CBS News terminated veteran ’60 Minutes’ correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday following allegations that he criticized the show’s leadership and questioned the credentials of its new executive producer during a staff meeting. The dismissal has intensified ongoing disruption at the prestigious television news program and its parent news division.
During a staff introduction meeting on Monday with newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton, Pelley reportedly challenged the program’s current direction, according to coverage by the Status website. Pelley allegedly described Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as “murdering the show” and questioned Bilton’s “slender qualifications” for his position. Bilton, who comes from a background in technology journalism and filmmaking rather than traditional broadcast news, was selected by Weiss the previous week.
In termination documentation secured Tuesday evening by The Associated Press, Bilton characterized Pelley’s behavior as an “ambush” during their first meeting together.
“Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” the dismissal letter stated.
According to Status, which reported having access to audio from Monday’s meeting, Pelley questioned Bilton extensively about the recent terminations of former executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Weiss was absent from that particular meeting.
The termination letter described Pelley’s conduct as a “performative display of hostility” and stated that his actions showed he has “no interest in contributing to the future success of the show.”
Pelley’s representative had not provided a response to requests for comment as of Tuesday evening.
