'60 Minutes' Announces New Big-Name Correspondents & Contributors

Key Points:

• Ross Douthat, a conservative opinion columnist from The New York Times, is joining 60 Minutes as a correspondent to bring more political diversity and reflect national political friction, marking a departure from the show's traditional fact-focused journalism.
• Executive Producer Nick Bilton announced the addition of bestselling author Sebastian Junger and Emmy-winning journalist Gianna Toboni as contributors, highlighting their multimedia experience and storytelling skills.
• The new hires, described as "entrepreneurial journalists," aim to help 60 Minutes reach modern audiences through diverse platforms including books, documentaries, podcasts, and live events.
• Former CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell has been promoted to correspondent, while Trevor Phillips has been named a contributor, maintaining continuity alongside longtime correspondents Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim.
• These changes come amid a period of significant staff turnover following the departures of Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Cecilia Vega, as 60 Minutes seeks to evolve its strategy beyond traditional broadcast television audiences.