60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley lays into CBS leadership over cuts

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley lays into CBS leadership over cuts

Pelley reportedly rebuked ousting of show’s executive producer, executive editor and two top correspondents

Jeremy Barr in Washington
Mon 1 Jun 2026 17.39 BST
Last modified on Mon 1 Jun 2026 18.01 BST

Scott Pelley, a veteran 60 Minutes correspondent, called out CBS News management in a heated meeting on Monday morning, attacking the network’s decision on Thursday to fire the show’s executive producer, executive editor, and two fellow correspondents, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, as part of a broader overhaul of the show, sources tell the Guardian.

During a meeting of the show’s staff and Nick Bilton, its newly appointed executive producer, along with the CBS News managing editor Charles Forelle, Pelley took direct aim at Bari Weiss, the network’s controversial editor-in-chief.

“She’s murdering 60 Minutes,” Pelley said, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it and is doing exactly that.”

Forelle accused Pelley of being rude, and Pelley countered by saying that the network had been rude by the way it treated Tanya Simon, the show’s executive producer who was fired on Thursday.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/01/60-minutes-scott-pelley-cbs-bari-weiss-cuts

[MineralMan]

1. What a Shame!

60 Minutes has been a staple of investigative journalism for so long. I hate to see it turned into a "feel good" program, showing nice "human interest" stories.

Not useful. I do not wish CBS well right now.

[ITAL]

5. They've always had those sorts of stories too

A typical broadcast would be some sort of current event story, one science type story (new cancer treatment that's profiled or whatever), and then a general human interest story like a profile of a pop singer.

That's really been the format as long as I remember.

[MineralMan]

6. They also did hard-hitting investigative journalism.

More in the early days of the program. 60 Minutes was actually feared by wrong-doers.

[ITAL]

7. They did a lot of "gotcha" stories too

I remember one as a kid where Mike Wallace was catching guys who sold used cars who rolled back the miles on them. Wallace didn't make himself known until the end when he approached one of the dealers. This must have been about forty years ago give or take a few.

My point was they've always had a bit of everything. It was how the show was originally sold -- it would have a story for everyone in the family like a general interest magazine just like Time.

[3825-87867]

2. John Oliver's Last week tonight

is what 60 minutes used to be. Actually, Last Week Tonight is so much better than 60 Minutes ever was, even in their heydays of the 60s and 70s. His staff is fantastic. They actually investigate and broadcast stuff 60 Minutes and now, other so-called investigative shows dream about, but are too afraid to show. But we all know it's all about making sure their owners suck up more than is even humanly possible to not only trump but the new Nazi/Republicant Party.

[TommieMommy]

3. Thank you Scott Pelley for trying but I believe they don't care. So sad.

That show was very informative and well done for such a long time. Now they will be destroying it.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. I wish Andy Rooney were alive to snark

these executive decisions.

[Jacson6]

8. Terristal TV networks are being replaced by streaming.

I only watch a few shows a week. But I have neighbors, family and friends that never watch it any more.