FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Criticizes Scott Pelley Following CBS News Firing

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized former CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley on Sunday after Pelley expressed surprise at being fired from CBS News following a conflict with the program's new leadership. Carr's remarks, made in a post on X, suggested that Pelley's reaction highlighted issues within legacy media. He stated, "One of the reasons why trust in media is so low is because many legacy journalists are completely out of touch," and added that Pelley's behavior would not be acceptable in most workplaces. Pelley, who was terminated after 37 years at CBS News, had previously served as a White House correspondent and anchor of the "CBS Evening News." In an interview with The New York Times, Pelley indicated he did not anticipate being fired after a confrontation with new "60 Minutes" executive producer Nick Bilton. Pelley acknowledged the meeting was tense but defended his questioning style, citing the program's history of hard-hitting journalism. He expressed frustration with Bilton's introductory email and the manner in which staff were addressed following recent dismissals. Pelley also criticized CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, suggesting that her editorial changes reflected a political bias. CBS News has denied any political motivation behind Weiss's editorial notes, stating they aimed to enhance the piece's strength and accuracy.