CBS News Fires '60 Minutes' Veteran Correspondent Scott Pelley in Latest Shake-Up
CBS News fired veteran '60 Minutes' correspondent Scott Pelley on June 3, 2025, following a conflict with the new executive producer. The dismissal is the latest in a series of personnel changes since CBS became part of Paramount Skydance and appointed Bari Weiss to lead the news division. Pelley accused the new leadership of destroying the program's legacy to appease the Trump administration.
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- 📰 Published: June 3, 2026 at 21:40
- 🔍 Collected: June 3, 2026 at 21:51 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 16:26 (66h 35m after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Washington, June 2, Combined Foreign Reports) CBS News fired Scott Pelley, a veteran correspondent for its news program '60 Minutes,' on Monday. The dismissal reportedly stemmed from a conflict between Pelley and the new producer over the program's future, marking the latest personnel move by CBS's new leadership.
According to Agence France-Presse, CBS became part of Paramount Skydance last year and recruited Bari Weiss, a long-time critic of progressive political ideology, to lead its news division.
Following Weiss's appointment, several CBS News journalists have resigned, accusing the network of stifling their editorial independence.
Nick Bilton, the newly appointed executive producer of '60 Minutes,' stated that Pelley was 'extremely rude and dismissive' towards him and his qualifications and intentions during their first meeting with staff.
According to CBS News, Bilton wrote in a termination letter on Monday evening: 'It is abundantly clear that you are disgusted with the future of this program. I have heard you.'
'Therefore, on behalf of CBS News, I am notifying you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately.'
Pelley responded by saying that CBS's new owners were 'clearly trying to curry favor with the Trump administration' by abandoning the 'legendary status' of the news magazine program.
In a statement, he said: 'After our entire senior leadership and two of our most distinguished colleagues were fired without cause last month, '60 Minutes' has lost its DNA.'
According to reports, Pelley accused editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of 'murdering this program' during a staff meeting on Monday.
Pelley, 68, joined CBS News in 1989 and previously served as the anchor of the 'CBS Evening News.' (Editor: Hung Pei-ying) 1150603
According to Agence France-Presse, CBS became part of Paramount Skydance last year and recruited Bari Weiss, a long-time critic of progressive political ideology, to lead its news division.
Following Weiss's appointment, several CBS News journalists have resigned, accusing the network of stifling their editorial independence.
Nick Bilton, the newly appointed executive producer of '60 Minutes,' stated that Pelley was 'extremely rude and dismissive' towards him and his qualifications and intentions during their first meeting with staff.
According to CBS News, Bilton wrote in a termination letter on Monday evening: 'It is abundantly clear that you are disgusted with the future of this program. I have heard you.'
'Therefore, on behalf of CBS News, I am notifying you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately.'
Pelley responded by saying that CBS's new owners were 'clearly trying to curry favor with the Trump administration' by abandoning the 'legendary status' of the news magazine program.
In a statement, he said: 'After our entire senior leadership and two of our most distinguished colleagues were fired without cause last month, '60 Minutes' has lost its DNA.'
According to reports, Pelley accused editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of 'murdering this program' during a staff meeting on Monday.
Pelley, 68, joined CBS News in 1989 and previously served as the anchor of the 'CBS Evening News.' (Editor: Hung Pei-ying) 1150603