'60 Minutes' Hosts Temporarily Stay to Prevent Show's Demise, Express Anger Over Shakeup

(Central News Agency, New York, 5th Combined Foreign Reports) A major personnel earthquake has occurred at the flagship CBS News program '60 Minutes' following the appointment of a new editor-in-chief. The three remaining star journalists have jointly stated that they have decided to stay temporarily because they do not want to see the show disappear. According to a memo obtained by the Associated Press today, '60 Minutes' hosts Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim, and Bill Whitaker told colleagues they are angry and regretful about the recent series of firings by new CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and the appointment of a new executive producer, Nick Bilton, last week. Weiss removed producer Tanya Simon, who had worked on '60 Minutes' for over 30 years, along with reporters Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and several other senior staff members. Veteran correspondent Scott Pelley was also fired this week after a heated dispute with CBS News management. In the memo, Stahl, Wertheim, and Whitaker wrote: 'We want to express how sorry we are that these principled, fair, and honest journalists have been treated so shabbily and inappropriately.' The three said they 'struggled deeply' over whether to stay but ultimately decided not to leave 'because we don't want to see '60 Minutes' die.' They wrote that they are currently trying to build trust with Bilton but did not rule out the possibility of leaving if necessary in the future. 'If we can continue to work in the way that has made this program what it is today—doing independent, fearless journalism and storytelling—we will stay. If not, we will leave,' they said.