CBS boss 'OUTRAGED' by clip showing Texas TV reporter being told not to cover jubilant Iranian protests after Trump had Ayatollah killed
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss is 'fuming' over a viral video that appears to show a CBS Austin reporter being instructed to downplay coverage of a pro-Israel-US protest then occurring behind him, it is claimed.
Weiss, 41, saw the footage and wants a network-wide crackdown as a result, a well-placed source told the Daily Mail.
CBS affiliates will not be exempt from the effort, the insider said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The clip in question shows CBS Austin's Vinny Martorano covering the procession outside the Texas Capitol building, and comes from a Facebook livestream posted by the station on Saturday.
Martorano was set to speak on a procession gathered to celebrate the US and Israeli strikes on Iran when a crew member passed him a phone.
'What does that mean?' Martorano says after several seconds of scrutinizing a message on the device's screen.
'It means they don't want us to focus on this,' one his crew mates explains - a command Martorano does not heed.
The moment was quickly clipped and reshared, earning Weiss's attention in the process, our source said.
CBS News boss Bari Weiss, 41, saw footage of a CBS Austin reporter ignoring his superior's orders to not home in on a pro-Israel procession outside the Texas Capitol on Saturday, a CBS source told the Daily Mail on Monday
The clip in question shows CBS Austin's Vinny Martorano covering the procession outside the Texas Capitol building, and comes from a Facebook stream from the station posted Saturday
'From what I hear, Bari is going to take an even more hands-on approach to be sure that the CBS brand isn't tarnished by the affiliates.
'This is a bad look, and it reinforces everything that she wants to avoid,' the source said.
'So there will be a lot more directives going out to affiliates.'
Conservatives frantically shared Martorano's report to accuse CBS of media bias.
However, CBS Austin is owned by a separate entity entirely - right-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group. A spokesperson for CBS Austin told the Daily Mail that Martorano had only been told to avoid the group in line with safety guidelines on covering protests.
'There was no directive to avoid or de-emphasize any particular perspective,' the spokesperson added. 'The guidance was focused on safety, logistics and ensuring comprehensive coverage in a rapidly evolving situation.' The finished report did feature the perspectives of protesters happy at the US air strikes.
Still, several X accounts presented it as evidence of liberal media bias.
CBS itself - particularly CBS News - has been plagued by allegations of liberal media bias for years, a reputation execs have sought to address since the network was acquired by David Ellison's Skydance late last year.
Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison, are close allies of Trump, and Weiss, 41, was appointed by the Paramount CEO himself in October with the expectation of being a disruptor.
Texans taking part in the procession, which was launched in protest of the Islamic Republic regime. The clip of Martorano was reshared by several right-leaning social media accounts
Weiss rose to prominence as an opinion journalist for both the New York Times and her own Free Press, as a fierce critic of legacy news. She is also an outspoken Zionist.
'There will be meetings with Sinclair and Hearst. She’s going to take action,' the source said, mentioning two companies that carry CBS's local stations.
Posts resharing the clip have received millions of views.
The Daily Mail has approached CBS for comment.
The rest of Martorano's report wrapped shortly after the unscripted section.
The Facebook livestream lasted roughly 11 minutes and ended after the reporter discussed how much of the US remains divided on the issue.
The Daily Mail has approached Martorano and CBS Austin for comment.
Iranian state media confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday.
Sinclair made headlines last year for its decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its ABC affiliates over jokes its host made regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
