonstrate that they will make sure that CBS News... will be good soldiers for Trump and that Barry Weiss is reliable to be friendly to the administration.” (02:50)

• Recent Trump Campaign Attacks: Trump publicly signaled displeasure with “60 Minutes” just days before Weiss’s intervention, fueling suspicions of politicized decision-making.

3. Unprecedented Pushback from 60 Minutes Journalists (06:14–12:33)

• Sharon Alfonsi’s Email: Statement condemns Weiss’s lack of engagement and alleges a political, not editorial, motive.
  • Sam Stein (reading Alfonsi): “Pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision. It is a political one. Government silence is a statement, not a veto.” (09:32–10:27)
• JVL’s Assessment: Weiss’s lack of newsroom and broadcast experience is a recurring critique; her hiring is pegged as a signal to pro-Trump interests.
  • JVL: “The Bari Weiss hire is maybe the most ludicrous hire I've ever seen in journalism... She has no idea what broadcast journalism is.” (06:58)

4. Evaluating Weiss’s Stated Standards (12:21–13:13, 14:55–17:42)

• ‘Move the Ball Forward’ Standard: Panelists point out that demanding every investigative story break completely new ground is unrealistic, especially for TV.

  • JVL (sarcastic): “Name three stories ever to have run in the Free Press, which advanced the ball.” (12:21)

• On-Camera Administration Response Requirement: Hosts question the legitimacy; not getting officials to appear is common and shouldn’t veto stories.

  • Sam Stein: “If something has been printed in the Times and therefore you can't write about it... No offense, Times is going to be probably, you know, beating you on a lot of stuff, right?” (14:55)

• False Equivalence & ‘Balance’: Weiss calls for both sides of legal arguments, but the panel warns against “faux balance” when one side is overwhelmingly favored by legal experts.

  • Sam Stein: “There does seem to be, if... this kind of faux balance when if you looked at... like 95% of lawyers probably would say no, he's dramatically exceeding his authority here.” (22:14)

5. Deeper Motives and the Future of 60 Minutes (17:59–27:42)

• Weiss’s Role: Seen less as a newsroom reformer, more as a symbol to reassure conservative powers and corporate leadership.

  • JVL: “She was not brought on to make things flashier and bring in more interest. That wasn't the purpose behind it.” (17:42)

• Show’s Viability: If staff and audience alike are alienated by politicized edits, the show risks a downward spiral.

  • Max Tani: “I think that the ratings on… CBS broadcasts... are just as steep as it is anywhere else… I think that, I think that the, the heyday of, of this show is… [over].” (25:08)

• Broader Industry Trends: Discussion of how shifting audiences and business priorities (NFL lead-ins, network mergers) affect legacy news shows.

• Unanswered Questions: Whether the Ellisons directly instructed Weiss, or if she acted preemptively; whether she’ll soon be influencing CNN as well.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bari Weiss’s Qualifications:
  • JVL: “She's not a reporter. She's not an executive. She's nothing. She's just a person who goes around and finds rich suckers and fills a ideological need for them.” (08:13)
• On Alfonsi’s Powerful Pushback:
  • Sam Stein (reading email): “Government silence is a statement, not a veto. Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story.” (09:32)
• On the Reality of Modern News:
  • Max Tani: “When the Ellisons are out there basically telegraphing, we are going to make changes to our news programs in order to get these big, major mergers done... it’s hard to trust.” (11:27)
• On the “Balance” Standard:
  • Sam Stein: “If you looked at... like 95% of lawyers probably would say no, he's dramatically exceeding his authority here. And there's like a handful [who don’t].” (22:14)
• Future Outlook:
  • Max Tani: “I really think... it’s over. I think the heyday of this show is [over].” (25:08)
  • JVL (re: CNN): “Just wait till she gets her hands on CNN.” (26:59)

Important Timestamps

• 02:11 — The episode opens: What happened with Bari Weiss and the spiked segment.
• 04:30 — Max Tani details inside timeline and reactions at CBS.
• 06:14 — The political and corporate backdrop: Trump’s tweets, merger games.
• 09:32 — Sharon Alfonsi’s scathing internal email read aloud.
• 12:21 — Debate over journalistic standards for TV, “moving the ball forward.”
• 14:55 — Flaws in the rationale for spiking stories without on-camera officials.
• 17:59 — Why Bari Weiss is really at CBS; doubts about her impact.
• 22:11 — The problem of false balance and legal legitimacy.
• 25:08 — Max Tani: “The heyday of this show is... over.”
• 26:59 — On the likelihood Weiss will soon influence CNN.

Conclusion

This episode paints a picture of a legendary news show in crisis, caught between hostile Trump-era politics, aggressive corporate deal-making, and a staff in open revolt against leadership they see as unqualified and politically motivated. The central question—“Can 60 Minutes survive Bari Weiss?”—remains open, but the hosts and their guest suggest more turbulence lies ahead as CBS and perhaps CNN grapple with a new model of management, public trust, and journalistic identity.