Veteran reporter Sharyn Alfonsi says her time at 60 Minutes appears to be over after CBS News declined to renew her contract following an editorial dispute involving a report on a prison in El Salvador.

Alfonsi confirmed this week that her contract expired Saturday and that network executives had not offered her a path forward for the show’s upcoming 59th season.

In a sharply worded statement, Alfonsi accused CBS leadership of punishing her for “refusing to sanitize factually accurate reporting” and warned that the network was abandoning the journalistic independence that made “60 Minutes” one of television’s most respected news programs.

“The message could not be clearer: my time at 60 Minutes is apparently over,” Alfonsi said.

The dispute reportedly centered on a segment about a controversial prison in El Salvador that was shelved by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Alfonsi previously alleged the decision was politically motivated.

In her statement, Alfonsi criticized what she described as growing “corporate meddling and editorial fear” inside major media organizations.

“Some executives are asking not: ‘Is the story true?’ But: ‘Is it good for business?’” she said.

Alfonsi also warned that the separation between editorial independence and corporate interests at CBS was “being methodically torn down,” adding that journalists willing to challenge powerful institutions were being pushed aside.

CBS has not publicly commented on her allegations.

Although her contract with “60 Minutes” has expired, Alfonsi technically remains employed by CBS News unless formally terminated. She said she does not plan to resign.

Her departure comes during a broader shake-up at “60 Minutes.” Veteran correspondent Anderson Cooper is also leaving the program ahead of the new season, while concerns have grown among insiders about potential changes to the show’s editorial direction.

Source: The Guardian