CBS usually reports the news. But since the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, the backstage drama at the network has been headline news. Multiple popular anchors have either left, such as Anderson Cooper, or been let go. But none of their exits were as dramatic as what happened this week. Longtime 60 Minutes vet Scott Pelley was fired in a shocking move for office misconduct. Keep reading for all the details on the unexpected dismissal.
Scott Pelley Fired After Office Misconduct
Former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief of the CBS News division after the merger. She immediately began laying off staffers. CBS Evening News anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois resigned in quick succession. Tony Dokoupil took over as anchor.
60 Minutes faced a huge scandal after a segment about El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it was supposed to air. The decision was made by Bari Weiss, who claimed it needed more editing. The segment later aired, but the incident revealed a shift in how the program reported on the news. Sharyn Alfonsi, who was the reporter for the segment, was fired earlier this month.
Now, 60 Minutes vet Scott Pelley has been fired for his conduct. The longtime CBS News staffer was not happy with the recent hiring of Nick Bilton as the program’s executive producer. Scott Pelley let his feelings be known and ended up getting fired for it.
The 60 Minutes anchor received a termination letter one day after a shocking outburst during a staff meeting. The New York Times obtained a copy of the letter. “Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” Nick Bilton wrote in the letter.
“Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you. “I therefore write on behalf of CBS News, Inc. to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately,” the letter stated.
What did Scott Pelley say to get fired?
60 Minutes Vet Made Shocking Claims Against Bari Weiss & CBS News Producer
The decisions made by Bari Weiss have been controversial, to say the least. Scott Pelley kept quiet about the sweeping changes, but the hiring of Nick Bilton pushed him over the edge.
He reportedly disrupted a staff meeting and said that Bari Weiss was “murdering” the beloved news program. He also questioned her qualifications, as well as Scott Bilton’s. The audio of the meeting was leaked.
Scott Bilton referred to the outburst as a “performative display of hostility” in the termination letter. Despite losing his job, Scott Pelley has no regrets.
#BREAK: CBS NEWS has terminated Scott Pelley’s contract. pic.twitter.com/vbXyX8PBBv
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 3, 2026
“I have been in combat in Iraq. I have been in the war zone in Ukraine multiple times, risking my life and the happiness of my family because of my devotion to the broadcast,” he said in a statement after his firing.
A replacement for Scott Pelley hasn’t been named. But a shocking report claims that Bari Weiss is considering bringing on podcaster Joe Rogan amid several big-name departures. Stay tuned for more on this developing story.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
