FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the agency's lone Democrat, sharply criticized CBS News on Monday for pulling a planned "60 Minutes" segment on the Trump administration's deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison, calling the decision "a strike at the heart of press freedom."
In a blistering statement, Gomez described the cancellation as "deeply alarming" and warned it could signal government influence over journalism. She tied her concerns to the ongoing Paramount-Skydance merger, now led by CEO David Ellison, and the recent appointment of Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief following Ellison's acquisition of Weiss's Free Press outlet.
The segment, "Inside CECOT," featured correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and was scheduled to air Sunday. It examined the March 2025 deportation of about 250 Venezuelan men accused of gang ties to El Salvador's mega-prison, highlighting reports of harsh conditions and lack of due process. A preview had aired, but the full piece was postponed hours before broadcast.
Gomez urged CBS to publicly explain the decision and prove newsroom independence remains protected, especially amid the merger and a "government-imposed media monitor" at the network. She emphasized that "a free press cannot function if the government is able to exercise veto power over critical reporting."
The controversy adds to broader scrutiny of CBS News under new ownership, following a $16 million settlement with the Trump administration earlier in 2025 that helped clear the merger. Gomez, a vocal defender of press freedom and consumer protections on the FCC, has previously opposed the merger over similar concerns about independent journalism.
CBS has said the segment will air at a later date.