Scott Pelley Accuses Bari Weiss of Destroying '60 Minutes' Amid Staff Meeting Drama
Scott Pelley Accuses Bari Weiss of Destroying '60 Minutes' Amid Staff Meeting Drama
Lily Elizabeth BolanosTue, June 2, 2026 at 1:13 AM UTC
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Scott Pelley Accuses Bari Weiss of Destroying '60 Minutes' Amid Staff Meeting Drama
The latest drama in CBS News' chaotic period of transition comes from correspondent Scott Pelley, who accused Editor-In-Chief Bari Weiss of destroying 60 Minutes at their latest staff meeting.
Pelley directed anger at new executive producer Nick Bilton, challenging his qualifications and accusing Weiss of "murdering" the program. The New York Times obtained a recording of Pelley confronting Bilton during the meeting.
The meeting began with Bilton’s introductions and an assurance to the remaining 60 Minutes staff that he intended to keep the format the same, but warned that “broadcast is an ice cube that is melting, OK?” implying the show needed to keep up with the times. He also defended Weiss’ decision by saying, “Bari loves this institution.”
Pelley immediately disagreed with Bilton, claiming that the editor-in-chief was instead, “murdering 60 Minutes…She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.” He continued, slamming Weiss and Bilton further, stating, “She has no qualifications for her job; you have slender qualifications for this job. The changes that she’s made at the ‘Evening News’ have been catastrophic, so why should we expect that any of this is going to be any better?”
The interaction stemmed from Weiss' overhaul of the 60 Minutes team last Thursday. Weiss was responsible for firing the previous executive producer, Tanya Simon, as well as correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Alfonsi had butted heads with Weiss after the controversial 60 Minutes segment about a Salvadoran prison was delayed. The segment ran later, after it went viral, with added comments from the Trump administration that had not existed previously. Alfonsi told the New York Times it “sends a chilling message to the entire newsroom.”
Tensions had been brewing long before Weiss’ firing spree since she was appointed by CEO David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, last year after Paramount, CBS News’ parent company, merged with Skydance. Weiss worked as an opinion journalist and had no experience in broadcast journalism until taking on the role of editor-in-chief. Similarly, Bilton worked as a tech journalist and is new to traditional broadcast news.
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Throughout the brief meeting—Bilton ended it after 15 minutes—Pelley repeatedly asked the producer why Alfonsi and Vega were fired and why Bilton had taken the job despite “knowing that you will never be welcome here.”
Bilton responded, “I have no problem taking a job in a place that I am not welcome in…I have been a journalist for 25 years, Scott. I’ve sat across from incredibly powerful people like you have, and none of it intimidates me. OK? So you are not going to intimidate me in front of this group of people. I want that to be clear.”
Throughout the staff meeting, Pelley scoffed at Bilton. When Weiss’ Deputy Editor-in-Chief Charles Forelle told Pelley not to be rude, he retorted, "You know what was rude? Black Thursday was rude," referencing Weiss' recent firings last week.
At the end, Bilton thanked the staff for being welcoming and reiterated that he was looking forward to one-on-one meetings. When Bilton left, the rest of the 60 Minutes staff applauded Pelley.
Notably, Weiss was not at the Monday staff meeting.
Next: CBS News Takes a Risk With New ‘60 Minutes’ Executive Producer
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Money”
