60 Minutes Anchor Scott Pelley Cites Decline in Program Quality, Blames Leadership Under Bari Weiss

CBS's "60 Minutes" Plagued by Turmoil as Correspondent Scott Pelley Accuses Network Head of "Murdering" the Show

NEW YORK — A shocking incident at the top-rated "60 Minutes" has exposed the deep-seated tensions within the CBS News team. Correspondent Scott Pelley, a long-time fixture on the newsmagazine, accused CBS News head Bari Weiss of "murdering" the show and questioned the qualifications of her newly appointed executive producer, Nick Bilton.

According to a detailed report on the Status website, Pelley made his accusations during an introductory meeting between the "60 Minutes" staff and Bilton on Monday. Weiss was not present at the meeting, despite Bilton's claims that she "loves this institution" and "loves '60 Minutes'." Pelley countered that Weiss was brought in to kill the show and was doing exactly that.

Pelley's criticism of Weiss and Bilton centered on the recent firings of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, as well as the departure of Bilton's predecessor, Tanya Simon. Pelley questioned Bilton's qualifications for the position, stating that they were "slender." He also accused Weiss of having "no qualifications for her job" and criticized her changes to the "CBS Evening News," which Pelley once anchored, as "catastrophic."

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Despite efforts by Weiss and Bilton to reach out to Pelley privately and reassure him of his importance to the show, Pelley chose to air his grievances publicly. The meeting was reportedly tense, with Pelley's "newscaster's baritone" shaking during the exchange.

A person close to CBS News leadership confirmed that Weiss and Bilton had attempted to reach out to Pelley privately, but were rebuffed. The New York Times reported that Weiss had been prepared to attend the meeting but was asked not to by others.

The controversy comes just four days after Weiss, who has become a polarizing figure in the media world since taking the reins at CBS last October, told staff in a memo that it was time for a "new approach" at the top-rated newsmagazine. Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski outlined their vision for the show, which includes expanding its reach beyond a one-hour television broadcast and deepening its role across CBS News.

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The Status report noted that Pelley was applauded multiple times by other staffers during the meeting, and that he focused on the firings last week, calling them cruel. Bilton reportedly replied that he was not intimidated, saying "I have been a journalist for 25 years, Scott. I have sat and talked with incredibly powerful people like you have. None of it intimidates me, OK? So you are not going to intimidate me in front of this group of people."