Something about the whole CBS’ “60 Minutes” CECOT segment debacle feels like a plot drawn up on Apple TV Plus’ “The Morning Show,” and here’s why:

CBS’ abrupt decision to pull Sunday’s 60 Minutes report on a controversial Salvadoran prison reflects growing concerns among news consumers about censorship.

The 13-minute segment featured the stories of Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration to the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) in El Salvador. Clips from the report quickly surfaced on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) after the segment was mistakenly distributed through an app owned by Global Television, which airs 60 Minutes in Canada. This story has now gained the attention of both content creators and news outlets such as PBS, CNN, and Vanity Fair. The Nation later published a transcript of the segment.

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss defended her decision to hold the report, saying the segment was not ready for air and needed more work to “advance the ball.” However, the correspondent on the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, condemned the move in an email to colleagues (obtained by multiple news outlets) Sunday evening, writing that she believed it was “not an editorial decision, it is a political one.”

So why is this such a big deal?

CECOT has developed a reputation as one of the most brutal prisons in the world.  CNN, Vice News, and other outlets reported extensively on conditions inside the facility long before any agreement with the United States. Since March, more than 200 men have been sent to El Salvador. In July, ProPublica launched a first-of-its-kind case-by-case database documenting Venezuelan men held there. The New York Times published accounts of several detainees’ experiences last month. President Donald J. Trump has even suggested to El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, that CECOT could be used to house U.S. citizens as well.

None of this information is new. So what’s changed?

In media, timing is everything!

CBS is a legacy network, and 60 Minutes has long been critical of Trump, a fact he has pointed out. That dynamic appeared to shift after the Federal Communications Commission approved Skydance Media’s $8 billion bid to acquire Paramount, CBS News’ parent company.

Following the deal, 42-year-old David Ellison—the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison—was named CEO. The father-son duo has quickly become influential in the media landscape. Oracle is, of course, involved in the sale of TikTok. (The public will learn more about this deal in the New Year.) Also, David Ellison handpicked Bari Weiss, founder of The Free Press, as CBS News’ editor-in-chief. Weiss has built a reputation as a frequent critic of traditional news organizations, something she and Trump share. 

Earlier this week, The New York Times published a piece on the Ellisons that noted Larry Ellison’s growing alignment with Trump, citing the president’s support for Israel. According to people who have spoken with him, both Ellisons are close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom one associate described as “like an uncle” to David Ellison.

Skydance has also pledged to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the company, aligning with Trump-era policies. In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that nearly 2,000 Paramount employees, including staff at CBS, were laid off.

Former CBS producer Trey Sherman, who is Black, took to TikTok to accuse the company of disproportionately laying off people of color on his team while white colleagues were reassigned to new roles. In a subsequent video, Sherman said his decision to speak out was not about money, but about what he described as a loss of diversity of thought.

Taken together, these decisions underscore a shifting tide in both the function and public perception of legacy media. As ownership consolidates and editorial priorities change, news consumers are left asking an increasingly urgent question: Who controls the narrative and whose voices are being silenced?