NEW YORK — The final three correspondents at CBS’s embattled ’60 Minutes’ program have announced their decision to remain with the show, declaring they refuse to let the iconic broadcast disappear.
In a staff memo, Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker revealed they struggled with whether to continue at the network following recent dismissals, but ultimately chose to stay put.
“Here’s why we are staying: We don’t want to see ’60 Minutes’ die,” the trio stated in their joint message, which The Associated Press obtained on Friday.
The correspondents voiced frustration about recent staff cuts ordered by Bari Weiss, CBS News’s new editor-in-chief, and Nick Bilton, the executive producer she brought in last week. Bilton took over from Tanya Simon, who was dismissed after more than three decades with the program, along with correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega and other senior staff members. Scott Pelley was subsequently terminated this week following a heated exchange with CBS News leadership.
“We want to express how sorry we are that these principled, fair and honest journalists were treated so shabbily, with such indecency,” the three correspondents wrote. However, they indicated they are “working to build trust” with Bilton and kept the door open for potential future departures if necessary.
“If we can continue doing the work that made this show what it is — committing acts of independent, fearless journalism and storytelling — we’re here for it,” they stated. “If not, we leave.”
“Here’s to Season 59!” their message concluded.
Convincing the three to remain represents a vital achievement for Bilton as he works to stabilize the program ahead of its September season premiere.
The broadcast now faces a shortage of four correspondents. Beyond the three who were let go, Anderson Cooper — whose main role involves on-air duties at CNN — announced earlier this year he would depart voluntarily after two decades.
Challenges at “60 Minutes” have been mounting for over a year. Many stem from President Donald Trump’s legal action against the program regarding its editing choices in a 2024 interview with then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
This controversy became part of wider changes at CBS News after Weiss received her new editor-in-chief position from parent company Paramount late last year, following David Ellison’s emergence as the network’s corporate chief.
Ellison’s company, Skydance, combined with CBS parent company Paramount, which subsequently resolved the Trump legal matter for $16 million. This decision frustrated some at “60 Minutes” and indirectly contributed to last month’s exit of popular longtime CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, who had described the settlement as “a big fat bribe.”
CBS News has served as a cornerstone of American broadcast journalism since its radio era before television existed, though Weiss announced earlier this year the end of CBS News’s radio operations. The network’s evening newscast was regarded for decades as among the nation’s most trusted institutions under longtime anchorman Walter Cronkite.
