Scott Pelley, once a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” appears to be embracing his new unemployment status. On Saturday, Pelley expressed gratitude to his supporters via Instagram following his dismissal by the program’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton, after a heated disagreement.
“To all of you who have been so kind, you are the wind in my sails. So deeply grateful,” Pelley shared, accompanying a picture of himself joyfully steering his sailboat.
A respected figure in the “60 Minutes” community, Pelley was dismissed following a confrontation with Bilton during a staff meeting on May 25. Pelley reportedly criticized Bilton, a former NYT technology columnist, for his “slender qualifications” to lead “60 Minutes.” Bilton had been appointed to his position by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, whom Pelley accused of “murdering” the program during the same meeting.
After news of the conflict emerged, Bilton issued a letter indicating that Pelley and CBS leadership could not reach an agreement, which resulted in Pelley’s termination from “60 Minutes.”
“Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear,” Bilton wrote. “And I have heard you. I therefore write on behalf of CBS News to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately.”
In response, Pelley released his own letter, stating, “For my part, new management has instructed me to inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story. I’ve been told to include assertions that are unverified. To date, in every case, I have managed to ignore these instructions or refuse them. Recently, politicians have been invited to choose correspondents for interviews on the broadcast. Giving politicians control over 60 Minutes interviews is not how this is done.”
Bilton assumed control of the show following a major announcement from Weiss, who dismissed longtime executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi. “60 Minutes” has faced increased scrutiny since Paramount-Skydance CEO David Ellison appointed Weiss as the top executive at CBS News. Some critics have accused Weiss of attempting to introduce political bias into one of the most respected brands in broadcast news.
