Scott Pelley fired from "60 Minutes" following testy exchange
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Journalist Scott Pelley. Photo: Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty Images
Nick Bilton, the newly installed executive producer of "60 Minutes," has fired Scott Pelley after the veteran anchor assailed him in front of staff members during a meeting on Bilton's first day on the job.
Why it matters: The leaked exchange showed how little confidence top talent has in the new management team at "60 Minutes" and CBS News.
- Pelley told Bilton he lacked relevant expertise and that Bilton's new boss Bari Weiss was "murdering" CBS News' flagship show.
Zoom in: In a termination letter, Bilton said he fired Pelley "for cause" after the confrontation.
- Bilton said he was disappointed the journalist chose to ambush him at his first meeting instead of have a conversation after he invited Pelley to dinner.
- "Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt," the note said.
- "Yesterday's performative display of hostility — enacted in front of the staff instead of in a civil, private conversation-demonstrated that you have no interest in contributing to the future success of the show, or approaching my new tenure with a mind open to collaboration and progress."
Of note: Bilton had a conversation with Pelley Tuesday to sort out their differences.
- In a separate letter to staff, Bilton said during that meeting he "tried to find common ground," adding: "That was not the path Scott chose."
The other side: Pelley said in a statement, "For my part, new management has instructed me to inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story. I've been told to include assertions that are unverified."
- "To date, in every case, I have managed to ignore these instructions or refuse them. Recently, politicians have been invited to choose correspondents for interviews on the broadcast. Giving politicians control over 60 Minutes interviews is not how this is done," he said.
- "Finally, incompetence and unprofessionalism in the new management have wreaked havoc. In a case involving one of my stories, the entire program came within 19 minutes of not getting on the air at all."
The big picture: The firing of Pelley adds to a growing list of veteran "60 Minutes" talent exiting the show following management and ownership changes.
- Last week, the network parted ways with longtime producer-turned-interim executive producer Tanya Simon, as well as correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.
- Alfonsi, who clashed with Weiss over the delayed airing of one of her reports, railed against Weiss in her exit memo.
- Bill Owens, that show's former executive producer, resigned in April 2025, citing concerns about journalistic independence.
- Anderson Cooper resigned from "60 Minutes" after nearly two decades this year, citing the desire to spend more time with his family.
What to watch: The takeover of CBS by Paramount chair David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder and Trump ally Larry Ellison, has news staffers at CNN on edge.
- Paramount has agreed to merge with CNN parent Warner Bros Discovery, but the deal is still awaiting regulatory approval before it can close.
Editor's note: This story was updated with Scott Pelley's statement.
