Scott Pelley terminated from '60 Minutes' after confrontation with new executive producer

<p>Nick Bilton, the newly appointed executive producer of '60 Minutes,' has terminated Scott Pelley following a confrontation during a staff meeting on Bilton's first day. Pelley criticized Bilton's qualifications and expressed concerns about the direction of the show under Bilton's new boss, Bari Weiss.</p><p><strong>Details of the incident:</strong> In a termination letter, Bilton stated that he fired Pelley 'for cause' due to the nature of the confrontation. He expressed disappointment that Pelley chose to confront him publicly rather than discuss their differences privately. Bilton described the encounter as a 'performative display of hostility' that indicated Pelley was not interested in collaborating for the show's future.</p><p><strong>Context:</strong> This incident follows a trend of veteran talent leaving '60 Minutes' amid management changes. Recently, the network also parted ways with interim executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Alfonsi had previously voiced her concerns about Weiss in her exit memo, while former executive producer Bill Owens resigned in April 2025 over issues related to journalistic independence. Anderson Cooper also left the show earlier this year to spend more time with family.</p><p><strong>Future developments:</strong> The takeover of CBS by Paramount chair David Ellison has raised concerns among news staffers at CNN, especially as Paramount is set to merge with CNN's parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, pending regulatory approval.</p>