06/03/2026
🚨60 Minutes Correspondent Scott Pelley Fired Amid CBS News Shake-Up
Veteran journalist Scott Pelley has been dismissed from CBS News following a dispute over recent leadership changes at 60 Minutes, according to multiple reports published this week.
Pelley’s termination reportedly came after a contentious staff meeting in which he criticized the program’s new direction and voiced concerns about decisions made by network executives. Reports indicate that Pelley objected to the recent departures of several longtime 60 Minutes staff members and challenged the leadership of newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Bilton informed Pelley that he was being fired “for cause” effective immediately. The reported decision followed discussions between Bilton and CBS leadership regarding Pelley’s conduct during the meeting and his opposition to changes taking place within the news division.
The firing is the latest development in a broader restructuring effort at 60 Minutes and CBS News. Recent weeks have seen several high-profile personnel changes, including the replacement of executive producer Tanya Simon and the departures of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. The moves have sparked criticism from some current and former CBS journalists who have expressed concerns about the program’s future and editorial independence.
Pelley joined CBS News in 1989 and became a correspondent for 60 Minutes in 2004. He also served as anchor of the CBS Evening News from 2011 to 2017 and is widely regarded as one of the network’s most recognizable journalists. CBS had not publicly released a detailed statement regarding Pelley’s dismissal at the time the reports were published.