Scott Pelley Departs '60 Minutes' Following Clash with Bari Weiss and New Leadership

June 3, 2026 - 08:09

Longtime CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley has left "60 Minutes" after more than three decades with the program, following his public criticism of journalist Bari Weiss and newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton. Pelley, a veteran reporter known for his hard-hitting investigative pieces, reportedly voiced strong objections to the direction the show was taking under Bilton's leadership.

Sources close to the situation say Pelley took issue with Bilton's hiring and the influence of Weiss, a former New York Times opinion writer who now runs the media outlet The Free Press. Pelley allegedly expressed concerns that the show's editorial standards were shifting away from traditional journalism toward a more opinion-driven approach. His comments were seen as a direct challenge to the new management team.

The departure marks the end of an era for "60 Minutes," where Pelley had been a fixture since 2004. He previously served as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" and won multiple Emmy awards for his work. CBS has not issued a formal statement regarding the circumstances of his exit, but insiders confirm that tensions had been building for months.

Pelley's exit adds to a turbulent period for the long-running news magazine, which has faced internal debates over its identity in a rapidly changing media landscape. His supporters view his departure as a loss for traditional broadcast journalism, while others see it as a necessary step toward modernization.