The Major Trouble at '60'
On Sunday evening, “60 Minutes” aired an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the wide-ranging sit-down, Netanyahu’s first with a broadcast television outlet since the Iran War began, the prime minister discussed the prospects for peace in the Middle East, offered insight into his conversations with Donald Trump, discussed the country’s alliance with the U.S., and more.
From a public-facing standpoint, the interview was a success. Conducted by CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett, it generated a string of newsmaking headlines—including Netanyahu declaring that the Iran War is “not over.”
But behind the scenes, Status has learned that famed “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl had also been gunning for the interview but was upstaged by CBS News boss Bari Weiss, who booked Netanyahu herself and handed the interview to Garrett, who is notably not a “60 Minutes” correspondent. The move sparked hostility and amplified the already strained relationship between Weiss and the reporting team at the iconic newsmagazine.
This story is based on the accounts of five people familiar with the events that unfolded inside CBS News. A network spokesperson did not dispute the reporting, but said in a statement to Status, “It’s the editor in chief’s job to make decisions about bookings and interviews. Major is a world-class journalist and did a tough, fair, and newsmaking interview.”
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Morse Code Undelivered: After a little more than three years serving as its president and publisher, Andrew Morse on Monday announced he will exit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as Status first reported. Paul Curran, Cox Media’s senior vice president and general manger, will take over in the role. In a note sent to staffers, Morse cited the strain shuttling between New York—where his family is located—and Atlanta had placed on him. “The travel has taken a toll,” he wrote.
That said, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Morse’s ambitions of transforming the newspaper into The New York Times of the South had not…
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