CBS News reportedly seized the personal confidential files of acclaimed reporter Catherine Herridge when the network decided to fire her last week, sparking shock amongst employees inside the company who said that they’ve never seen this happen before.
Law professor Jonathan Turley wrote on Friday that following the shock of her dismissal from the network, concerns mounted after he learned that “CBS officials took the unusual step of seizing her files, computers and records, including information on privileged sources.”
“The position of CBS has alarmed many, including the union, as an attack on free press principles by one of the nation’s most esteemed press organizations,” Turley said. “I have spoken confidentially with current and former CBS employees who have stated that they could not recall the company ever taking such a step before.”
Turley said that sources inside the company were concerned about who was pressuring the network to fire Herridge, which reportedly came amid a wave of layoffs.
Multiple sources who were either current or former employees at CBS News told Turley that they had never heard of a situation like this and that employees always would leave with all of their belongings.
One source told the New York Post that the move was “unprecedented,” while another effectively said that the company was run by stupid people who “don’t understand the ramifications of their actions.”
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The cuts reportedly impacted 800 jobs, roughly 3% of Paramount’s total workforce. Paramount CEO Bob Bakish told employees in an internal memo that the drastic cuts are necessary for the financial health of the company.
“These adjustments will help enable us to build on our momentum and execute our strategic vision for the year ahead — and I firmly believe we have much to be excited about,” Bakish wrote, according to Yahoo Finance.
The downsizing has turned some employees against Bakish after he was paid $32 million last year despite the company’s struggles.
The cuts bled into CBS News, which employs about 2,000 people. Roughly 20 people received notice that they were being let go, including some of the news outlet’s top talent such as Herridge.
Herridge, formerly a reporter for Fox News, is under pressure from U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper to divulge her sources in a series of stories she wrote for Fox involving a federal investigation of a Chinese American scientist. Herridge has so far refused to give up her sources and faces the possibility of being held in contempt of court. She could also be fined as much as $5,000-a-day.
Herridge’s case has been closely watched by news organizations and First Amendment advocates over its implications for the future of anonymous reporting of sensitive stories.
While at CBS News, Herridge has continued to break stories on national security and significant legal issues.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.