Scott Pelley Likens 20-Year '60 Minutes' Exit to Murdered Spouse as He Blasts 2 Executives
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 7
Scott Pelley Likens 20-Year '60 Minutes' Exit to Murdered Spouse as He Blasts 2 Executives
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 7
Summary
Scott Pelley, 68, said on a June 7 New York Times podcast that being fired from "60 Minutes" after more than two decades felt "like your spouse was murdered" and that he was blindsided by the decision.
A heated staff meeting triggered the dismissal: Pelley had accused CBS News chief Bari Weiss of "murdering" the program and said new executive producer Nick Bilton had "slender" qualifications after senior leaders were pushed out.
Nick Bilton's termination note called Pelley's conduct "misconduct" and a "performative display of hostility," saying he publicly disparaged Bilton instead of raising concerns privately.
Pelley said Bilton showed "callousness" and "tone deafness" with staff, argued Weiss should lose her job, and alleged she inserted political bias into coverage of Minneapolis ICE protests—an accusation CBS denied.
The interview extends a widening public fight inside CBS News, where Pelley said inexperienced leadership and subtle political bias have left the network "on fire."