CBS News has fired Scott Pelley, the longtime anchor of 60 Minutes, amid a major shakeup at the network. The move comes after Pelley publicly criticized new CBS News chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of undermining independent journalism at the program.
Pelley, who had been with CBS News for 37 years and a correspondent for 60 Minutes for 22 years, was let go on Tuesday evening. The decision was made by Nick Bilton, the new editor of 60 Minutes, who was hired by Weiss last week. Bilton has no prior experience in broadcast news, having previously worked as a technology columnist for The New York Times.
60 Minutes Overhaul
The firing of Pelley is the latest in a series of changes at 60 Minutes, which has seen several longtime staff members let go, including executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. The moves have sparked concerns that the network’s leadership is trying to exert more control over the program’s content and undermine its independence.
Pelley had accused Weiss of trying to “inject falsehoods and bias” into his work and said that he had been told to include unverified assertions in his reporting. He also criticized the new management for being “incompetent and unprofessional”. Bilton, on the other hand, accused Pelley of being uncooperative and hijacking a staff meeting to disparage him and his qualifications.
The upheaval at CBS News began in August 2025, when David Ellison, an ally of US President Donald Trump, bought the network’s parent company, Paramount. Since then, the network has undergone significant changes, including the hiring of Weiss as the new editor-in-chief and the layoffs of several employees.
Implications and Reactions
The firing of Pelley has sparked widespread criticism, with many expressing concerns about the impact on the program’s independence and credibility. Vega, one of the correspondents who was let go, said that executives had tried to influence stories and “insert political bias”, which she called “dangerous for the show and dangerous for democracy”.
The changes at CBS News come at a time when the media landscape is undergoing significant changes, with many networks struggling to adapt to the digital era. Weiss has outlined a new vision for CBS News, which includes producing more digital content and reaching a wider audience. However, the moves have sparked concerns that the network is compromising its journalistic integrity in the process.
The firing of Pelley and the overhaul of 60 Minutes have significant implications for the future of journalism and the media industry as a whole. As the media landscape continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how CBS News and other networks will balance the need to adapt with the need to maintain their journalistic integrity.
