Tom Cibrowski

Scott Pelley discusses his unexpected firing from '60 Minutes' during an emotional interview with The New York Times. He described the abrupt leadership changes under Bari Weiss, including the replacement of executive producer Tanya Simon and the dismissal of key staff, as a devastating blow to the show's close-knit team.

Bari Weiss, CBS News editor-in-chief, stated during a staff call that Scott Pelley's firing resulted from a breakdown in trust after his clash with new management, claiming they attempted to 'find a way back.' Pelley disputed this, asserting he was 'effectively fired' in a meeting where no resolution was offered, and that CBS executives were hostile from the start.

Scott Pelley of '60 Minutes' accused CBS News head Bari Weiss of 'murdering' the show and criticized new producer Nick Bilton's qualifications during a staff meeting. Pelley also claimed Weiss's changes to 'CBS Evening News' were 'catastrophic,' while CBS leadership stated efforts to retain Pelley were made. Unnamed sources indicated Weiss and Bilton had tried to engage Pelley privately.

Former CBS News staffers, including ex-60 Minutes employees, sent a letter to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison urging commitment to editorial independence after several top 60 Minutes staffers were fired. The dismissed correspondents accused the network of compromising editorial independence for political purposes.