The newly appointed leader of CBS’s “60 Minutes” has brought in outside help to manage his entry into a newsroom experiencing significant upheaval, according to internal sources.
Nick Bilton attended his inaugural staff meeting last week alongside Kelly Funke, a television production consultant he enlisted to assist with his newsroom transition, three “60 Minutes” employees revealed on condition of anonymity due to job security concerns.
Staff members characterized Funke’s mission as rebuilding trust within the team, with one describing her function as Bilton’s “chief of staff.” The consultant, who brings more than ten years of television production experience, has not been publicly acknowledged in this role before. She is reportedly working under a 90-day agreement with possible extension.
Bilton’s appointment reflects wider changes at CBS News that started when David Ellison — son of Larry Ellison, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump — took control of Paramount in August. He placed Bari Weiss, founder of a successful media startup without broadcast journalism background, in charge of CBS News. David Ellison may soon oversee CNN as well, pending regulatory approval of his bid for Warner Bros Discovery.
Representatives for Bilton, Weiss, Funke and CBS News all refused to provide statements.
The decision to engage Funke indicates Bilton expected challenges in leading a newsroom that has struggled under Weiss’s direction.
“I just think Nick vastly underestimated just how bad it was,” one staff member commented.
Conflict erupted during the June 1 gathering when correspondent Scott Pelley challenged Bilton directly. “I find it impossible to imagine that you would take this job knowing that you would never be welcome here,” Pelley stated, according to a meeting attendee.
CBS terminated Pelley following the staff meeting where he also criticized leadership and accused Weiss of “murdering” the program.
Funke has organized meetings between Bilton and “60 Minutes” staff while working with assistants and producers to understand the newsroom’s organization, sources indicated.
Some employees have raised concerns about Funke’s qualifications, pointing to her absence of journalism background, though one current staffer noted her efforts to understand the newsroom environment.
Bilton has also hired Nick De Lucca, 24, who has introduced himself to staff as “Nick 2.0,” according to a fourth source. De Lucca received the title “operations manager,” a substantial position typically handling logistics. His LinkedIn profile shows he has served as an associate producer at Bilton’s production company since 2024.
De Lucca did not respond to comment requests.
Funke is accompanying Bilton — a former Vanity Fair contributor and documentary filmmaker who represents the first outsider from traditional television news to head “60 Minutes” — during a turbulent period for the show’s team. On May 28, CBS removed executive producer Tanya Simon, longtime producer Draggan Mihailovich, and correspondent Cecilia Vega. The previous day, the network chose not to renew correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi’s contract following her dispute with Weiss over a December report about a Salvadoran prison.
Network executives offered no explanation for the dismissals. A CBS spokesperson stated the network cannot discuss personnel issues for legal and other considerations. “60 Minutes” concluded last season as the highest-rated news program, increasing its television viewership by 9% compared to the previous year, Nielsen data shows.
Bilton informed employees he made “repeated attempts” to engage in direct discussions with Pelley before his termination and to “find common ground,” but Pelley declined, according to an email obtained by Reuters.
Speaking with The New York Times after his exit, Pelley claimed Weiss was placing a “thumb on the scale” favoring Republican President Donald Trump’s interpretation of news events. He alleged Weiss attempted to modify his reporting on ICE’s activities in Minnesota and sought to portray protesters as more violent.
The CBS spokesperson responded that Weiss’ input on the piece Pelley mentioned to the Times “had no political motivation” and was “proposed solely to make the piece as strong, fair, and accurate as possible.”
In a staff email, Bilton emphasized the show’s “journalistic independence” — a message Ellison also delivered during a private conversation with correspondent Lesley Stahl, the Times reported. This personal discussion highlights “60 Minutes’” significance in Ellison’s plans for Paramount and the management difficulties facing the network.
Stahl shared details about the call with staff during a Monday social gathering aimed at improving morale, one current employee told Reuters. The source said reactions to Ellison’s promises were mixed, with several people noting that Ellison had visited “60 Minutes” after acquiring Paramount and had previously made identical commitments.
Before Skydance Media’s acquisition, Paramount paid $16 million to resolve a 2024 lawsuit Trump brought against “60 Minutes” regarding an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he claimed presented a distorted perspective of his White House opponent.
The FCC has stated the settlement and the deal’s regulatory review were separate matters.
