CBS News fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 [1].
The departure of one of the network's most prominent journalists marks a volatile transition for the flagship news program as it undergoes a leadership overhaul.
The termination followed a heated clash between Pelley and CBS management regarding the new direction of the show. Pelley had publicly criticized the new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, and the new executive producer, Nick Bilton [1, 3].
Pelley expressed deep concern over the current state of the program. "Bari Weiss is ‘murdering’ the news show," Pelley said [1]. He said, "I’m not going to sit here and watch the show be destroyed" [3].
Management responded to these criticisms during a private meeting with top executives. An unnamed CBS executive said to Pelley, "Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear" [2].
Pelley's tenure at the program is a point of varying reports. The Guardian reports he has worked on the show since 2004, totaling approximately 22 years [1]. However, Business Insider reports his tenure with the show has spanned over 30 years [3].
The conflict centered on Pelley's belief that the new leadership's approach was detrimental to the broadcast. The network moved to terminate his employment immediately following these disagreements [1, 2].
“"Bari Weiss is ‘murdering’ the news show."”
The firing of Scott Pelley signals a decisive break between the traditional editorial standards of '60 Minutes' and the vision of its new leadership. By removing a high-profile veteran who openly challenged the new regime, CBS News is prioritizing institutional alignment and the authority of its new editor-in-chief and executive producer over the retention of legacy talent.
