2 days ago
Scott Pelley, a seasoned 60 Minutes correspondent, called retired CBS News guidance successful a heated gathering connected Monday morning, attacking nan network’s decision connected Thursday to occurrence nan show’s executive producer, executive editor, and 2 chap correspondents, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, arsenic portion of a broader overhaul of nan show, sources show nan Guardian.
During a gathering of nan show’s unit and Nick Bilton, its recently appointed executive producer, on pinch nan CBS News managing editor Charles Forelle, Pelley took nonstop purpose astatine Bari Weiss, nan network’s arguable editor-in-chief.
“She’s murdering 60 Minutes,” Pelley said, according to sources pinch knowledge of nan situation. “She does not emotion this place. She was brought successful to termination it and is doing precisely that.”
Forelle accused Pelley of being rude, and Pelley countered by saying that nan web had been rude by nan measurement it treated Tanya Simon, nan show’s executive shaper who was fired connected Thursday.
Bilton conveyed to Pelley that he would not beryllium “intimidated” by his remarks.
60 Minutes unit who were coming for nan gathering showed beardown support for Pelley, giving him a opinionated ovation, sources said.
Last Wednesday, hours aft Alfonsi announced that nan web had opted not to renew her statement for nan show’s 59th season, Pelley gave her a shoutout astatine nan News & Documentary Emmy awards. “There person been galore awesome 60 Minutes correspondents complete nan years. I spot Sharyn Alfonsi successful nan audience,” he said.
Pelley was besides effusive successful praising Santiago Campos, an 18-year-old precocious schoolhouse elder who called retired nan network’s guidance nether Weiss, saying that it “stains nan bequest of Mike Wallace”, nan namesake of nan grant that Campos received.
“I cognize that Mike Wallace is looking down connected you pinch pridefulness astatine this very moment,” Pelley said.
The speech connected Monday raises questions astir Pelley’s early astatine nan show.
A spokesperson for CBS News and Pelley person been contacted for comment.
On Wednesday, Alfonsi – who had reported a December 2025 conception astir a notorious situation successful El Salvador that sewage shelved by Weiss – released a blistering statement, saying: “The wall betwixt editorial independency and firm liking astatine CBS is being methodically torn down.” She added: “Journalists consenting to situation authority are being pushed speech successful favour of those who will not. If this continues, nan consequence will beryllium a broadcast that looks for illustration 60 Minutes but lacks nan courageousness and characteristic to nutrient publicity that matters.”
In her ain connection connected Thursday, Vega, who joined nan show successful 2023, suggested that governmental bias is astatine play astatine nan network.
“In caller months, my producing teams and I person knowledgeable efforts to insert governmental bias into our stories,” she said. “Reporting teams person held backmost connected submitting communicative pitches astir important news topics retired of fearfulness of nan soul repercussions. Let’s telephone this what it is: censorship, some imposed and self-driven. It is vulnerable for nan show and vulnerable for democracy.” The web released a connection pushing backmost connected Vega’s characterization.
