Key facts
- CBS News fired '60 Minutes' executive producer Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.
- Nick Bilton, a former tech columnist with no broadcast journalism experience, was appointed to lead '60 Minutes'.
- Scott Pelley questioned Bilton's qualifications and accused CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of 'murdering' the show.
- Pelley was fired by Bilton the day after his comments.
- Bari Weiss had previously clashed with Sharyn Alfonsi over a '60 Minutes' report.
- Paramount Global settled a $16 million lawsuit brought by President Trump against '60 Minutes'.
CBS News' flagship program, '60 Minutes,' is experiencing significant internal turmoil following a series of firings and leadership changes. On May 28, CBS News fired senior producers and correspondents, including executive producer Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. These actions were reportedly carried out by Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Following these dismissals, Nick Bilton, a tech columnist with no prior broadcast journalism experience, was appointed as the new executive producer of '60 Minutes.' Bilton and Weiss had previously collaborated on documentary projects.
During an all-staff meeting on June 1, Scott Pelley, a veteran CBS Newsman and prominent '60 Minutes' correspondent, confronted Bilton about his qualifications and accused Weiss of "murdering" the show. The following day, Pelley was fired by Bilton in a letter citing "remarkable incivility and contempt."
These events have led to a significant reduction in the program's correspondent roster, leaving only three active correspondents. Former '60 Minutes' staffers have expressed concern over the lack of broadcast journalism experience among the new leadership, with one describing the changes as being made with a "fucking machete."
Separately, Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, settled a $16 million lawsuit brought by President Trump against '60 Minutes' concerning an edited interview with Kamala Harris from October 2024. The lawsuit's settlement occurred shortly before the '60 Minutes' upheaval.