Scott Pelley, a veteran correspondent for CBS’s 60 Minutes, launched a blistering attack on network management during a staff meeting on Monday, accusing Bari Weiss, the network’s editor-in-chief, of destroying the show. According to sources present, Pelley said: “She’s murdering 60 Minutes. She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it and is doing exactly that.”
The outburst came after CBS fired the show’s executive producer, executive editor, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega last Thursday as part of a broader overhaul. Pelley’s remarks were directed at Weiss and the network’s managing editor Charles Forelle, who rebuked Pelley for being rude. The new executive producer, Nick Bilton, told Pelley he would not be “intimidated” by his comments.
Staff present gave Pelley a standing ovation in support. A CBS News spokesperson declined to comment, but a source said overtures have been made to Pelley, who is seen as an important part of the show. The exchange has raised questions about his long-term future at the programme.
Pelley had previously praised Alfonsi at the News & Documentary Emmy awards, where she was in the audience. Alfonsi, whose segment on a Salvadoran prison was shelved by Weiss, released a statement saying: “The wall between editorial independence and corporate interest at CBS is being methodically torn down.” Vega, who joined in 2023, alleged political bias and “censorship, both imposed and self-driven,” which the network denied.
