Topline
CBS News fired top “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, after the senior journalist and former anchor called out Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and accused her of “murdering ‘60 Minutes’” after she ousted its leadership team and hired tech journalist Nick Bilton to lead the show.
Key Facts
According to the Wall Street Journal, Bilton, the new “60 Minutes” Executive Producer, informed Pelley on Tuesday that he was being fired “for cause, effective immediately.”
Pelley had reportedly clashed with Bilton during an explosive staff meeting earlier this week, saying he has “slender” qualifications for the job and confronted him about the firing of some of long-time “60 Minutes” producers.
The New York Times also confirmed the firing citing a phone conversation with Pelley, who talked about his “devotion” to “60 Minutes,” citing his reporting work from various war zones.
In his letter to Pelley, Bilton accused the journalist of hijacking his first meeting to “disparage” him and making a “performative display of hostility.”
In a memo sent to “60 Minutes” staffers, Bilton claimed he made “repeated attempts” to have direct talks with the senior correspondent over the weekend to “find common ground” but was allegedly rebuffed.
CBS News has not yet commented on Pelley’s firing.
What Do We Know About The Fiery Staff Meeting?
At a staff meeting on Monday, Pelley reportedly confronted Bilton about the firings of the show’s long-time producers and fellow correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. When Bilton suggested that Weiss “loves this institution,” Pelley reportedly shot back, “She is murdering ‘60 Minutes.’” Pelley then proceeded to call out Weiss, who was not at the meeting and said she “doesn’t love this place” and alleged that she was brought in by the network’s new owner, David Ellison, to “kill” the news division, “and she’s been doing exactly that.”
This is a developing story.