Topline
In a surprising shake-up at CBS News, prominent “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley was dismissed on Tuesday. The veteran journalist, who once anchored the esteemed program, openly criticized Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of dismantling the iconic news show after she replaced its leadership team and appointed tech journalist Nick Bilton as the new head.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Bilton, the newly appointed Executive Producer of “60 Minutes,” delivered the news of Pelley’s termination, stating that it was “for cause, effective immediately.”
Sources reveal that tensions between Pelley and Bilton had reached a boiling point during a staff meeting earlier in the week. Pelley, questioning Bilton’s experience, challenged the rationale behind the dismissal of several long-standing producers from the show.
The New York Times, in a conversation with Pelley, confirmed the firing. Pelley expressed his deep commitment to “60 Minutes,” underscoring his dedication and the extensive reporting he has done from conflict zones around the world.
Bilton, in a letter to Pelley, accused him of derailing his inaugural meeting by launching personal attacks and displaying overt hostility. The memo sent to the “60 Minutes” team detailed Bilton’s attempts to engage Pelley’s cooperation over the weekend, efforts that he claims were met with resistance.
In his letter to Pelley, Bilton accused the journalist of hijacking his first meeting to “disparage” him and making a “performative display of hostility.”
In a memo sent to “60 Minutes” staffers, Bilton claimed he made “repeated attempts” to have direct talks with the senior correspondent over the weekend to “find common ground” but was allegedly rebuffed.
CBS News has not yet commented on Pelley’s firing.
What Do We Know About The Fiery Staff Meeting?
At a staff meeting on Monday, Pelley reportedly confronted Bilton about the firings of the show’s long-time producers and fellow correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. When Bilton suggested that Weiss “loves this institution,” Pelley reportedly shot back, “She is murdering ‘60 Minutes.’” Pelley then proceeded to call out Weiss, who was not at the meeting and said she “doesn’t love this place” and alleged that she was brought in by the network’s new owner, David Ellison, to “kill” the news division, “and she’s been doing exactly that.”
Key Background
Pelley’s firing follows a series of other controversies impacting CBS News since David Ellison’s acquisition of the network’s parent, Paramount, last year. Ellison also acquired Weiss’ online publication “The Free Press” and brought her on board as the editor in chief of CBS’s news division. Since taking over, Weiss has enacted many sweeping changes at CBS News, many of which have been controversial. One of the biggest controversies of her tenure occurred last year after she directed the network to pull a segment of “60 Minutes” just before it was set to air. The segment was focused on highlighting the harsh conditions faced by migrants deported from the U.S. by the Trump administration and sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador.
Further Reading
CBS News Fires Scott Pelley of ‘60 Minutes’ (New York Times)
‘60 Minutes’ Correspondent Scott Pelley Fired by CBS News (Wall Street Journal)
