After the dramatic termination of Scott Pelley, four of the show’s seven full-time correspondents are out under Bari Weiss’s leadership at CBS News. The departures have left staffers and veterans questioning who will remain for the 59th season, which begins in September, and whether the show will retain its identity.
In addition to Pelley, correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega have been fired, and Anderson Cooper announced his departure in February. The network also fired executive producer Tanya Simon and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, replacing Simon with Nick Bilton, a journalist without broadcast management experience. “What are they going to put on the air in three months?” asked one CBS News staffer. “It is not going to look like 60 Minutes in the fall,” a show insider predicted.
Speculation surrounds the future of remaining correspondents Lesley Stahl, 84, and Bill Whitaker, 74, who may also leave. Weiss and Bilton have reached out to them since Thursday, according to a source. “It’s a deep, deep wound,” a second staffer said, citing the tight bonds among long-time colleagues. Pelley was fired after lambasting Weiss in a staff meeting, accusing her of “murdering” the show and calling her and Bilton unqualified. He was applauded by staff as the meeting ended.
CBS News has not confirmed the new cast, though Weiss mentioned additions during a staff meeting. Norah O’Donnell, a contributing correspondent, is a potential promotion to full-time status. However, replacing trusted correspondents is challenging; the most recent season averaged 9.1 million viewers per episode. The departures come amid concerns that CBS has caved to pressure from Donald Trump. Further legal action from ousted staff could keep the show in the headlines through the summer.
