Bilton’s appointment, praised by Weiss and Cibrowski, was revealed on May 28. This date coincided with “Black Thursday,” a day marked by the dismissals of his predecessor Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, and 60 Minutes correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.
On June 1, Pelley confronted Bilton during a staff meet-and-greet, an event whose audio was obtained by the New York Times.
During the meeting, Bilton, a former Vanity Fair senior correspondent, reassured staff that “the show is going to stay exactly like it is for now,” while also noting the industry’s challenges, saying, “Broadcast is an ice cube that is melting.”
Bilton mentioned Weiss’s affection for the program, prompting a heated response from Pelley, who shouted, “She is murdering 60 Minutes. She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.”
Weiss, the founder of Free Press, was hired in October 2025 amid controversy, reportedly tasked with revitalizing the network and guiding it towards a more centrist direction following criticisms of it becoming too “woke.”
