Media News Daily: Top Stories for 12/22/2025

CBS Pulls ‘60 Minutes’ Segment on Trump-Era Deportations, Prompting Internal Backlash

CBS News abruptly pulled a “60 Minutes” segment titled “Inside CECOT” just hours before its scheduled broadcast, replacing it with an unrelated feature. The segment reportedly focused on Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration and held in El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and producers claimed the piece had passed all legal and editorial checks, but CBS cited a need for “additional reporting.” Internal dissent followed, with Alfonsi alleging “corporate censorship” and blaming editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, recently appointed under the new Paramount Skydance ownership. Weiss disputed the claim, saying the story lacked sufficient administration response. Read More (KIFI Rating)

Court Lifts Block on Elon Musk’s Lawsuit Against Media Matters in Ireland

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) can continue its defamation lawsuit against Media Matters for America in Ireland. The suit stems from a 2023 Media Matters report claiming that ads for top brands appeared next to extremist content on the platform. Media Matters argued the case violated X’s own terms, which designate San Francisco as the jurisdiction for legal disputes. However, the 9th Circuit ruled that the watchdog waived its rights by litigating the case in Ireland for over a year before raising objections. Musk’s legal strategy, which spans multiple countries, has drawn criticism as a form of “libel tourism.” Read More (MediaPost Rating)

Google Adds AI Detection Tool to Gemini App Amid Growing Mistrust Online

Google has integrated a new feature into its Gemini AI app that allows users to verify if a video was created or altered using Google’s AI tools. The tool uses SynthID, a digital watermark embedded in AI-generated content, to detect signs of synthetic media across video, audio, and visuals. This move comes amid increasing public skepticism about the authenticity of online content and fears of unintentionally sharing AI-fabricated material. Although SynthID is currently exclusive to Google’s ecosystem, other companies like Meta and OpenAI use alternative standards like C2PA, which aim to serve the same transparency purpose. Read More (Social Media Today Rating)