Ocasio-Cortez Criticizes Media Ownership Amid ’60 Minutes’ Segment Delay Controversy

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, recently voiced her disapproval of CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, alleging that she was responsible for delaying a ’60 Minutes’ piece about El Salvador’s maximum-security prison that aired in January. During an appearance on Don Lemon’s show, Ocasio-Cortez criticized the perceived influence of billionaire ownership on media operations.

Ocasio-Cortez highlighted prestigious journalists at networks such as MS NOW, CNN, and CBS but criticized them for what she described as an ‘oligarchical ownership structure.’ She claimed, “We saw what happened with that ’60 Minutes’ piece on [Center for Confinement of Terrorism] CECOT. Bari Weiss killed it. And she’s not there because she’s a good journalist; she’s there because she aligns with the billionaires, helping them to appear favorable, and executes on the censorship agenda they want.”

The contested ’60 Minutes’ segment, originally postponed from December, was broadcast on January 18. According to reports from Fox News Digital, Weiss postponed the piece because although the interviews were compelling, the story wasn’t deemed adequately developed.

Both CBS News and Ocasio-Cortez’s office have not yet responded to queries from Fox News Digital regarding these allegations.

Ocasio-Cortez also expressed concerns about The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. She remarked, “These companies aren’t just large but are often controlled by a single billionaire with distinct political interests.”

She accused Bezos of acquiring The Washington Post to regulate dissenting viewpoints, particularly in election-related coverage. Since Bezos took charge in 2013, the paper announced in 2024 it would not endorse political candidates in future elections.

Similar sentiments were extended to the Los Angeles Times, which also refrained from endorsing a presidential candidate in 2024.

In early 2025, Bezos revealed initiatives within The Post to champion “personal liberties and free markets,” leaving differing opinions to be published elsewhere.

Furthering her critique, Ocasio-Cortez cited CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” referencing media consolidation under figures like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Larry Ellison. She suggested these changes have led to prominent critics like Stephen Colbert being de-platformed, while others like Jimmy Kimmel face threats through corporate giants such as Disney.

Hanna Panreck contributed to the original report for Fox News.