Last week,Sharyn Alfonsitold the crowd while picking up a Ridenhour Prize in Washington, DC: “My hope recently has been that I still have a job.”
It appears the“60 Minutes” correspondent’s hopes have been dashed. Sources tell Page Six Hollywood that Alfonsi is out at the end of the month when her contract expires. We also hear that the correspondent has engagedhigh-profile litigatorBryan Freedman, who has represented on-air news talent such asMegyn Kelly, Don Lemon, Tiffany CrossandTucker Carlsonafter their respective networks showed them the door.
CBS News declined comment. Freedman didn’t respond.
Alfonsi found herself at the center of the news cycle when her “60 Minutes” report about a controversial ICE program was held afterCBS News editor-in-chiefBari Weissdeemed it unfinished. In a memo that leaked to the press the day the segment was poised to air, Alfonsi accused Weiss of “pulling this story to shield [the Trump] administration.”
The story eventually aired in January. But with a contract running out in just months, and a “60 Minutes” overhaul in the works, Alfonsi, who joined the legacy news show in 2015, was suddenly vulnerable.
According to multiple sources, Weiss threatened to sue Alfonsi for the leak, which allegedly would be a breach of contract. But another source familiar with the drama says, “I think Bari has her hands full right now,” and expects the correspondent and network to part ways civilly.
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Freedman is known for extracting big settlements for his news clients, most notably Kelly, who walked away from NBC News in 2019 with $69 million. But another source familiar with the clash says it will be difficult for Alfonsi to exit with a big check because CBS News didn’t fire her and instead just let her contract run out.
”That’s why she started to take shots again,” says the source with regards to Alfonsi’s speech on May 1 at the Ridenhour event.
Either way, it appears that the iconic “60 Minutes” clock has stopped ticking for Emmy winner Alfonsi.
Source: Drudge Report
