Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
CBS News Fires Scott Pelley After 1 Meeting in '60 Minutes' Shake-Up
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6

CBS News Fires Scott Pelley After 1 Meeting in '60 Minutes' Shake-Up

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6

Summary

  • Scott Pelley was fired a day after a staff meeting in which he blasted new executive producer Nick Bilton and CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of “murdering” “60 Minutes.”
  • The clash followed a May 28 overhaul in which Weiss ousted the program’s senior leadership and installed Bilton, 49, a tech journalist and documentary filmmaker with no broadcast news experience.
  • Bilton moved quickly to contain the fallout, issuing a statement backing journalistic independence as he tries to steady a staff long known for resisting management.
  • The dispute leaves the top-rated newsmagazine under pressure to restore order before its new season begins in September.

Insights

Is the '60 Minutes' turmoil a necessary evolution for survival or a troubling sign of corporate control over news?
When veteran reporters allege censorship, who really decides what stories the public is allowed to see?