Scott Pelley fired from CBS News' '60 Minutes'
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- CBS News fired veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley following his public criticism of new leadership, including Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and executive producer Nick Bilton, whom he accused of undermining the show.
- Pelley reportedly condemned Weiss for "murdering the show" and questioned Bilton’s qualifications during a staff meeting, leading to accusations from Bilton of a hostile "ambush" and lack of interest in the program’s future.
- Pelley claimed the show has lost its journalistic integrity under new management, alleging pressure to introduce bias and falsehoods, and criticized recent firings of colleagues who stood against political bias.
- The leadership changes come amid CBS News’ effort to revamp “60 Minutes” for the modern era, with Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski advocating for a “new approach” to maintain the show’s relevance.
- Pelley, a respected journalist with over three decades at CBS and 51 Emmy Awards, ended his tenure amid a turbulent period marked by internal conflict and shifts in the network’s editorial direction.