Longtime CBS Information journalist Scott Pelley, who has contributed to “60 Minutes” since 2004, has been terminated from the newsmagazine efficient instantly, TVLine has confirmed.
Pelley’s firing comes simply in the future after stories of a heated conflict between him and just lately put in “60 Minutes” govt producer Nick Bilton. TVLine has acquired the termination letter despatched to Pelley by Bilton, which reads as follows:
Expensive Mr. Pelley:
I meant what I mentioned in my letter final week to the ’60 Minutes’ group: Becoming a member of ’60 Minutes’ is the dignity of my profession and I’m grateful to be working alongside the individuals who have contributed to crucial tv journalism model this nation has ever produced. Whereas I am new to ’60 Minutes,’ I’ve devoted my profession to investigative journalism and storytelling. I began this job excited to collaborate and to profit from the knowledge and expertise of the ’60 Minutes’ veterans, with you amongst them. For that motive, one of many first issues I did in my new position was name you to speak and invite you to dinner. It’s a profound disappointment that you simply rejected that overture and selected ambush as an alternative. Yesterday, you hijacked my first assembly with employees to disparage me, my {qualifications}, and my intentions with outstanding incivility and contempt. I welcome a range of viewpoints and respectful debate among the many group, however this was nothing of the kind. Yesterday’s performative show of hostility — enacted in entrance of the employees as an alternative of in a civil, non-public dialog — demonstrated that you don’t have any curiosity in contributing to the longer term success of the present, or approaching my new tenure with a thoughts open to collaboration and progress. I’m right here to ship first-in-class information programming, to not make headlines about newsroom drama. I’m desperate to work alongside those that share this aim.
Regardless of yesterday’s misconduct, I had hoped that in sitting down with you as we speak we may discover a path ahead collectively. You made clear that you’re not keen on such a path.
Your antipathy to the way forward for the present has come via loud and clear. And I’ve heard you. I due to this fact write on behalf of CBS Information, Inc. to tell you that your employment with CBS is terminated for trigger efficient instantly.
Following Pelley’s firing, Bilton broke the information in a memo to “60 Minutes” staffers, sustaining that he “tried to search out frequent floor” with Pelley, however “[t]hat was not the trail Scott selected.”
Extra on the 60 Minutes controversy
Nick Bilton, a journalist and writer, was named the brand new govt producer of “60 Minutes” in late Might. He was appointed by CBS Information editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, whose hiring in that position has been controversial in its personal proper, resulting from Weiss’ lack of broadcast journalism expertise and much-maligned relationship to President Donald Trump.
In the course of the aforementioned assembly between Bilton and “60 Minutes” staffers this week, Scott Pelley reportedly claimed Weiss was “murdering ’60 Minutes'” and questioned Bilton’s personal {qualifications} for his new place.
Pelley’s subsequent ouster is the newest in a string of latest “60 Minutes” exits. After Anderson Cooper introduced his departure in February, Weiss additional overhauled the present in Might through the dismissals of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, govt producer Tanya Simon, and govt editor Draggan Mihailovich.
Lesley Stahl, Invoice Whitaker, and L. Jon Wertheim at present stay because the “60 Minutes” contributors that can return for Season 59, premiering this fall.