CBS News has terminated the contract of veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley – a man who has spent 35 years asking the hard questions – after new executive producer Nick Bilton determined he had no interest in hearing the answers.
The news was first reported by Dylan Byers, who is the Founding Partner and Senior Correspondent at Puck, before being picked up by major outlets such as Reuters.
Pelley’s firing is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from the long-running Sunday news magazine, which is the longest-running prime-time program in the United States.
CBS had previously fired executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.
#BREAK: CBS NEWS has terminated Scott Pelley’s contract. pic.twitter.com/vbXyX8PBBv
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 3, 2026
A breakdown in talks
In the termination letter, addressed directly to Pelley and shared via X by Byers, Bilton wrote that he had initially sought to establish a working relationship with the veteran journalist – including a phone call and a dinner invitation – only to be rebuffed.
“I started this job excited to collaborate and to benefit from the wisdom and experience of the 60 Minutes veterans, with you among them,” Bilton wrote.
Bilton alleged that Pelley had “hijacked” his first staff meeting to disparage Bilton’s qualifications and intentions, and that a subsequent one-on-one meeting failed to identify a path forward.
“Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you,” Bilton wrote. “I therefore write on behalf of CBS News, Inc. to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately.”
Nick Bilton
Ownership change drives turmoil
The departures follow the August acquisition of Paramount by Skydance Media, run by David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and a longtime supporter of US President Donald Trump. Bari Weiss was subsequently installed as CBS News editor-in-chief in October.
Media reports had quoted Pelley as accusing Weiss of “murdering” 60 Minutes.
Ellison secured regulatory approval for the deal, which created Paramount Skydance, on the promise that the CBS network would reflect the “varied ideological perspectives” of American viewers.
Prior to the acquisition, Paramount paid $AU25 million to settle a 2024 lawsuit filed by Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged presented a distorted portrayal of his political rival.
In a note to staff, Bilton acknowledged “the great deal of change in a very short time” at the program.
Pelley joined CBS News in 1989 and spent more than two decades as a 60 Minutes correspondent, having previously served as anchor of the CBS Evening News.
Main image: Scott Pelley