While "60 Minutes" has garnered numerous awards and praise for its landmark journalism, its long history is also marked by significant controversies and ethical debates. These incidents have often sparked public discussion about journalistic integrity, the power of television news, and the responsibilities of media organizations. From allegations of misleading reporting to issues of sexual harassment, the program has faced scrutiny that highlights
the complex challenges inherent in investigative journalism.
One of the earliest and most impactful controversies involved a segment aired on November 23, 1986, concerning the Audi 5000 automobile. The report focused on a supposed problem of "unintended acceleration" when the brake pedal was pushed, featuring emotional interviews with individuals who had crashed their cars. Footage in the segment showed an Audi 5000 with the accelerator seemingly moving on its own. However, it later emerged that an expert witness employed by one of the plaintiffs had modified the accelerator with a concealed device to create the "unintended acceleration." Independent investigators concluded that the incidents were most likely due to driver error, where the driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. This report devastated Audi sales in the United States for 15 years, and CBS later issued a partial retraction without acknowledging the findings of government agencies.
Questionable Reporting and Forged Documents
Another notable incident occurred in December 1980 with a segment on the Jeep CJ-5, which was labeled the "most dangerous thing on four wheels" due to an alleged high rollover risk. The report showed a Jeep rolling over during an extreme turn at 20 mph. However, it was later revealed that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety had attempted to roll the car 435 times, achieving only 8 rollovers, and the "60 Minutes" report failed to disclose that weights had been placed on parts of the vehicle to increase its rollover risk. This segment tarnished the Jeep CJ's reputation and led to a decline in sales, with the model being discontinued in 1986.
In 1997, "60 Minutes" aired allegations that agents of the U.S. Customs Service ignored drug trafficking across the Mexico–United States border at San Diego. The report relied on a memorandum purportedly written by Rudy Camacho, the head of the San Diego branch office, suggesting he allowed trucks from a specific firm to cross unimpeded. Mike Horner, a former Customs Service employee, provided the memos, including a copy with an official stamp, to "60 Minutes." Camacho was not consulted for the piece, and his career suffered immediately. It was later discovered that Horner had forged the documents as an act of revenge. Camacho sued CBS and settled for an undisclosed amount, leading "60 Minutes" founder Don Hewitt to issue an on-air retraction.
The Killian Documents and Benghazi Report
One of the most significant controversies involved the Killian documents, which were critical of George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard. Four of these documents were presented as authentic in a "60 Minutes II" episode on September 8, 2004, less than two months before the presidential election. However, CBS later admitted it failed to authenticate the documents, and typewriter and typography experts concluded they were forgeries. The provider of the documents, Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, claimed to have burned the originals after faxing copies to CBS. This incident, dramatized in the film "Truth," severely damaged the credibility of the program and CBS News.
More recently, on October 27, 2013, "60 Minutes" aired a report by Lara Logan on the 2012 Benghazi attack, featuring British military contractor Dylan Davies, identified as "Morgan Jones." Davies described racing to the Benghazi compound, scaling a wall, and engaging a fighter. He also claimed to have seen Ambassador Christopher Stevens' body at a hospital. In the days following the report, Davies' personal account was challenged, with the FBI stating his story to them differed from what he told "60 Minutes." Although Davies stood by his story, the inconsistency led "60 Minutes" to conclude it was a mistake to include him in the report and issue a correction. A journalistic review by CBS News' executive director of standards and practices, Al Ortiz, determined that red flags about Davies' account were missed. Davies' book, published two days after the report, was pulled from shelves. Lara Logan was forced to take a leave of absence due to the errors, returning months later. These incidents underscore the persistent challenges "60 Minutes" has faced in maintaining its reputation for rigorous and ethical journalism.
