CBS News has fired veteran correspondent Scott Pelley from 60 Minutes following a heated confrontation with network leadership, according to multiple sources. The dismissal marks the latest in a series of significant departures from the long-running newsmagazine program.
The firing came days after CBS terminated the show's executive producer, executive editor, and two fellow correspondents, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, as part of a broader restructuring. Pelley objected to these removals during a staff meeting on Monday, directly criticizing Bari Weiss, the network's editor-in-chief. "She's murdering 60 Minutes," Pelley said, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. "She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it and is doing exactly that."
When Charles Forelle, the CBS News managing editor, accused Pelley of being rude, Pelley responded by defending Tanya Simon, the show's executive producer who had been fired. The newly appointed executive producer, Nick Bilton, told Pelley that he would not be "intimidated" by his remarks. Despite the confrontation, staff members present at the meeting gave Pelley a standing ovation, indicating substantial support from colleagues.
Bari Weiss announced the firing during an all-hands staff call, stating that Pelley had violated trust and mutual respect, though she did not provide specific details about his conduct.
Following his termination, Pelley issued a public statement accusing network executives of silencing employees and instructing him "to inject falsehoods and bias" into his reporting. He emphasized that 60 Minutes has been the top-rated program in America for decades because audiences trust the show's integrity and quality. "60 has been the number-one program in America for decades because our beloved audience finds integrity, quality, and humanity in our stories," he wrote.
The departing correspondents had raised concerns about editorial independence at the network. Alfonsi stated that "the wall between editorial independence and corporate interest at CBS is being methodically torn down." She noted that journalists willing to challenge authority were being pushed aside. Vega similarly suggested political bias was influencing coverage decisions. "Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions," she said. "Let's call this what it is: censorship, both imposed and self-driven."
Pelley's departure represents a significant blow to the program's correspondent lineup. The veteran journalist had served as a prominent figure at CBS News for decades and previously anchored the CBS Evening News. His removal reflects deeper tensions within the organization regarding editorial direction and the network's leadership approach under Weiss. CBS News has not announced plans for filling the vacancy left by Pelley's exit or whether additional changes are planned for the show.