CBS
CBS News has terminated the contract of seasoned South African journalist Debora Patta following a contentious interview with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on the Gaza situation.
The dismissal, part of broader staff cuts at the network, has sparked speculation about editorial biases and potential lawsuits. Patta, a 12-year veteran at CBS known for her hard-hitting reporting from conflict zones, is reportedly consulting lawyers after Huckabee accused the network of selective editing to misrepresent his views. This development, occurring just months after Patta signed a new three-year contract in August 2025, raises questions about freedom of the press and the influence of pro-Israel sentiments in US media, particularly under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
The Controversial Interview That Sparked the Firestorm
The saga began with Patta’s interview with Huckabee on 7 August 2025, aired on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel, discussed reports of starvation in Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In the broadcast segment, his responses appeared dismissive, leading to backlash. The next day, Huckabee took to X (formerly Twitter), claiming CBS had “manipulated” the four-minute clip to create a narrative diverging from his actual comments. “Ever wonder how the media edits an interview to give you a different story than the one they had?” he posted, sharing the full transcript from the US Embassy website.
The unedited exchange revealed Huckabee’s fuller context: On verified starvation photos, he said, “I’m moved when the photos are verified. I mean, we’re all moved when you see someone, especially a child who’s starving. But the New York Times published a picture on the front page of what was purported to be a starving child. Turns out the child had a birth defect and had not been starving.” Regarding genocide accusations against Israel, he stated, “If Israel is attempting genocide, they’re really, really bad at it. They could have had genocide on October the 8th. They could have dropped a few bombs and have annihilated all Gazans, it’s not that big an area. They certainly had the capacity to do it… It is the most ridiculous thing in the world to say that Israel is committing genocide. That’s absurd.”
Huckabee argued these omissions painted him as insensitive, insisting the full context showed a more nuanced position. The controversy quickly escalated, drawing attention to CBS’s editing practices amid sensitive Middle East coverage.
Patta’s Termination and Potential Lawsuit
Patta’s firing was part of approximately 100 job cuts orchestrated by CBS News President Tom Cibrowski on 30 October 2025. Sources indicate that new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, known for her pro-Israel stance, may have influenced the decision. Weiss, who assumed her role amid the layoffs, has been vocal about reshaping the network’s approach to certain topics.
Patta, 61, based in Johannesburg, had recently renewed her contract but will not receive a full payout. Insiders describe her exit as “shocking,” given her extensive experience covering conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas war. She is now exploring legal options, potentially suing over her Middle East reporting, though a breach-of-contract claim’s success depends on her agreement’s terms.
CBS has not publicly commented on Patta’s dismissal or the interview controversy, but the timing – just months after the Huckabee backlash – has fueled speculation of retaliation.
Debora Patta: A Storied Career in Journalism
Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, Patta has built a reputation as a fearless correspondent. She joined CBS in 2013 as a senior foreign correspondent after stints at eNCA and other outlets, where she covered major stories like the Rwandan genocide, Ebola outbreaks, and African politics. Her work has earned awards for in-depth reporting from dangerous zones, making her a respected figure in international journalism.
Patta’s Gaza coverage, including the Huckabee interview, aimed to probe humanitarian issues amid the conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives since October 2023. Her questioning style, focused on verified reports of starvation, aligned with journalistic standards but clashed with Huckabee’s narrative.
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