Shelved ‘60 Minutes’ Story Finds a Global Audience After Canadian Streaming Slip
There has been a lot of noise this week around a controversial “60 Minutes” segment that was pulled at the last minute by CBS News — and yet, despite being shelved in the United States, it still managed to reach millions of viewers around the world.
The story, titled “Inside CECOT,” focused on Venezuelan men who were deported from the U.S. to El Salvador and detained in one of the country’s most notorious mega-prisons. It was reported by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and had been weeks in the making. Everything appeared set for it to air as the lead segment on “60 Minutes,” until CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss decided to halt the broadcast, saying the piece was “not ready.”
That decision immediately caused an uproar inside CBS. But what happened next took the situation in an unexpected direction. Because taped episodes are often sent in advance to international partners, the original version of the “60 Minutes” episode had already been delivered to Global TV, which holds the rights to air the show in Canada. Due to what CBS later described as a mistake, that earlier version was uploaded to Global TV’s streaming platform.
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Canadian viewers quickly noticed it. Clips and summaries began circulating on social media, with users urging others to watch before it disappeared. Within hours, the segment had spread across platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, and YouTube. As predicted, CBS parent company Paramount began issuing copyright takedown notices, and many of the videos were removed — but by then, the story was already everywhere.
Inside CBS, reactions were sharply divided. Some staffers were said to be relieved that the piece was finally seen, arguing that it was strong, carefully reported, and worthy of broadcast. Others close to Weiss defended her call, saying the segment lacked balance because interviews with key Trump administration officials were not included.
Alfonsi pushed back strongly against that criticism. She stated that her team had repeatedly requested interviews and that officials’ refusal to participate was documented in the report itself. In the segment, viewers were told that U.S. Homeland Security declined an interview and that the Salvadoran government did not respond to requests for comment. Sound bites from President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were also included.
At its core, the piece was designed to center the voices of former detainees. Several men described months of alleged torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment inside the prison. A representative from Human Rights Watch was also interviewed, referencing a detailed report outlining systemic abuses.
What was meant to be a quietly shelved segment has now become a flashpoint in a much larger debate — about editorial independence, political pressure, and who ultimately gets to decide which stories are told. Ironically, the attempt to stop the story may have ensured it reached a far wider audience than ever intended.
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