Opinion: Why is ‘60 Minutes’ amplifying the views of Marjorie Taylor Greene? | CNN

The decision by CBS to feature Marjorie Taylor Greene on "60 Minutes" has raised eyebrows among many critics who argue that the platform is amplifying her extremist views at a time when they are most problematic. Greene, a Republican representative from Georgia, was invited to share her opinions with Lesley Stahl, despite having been criticized for her involvement in white nationalist events and spreading conspiracy theories.

While it's true that "60 Minutes" has featured controversial guests over the years, the choice of Greene is particularly noteworthy given her track record of promoting radical views on issues such as gun control, Islamophobia, and the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The segment, which aired last Sunday night, did not adequately address these concerns, sparking criticism from many who argue that CBS should have taken a more critical stance towards Greene's extremist views.

The fact that Greene was praised by "60 Minutes" host Lesley Stahl for her "legendary icon status" and described as a "trailblazer for women in journalism" is particularly galling given the harm caused by her rhetoric. While some may argue that the segment provided an opportunity for Greene to share her opinions, it ultimately served to legitimize her views and amplify them to a wider audience.

The controversy surrounding this segment is not new, however. In recent months, several high-profile figures have criticized CBS for its decision to feature Greene on "60 Minutes." Journalist Molly Jong-Fast has accused the network of wasting its "currency" by promoting Greene's views, while former Republican representative Adam Kinzinger has called it "insane" that the show would do so.

Perhaps most disturbingly, the segment has been criticized for failing to acknowledge Greene's involvement in white nationalist events and her promotion of conspiracy theories about school shootings. David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland high school shooting, has called on CBS to provide more context about Greene's views, which he believes are "fake" and have caused harm.

Ultimately, the decision by CBS to feature Marjorie Taylor Greene on "60 Minutes" raises questions about the network's editorial standards and its commitment to promoting critical thinking and nuance. While it may be true that the show has featured controversial guests in the past, this particular segment serves as a reminder that some voices are more problematic than others. As CBS continues to navigate the complexities of modern journalism, it is essential that the network takes a more critical approach to featuring extremist figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene.

idk why cbs thought it was a good idea to feature marjorie taylor greene on 60 minutes tbh it's not like she's exactly known for her nuanced opinions or anything... just saying i mean, if you're gonna do an interview with someone who's got a track record of spouting hate speech and conspiracy theories, at least try to fact-check them right?

I'm low-key shocked by CBS's decision to feature Marjorie Taylor Greene on "60 Minutes" . I mean, we get it, she's a public figure and all, but come on... her views are super problematic . It feels like they're just giving her a platform without really holding her accountable for the harm she's caused. I think it's time for CBS to take a closer look at their editorial standards and make sure they're not amplifying extremist views anymore .

I'm also kinda disappointed that Lesley Stahl didn't press Greene harder on some of these issues . I get that "60 Minutes" is supposed to be in-depth, but sometimes you just gotta call out the BS . And what's up with calling her a "trailblazer for women in journalism"? Is that really something to brag about?

Anyway, this whole thing has me thinking... how can we trust the media when they're not holding people like Greene accountable for their actions? We need more critical thinking and nuance in journalism, imo . What do you guys think? Should CBS be doing more to fact-check Greene's claims or is this just a case of "controversy" being used as an excuse?

I'm low-key disappointed in CBS for choosing to feature Greene on 60 Minutes . I mean, we've seen her spew some pretty radical views on gun control, Islamophobia, and the Jan 6th insurrection... and they just wanted to give her a platform? It's like they're trying to amplify these extremist ideas instead of critically evaluating them. And can't believe Lesley Stahl praised Greene for being a "trailblazer for women in journalism"... yeah no . It feels like CBS is more interested in having a ratings winner than doing some real investigative journalism. The fact that they didn't adequately address these concerns just makes me even more skeptical about the segment .

I think CBS made a decent call by having Marjorie Taylor Greene on "60 Minutes". I mean, she's got some pretty extreme views on gun control and Islamophobia, but you can't just ignore her or dismiss her opinions without giving people a platform to hear them out. And let's be real, if you're gonna feature someone as outspoken and opinionated as Greene, you gotta expect some criticism from critics who think the show should've handled it differently. The thing is, "60 Minutes" isn't supposed to be a advocacy show, but more of an exposé, so I get why they'd want to give her a chance to share her thoughts. But yeah, maybe next time they can do a follow-up segment with some fact-checking and context to make sure people aren't getting taken in by Greene's rhetoric

I'm really surprised by the decision to have Marjorie Taylor Greene on 60 Minutes . I mean, we all know she's been involved in some pretty radical stuff and has spread some conspiracy theories that are just not okay . But at the same time, I get why CBS wanted to feature her - they want to stir up conversation and expose her views to a wider audience .

But, on the other hand, I think it's also about giving airtime to people who have been marginalized or silenced . Greene has definitely sparked controversy, but maybe that's exactly what she needs to be more visible about . Plus, if 60 Minutes is going to feature her, they should at least acknowledge some of the criticisms surrounding her views .

Overall, I think it's a tricky situation and one that raises important questions about journalistic standards and nuance . It'll be interesting to see how CBS responds to all this backlash

OMG u guys i just watched dat 60 minutes ep w/ Marjorie Taylor Greene and i'm literally shook she's got some seriously out-there views on gun control & Islamophobia i mean i get that CBS has featured controversial guests before, but this one feels different. They basically just gave her a platform to spout her extremist views without really calling her out for it Lesley Stahl seemed to be trying to give her a nod of approval w/ all the praise she threw her way like, hello CBS! u gotta do better than that . And btw, why didn't they address the actual harm caused by Greene's rhetoric? It feels like they just wanted to make a ratings hit instead of promoting critical thinking

I think CBS got roasted for not doing their due diligence on Greene's views . I mean, yes, the show has had its fair share of controversy in the past, but this is different. Greene's been involved in some pretty questionable stuff, and it feels like they just gave her a platform without really holding her accountable . And what's with praising her as a "trailblazer" when she's basically spreading hate speech? It's not exactly inspiring confidence in their editorial decisions . I think CBS needs to take a hard look at why they chose to feature Greene and how they can do better next time .

I think it's weird that they're giving her so much airtime , you know? Like, isn't there someone else she can talk to instead of us? Just kidding, sorta... But seriously, I don't get why CBS would do that. She's got some pretty crazy views and I don't think they should be helping to spread them around.

idk why cbs thinks featuring greene is gonna be good for them i mean, have they seen her track record? she's all about spreading conspiracy theories and hate speech it's not like she's some kinda hero or trailblazer or whatever stahl said. that segment was so basic, just gave her a mic and let her spew her toxic nonsense out to the world and now ppl are mad because it legitimized her views? yeah, no surprise there i think cbs should've done their research better before inviting her on anyway, this is just another example of how the media can be kinda tone deaf when it comes to these kinds of issues

I'm drawing a diagram here <img src="https://latex.artofinspiration.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/GIF1-400x300.png" width="200" height="150">



So I think CBS made a big mistake by having Marjorie Taylor Greene on "60 Minutes". It's like, they're amplifying her crazy views and giving them more attention than they deserve. I mean, she's been all over the news for spreading conspiracy theories and promoting hate speech. It's not cool.



I'm imagining a Venn diagram with "60 Minutes" on one side and " Extremist Views" on the other. The overlap area is like, super small because CBS should be avoiding that kind of content. But instead, they're like, "Hey, let's feature her and make it seem okay!".



It's not just about Marjorie Taylor Greene though. It's about all the people who are watching "60 Minutes" and seeing her views presented as normal. That's not good for anyone.



I'm thinking of a graph here <img src="https://latex.artofinspiration.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/GIF2-400x300.png" width="200" height="150">



The more we feature people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, the more they become normalized. And that's not what we want. We need to be promoting critical thinking and nuance, not amplifying hate speech.



I'm hoping CBS will take a closer look at their editorial standards and realize they made a mistake. They should be focusing on features that promote understanding and empathy, not extremist views.

I don't get why CBS would invite someone with so much hate spewed from their mouth . I mean, I know they've had controversy guests before, but this one hits too close to home. It's like they're giving a platform to someone who spreads conspiracy theories and Islamophobia stuff . And what really gets me is when Lesley Stahl was praising her as some kinda "trailblazer" . Like, no way, girl. You're just promoting more hate and division. It's so frustrating when networks like this don't take a closer look at the people they're inviting on their shows. They need to be more critical of who they feature

I'm not sure why CBS thought it was a good idea to give Marjorie Taylor Greene so much airtime . I mean, have you seen some of the stuff she's said about Islam and gun control? It's just crazy . And don't even get me started on her involvement with white nationalist groups... that's just not okay .

I think what bothers me most is that they gave her a platform to share her views without really challenging them . I get that she has an opinion, but come on, some of this stuff is just flat-out false . And now it's out there for everyone to see... not good .

I'm all for giving people a chance to share their thoughts, but at some point you have to hold them accountable . CBS should've been more critical of Greene's views and asked her tougher questions . Instead, they just gave her a free pass , which I don't think is fair .

This whole thing makes me nervous about the future of journalism . Are we really gonna let people like Marjorie Taylor Greene spread their extremist views without any pushback? No thanks! We need to be better than that .

I don't get why CBS is doin' this ? I mean, we all know about Marjorie Taylor Greene's crazy views and stuff... it's not like she's some kinda hero or sumthin'. They gotta be thinkin' they're doin' us a favor by bringin' her on the show and shinin' a light on her wild ideas . But honestly, I think they shoulda done more to call her out on it while she was there... like, acknowledge the harm she's caused with some of that rhetoric . It's not just about bein' fair, it's about bein' responsible too... and I don't think CBS is doin' enough to hold themselves accountable for puttin' that out there .

I dont think its right for cbs to feature marjorie taylor greene on 60 minutes lol its like theyre givin her a stage 2 platform now she spreads conspiracy theories and hate speech left and right and yet cbs is tryna normalize her views? what about all the ppl who've been harmed by her rhetoric? shouldn't cbs be holdin her accountable instead of just give her a mic to spew her toxic ideas

I'm shocked, mate . What's going on with "60 Minutes" these days? They're basically giving Marjorie Taylor Greene a platform to spew her radical views and it's just not right . I mean, come on, she's been involved in white nationalist events and spreading conspiracy theories left and right. It's like they're just inviting her to the party and expecting everyone to be all cool with it .

I remember when I was a kid, we didn't have all these fancy news shows and politicians were actually held accountable for their actions . Now it seems like anyone can just say whatever they want and get airtime without any real scrutiny . It's like CBS is just throwing money at the problem instead of trying to solve it .

I'm not saying I agree with all the critics, but come on, some people are genuinely concerned about what Marjorie Taylor Greene is saying . And you know what? They deserve to be heard . Maybe CBS should have taken a more nuanced approach to featuring her, instead of just praising her as some kind of trailblazer . It's like they're trying to legitimize her views or something .

Anyway, I guess this is just the state of modern journalism now . We've gotta keep an eye on these things and make sure we're not getting manipulated by sensationalism and clickbait headlines .