Overview
- At a tense all‑staff meeting on Monday, Scott Pelley publicly blasted incoming 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton and accused editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” the show, according to audio obtained by multiple outlets.
- Nick Bilton sent a memo to Pelley on Tuesday terminating his employment “for cause” and said Pelley had hijacked the meeting to disparage Bilton’s qualifications and intentions.
- Pelley countered that new management pressured reporters to insert bias or unverified claims into politically sensitive stories, an allegation reported by him but not corroborated in the coverage.
- Bari Weiss told staff she and Bilton had tried to engage Pelley before parting ways and defended the leadership changes that have already removed several senior producers and correspondents.
- The firings follow the Skydance‑Paramount ownership shifts that installed Weiss, have left remaining 60 Minutes staff uncertain about the show’s direction, and could prompt legal challenges, further departures, and intensified public scrutiny of CBS editorial decisions.