Steve Kroft Blasts 3 '60 Minutes' Firings as Paramount Pursues Merger Approval
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jun 4
Steve Kroft Blasts 3 '60 Minutes' Firings as Paramount Pursues Merger Approval
1 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jun 4
Summary
Steve Kroft called the ouster of Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega “disastrous,” saying the shake-up amounts to journalistic interference at TV’s top-rated news program.
Pelley was fired for cause Tuesday, a day after a verbal clash with new executive producer Nick Bilton in which he criticized CBS News leadership.
Kroft tied the turmoil to Paramount’s push for regulatory approval of its proposed Warner Bros. Discovery merger, arguing management prioritized the deal over protecting the newsroom.
He also pointed to political pressure after CBS’s 2024 Kamala Harris interview triggered Donald Trump’s lawsuit and a multimillion-dollar settlement, saying Trump allies and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr had openly attacked the network.