CBS gets Saddam

[Gregg Lengling]

Steve McClellan
Broadcasting & Cable
2/4/2003 4:21:00 PM
   On Wednesday -- the same day Secretary of State Colin Powell will outline the U.S. position on going to war with Iraq before the United Nations -- CBS will broadcast an interview with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on 60 Minutes II.

It is said to be Hussein's first Western interview in more than one decade.

CBS acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to the interview, which Hussein granted to Tony Benn, described by CBS as a 'retired British lawmaker and anti-war activist.'

Benn's interview with Hussein took place Feb. 2.

The 60 Minutes II segment will package Benn's Hussein interview with an interview of Benn by correspondent Bob Simon.

Together, the two interviews will take up a normal-sized segment on the show, between 11 and 13 minutes, a spokeswoman said.

She added that it was her understanding that the Benn-Hussein interview would air first on a British network Tuesday evening, but she could not confirm reports that it was Channel 4.