CBS News has fired veteran 60 Minutes correspondent and former CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley. The dismissal follows a contentious all-staff meeting on Monday where Pelley clashed with the program's new leadership.
During the heated exchange, Pelley reportedly accused Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss of murdering the storied newsmagazine. He also confronted the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, accusing him of possessing slender qualifications for the role. Pelley's termination letter was subsequently sent by Bilton.
In a public statement shared on social media, Pelley accused network executives of silencing employees and instructing him to inject falsehoods and bias into his reporting. He further alleged that executives pushed unverified claims and allowed politicians to have a say in interviews.
Bari Weiss stated that newsroom leaders could not find a way back with the veteran journalist and claimed Pelley had broken the trust in the newsroom. This firing is the latest in a series of upheavals at CBS News, occurring shortly after the network fired its executive producer, executive editor, and correspondents Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi without providing specific reasons.