Nick Bilton Vows '60 Minutes' Independence as 3 Remaining Correspondents Weigh Exit
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 4
Nick Bilton Vows '60 Minutes' Independence as 3 Remaining Correspondents Weigh Exit
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 4
Summary
Nick Bilton told "60 Minutes" staff in a Thursday memo that CBS News ownership would "never" direct the program’s reporting, seeking to steady a newsroom shaken by last week’s upheaval.
Three remaining correspondents — Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker — have been weighing whether to stay after the firing of longtime colleague Scott Pelley, according to people familiar with the matter.
Bilton said he had consulted the correspondents in recent days, called them central to the show’s success, and elevated longtime producer Maria Gavrilovic to a senior role after meeting Stahl on Wednesday.
"60 Minutes," the top-rated U.S. news program, has been in crisis since Bari Weiss ousted its leadership team and 2 on-air correspondents, installing Bilton despite his lack of broadcast experience.
That overhaul intensified fears that CBS News could face pressure from David Ellison, the Hollywood mogul who bought CBS last year and now oversees Weiss.