Scott Pelley, an iconic “60 Minutes” on-air talent, was ousted from CBS News a day after criticizing the division's top management for firing the show's executive producer and two correspondents.
“We have parted ways with Scott Pelley,” newly installed executive producer Nick Bilton said in a message sent to staff Tuesday.
The network announced Pelley's departure after a meeting with CBS News senior management Tuesday night, where the veteran correspondent continued to ask for answers about why “60 Minutes” executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecila Vega were fired last week, according to people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly. Editor-in-chief Bari Weiss declined to address the issue at the meeting.
Pelley's departure follows a controversial “60 Minutes” staff meeting on Monday where he accused Weiss of “murdering” the country's most-watched news program.
Pelley also raised questions about the credentials of Bilton, the former New York Times journalist and documentary filmmaker named last week to run the venerable news magazine, citing his lack of experience in television news.
Bilton was named to replace Simon on Thursday, an unexpected move that also came with correspondent layoffs. The moves were made by Weiss, who has pointed to changes at the prestigious show since coming to the network in the fall.
Bilton attempted to defend Weiss, who was not at the meeting, and claimed that CBS News management was committed to guiding “60 Minutes” into the digital future.
“She's killing '60 Minutes,'” Pelley said of Weiss at the meeting at the show's Manhattan headquarters. “She doesn't love this place. She was brought here to kill him and she's been doing exactly that.”
Pelley's surprising comments at the meeting were applauded by his colleagues. But veterans of the division, who were shocked by the confrontation, took it as a sign that he was ready to leave the program.
Pelley is the fourth correspondent to leave “60 Minutes” since Weiss joined CBS News. Anderson Cooper, who is also a CNN anchor, opted not to sign a new deal, citing family reasons, although many insiders said he was uncomfortable with the direction of CBS News. Alfonsi and Vega were separated last week.
Those vacancies mean “60 Minutes” will have to quickly line up new talent to fill corresponding roles. Production of segments for the 2026-27 season is already underway.
Pelley, 68, began his career at CBS News in 1989. He covered the Gulf War for the network, traveling through Iraq and Kuwait. He later became chief White House correspondent during Bill Clinton's turbulent second term.
Pelley became a correspondent for “60 Minutes II,” a weekday edition of the show that ran from 1999 to 2005. After the show was canceled, Pelley moved to the main Sunday edition.
The fate of “60 Minutes,” which saw a 9% viewership increase and massive viewing spikes across social media platforms last season, has been an ongoing saga since President Trump sued the show over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The lawsuit was settled just before the Federal Communications Commission cleared the way for David Ellison's Skydance Media's acquisition of Paramount.
Ellison acquired Weiss's new digital company, Free Press, which established itself as a critical voice of so-called woke politics. He was given the mandate to bring CBS News to the political center, creating the perception that his role is to placate the Trump White House as Paramount seeks regulatory approval to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
