Scott Pelley Claims 60 Minutes’ Boss Is “Killing” the Show
60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley has reportedly voiced his concerns regarding the management of the long-standing CBS news program during a staff meeting.
As per recordings obtained by Status and The New York Times on Monday, June 1, Pelley, 68, expressed discontent with CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
“She is undermining 60 Minutes,” he allegedly stated. “She doesn’t care about this place. She was brought in to dismantle it, and she’s been effective at that.” (Weiss was reportedly absent from the meeting.)
During the gathering, Pelley also questioned whether the show’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton, had the necessary qualifications for his position.
“[Weiss] lacks the qualifications for her role; you have very limited qualifications for this position,” Pelley remarked to The New York Times. “The alterations she’s made at the Evening News have been disastrous, so why should we anticipate that anything here will improve?”
Bilton, 49, reportedly responded, “Well, I’ll prove that is not the case. That’s my plan for the next two weeks. I’m eager to meet with everyone, including you.”
The new executive producer, who takes over from Tanya Simon, emphasized that Weiss loves the show and “this institution.”
“For me, journalism is paramount,” Bilton stated, according to the recording. “That is why I’m here. That’s why we’re all here. The rumors suggesting I’m going to transform the show into 60 one-minute segments akin to TikTok are unfounded. The program will maintain its current format for now.”
Us Weekly reached out to CBS News for comments regarding the meeting and Pelley’s alleged remarks.
60 Minutes is recognized by CBS as America’s leading television news program, committed to delivering incisive investigative reports, interviews with newsmakers, and thorough profiles.
In recent weeks, viewers have observed some shifts in the program, such as the departure of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper after nearly two decades as a correspondent.
On Thursday, May 28, it was disclosed that 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi’s contract was not renewed. In an interview with The New York Times, the seasoned journalist asserted, “It was a calculated decision to penalize a reporter for refusing to dilute accurate reporting.”
Cecilia Vega also announced her termination on what some employees referred to as “Black Thursday.”
“I hold immense respect and admiration for my colleagues at 60 Minutes and the stories aired every Sunday. However, I am deeply concerned about what lies ahead for the future of this iconic broadcast,” Vega, 49, stated via Instagram. “In recent months, my producing teams and I have faced attempts to inject political bias into our stories. Reporting teams have hesitated to submit pitches on significant news topics out of fear of internal backlash. Let’s call it what it is: censorship, both enforced and self-imposed. It’s harmful to the show and detrimental to democracy.”
60 Minutes airs on CBS Sundays at 7 p.m. ET.
