Scott Pelley Accuses Bari Weiss of ‘Murdering’ 60 Minutes

scott pelley interrupted a Monday morning staff meeting at 60 Minutes and told Nick Bilton that Bari Weiss was “murdering” the newsmagazine. Pelley also pressed Bilton on the firings that Weiss carried out last week, in a meeting where Bilton was introduced to staff as the new executive producer.

Monday Morning Meeting

Pelley, a longtime 60 Minutes correspondent, said, “She’s murdering ‘60 Minutes.’” He added, “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it—and she’s doing exactly that.” The meeting was part of Bilton’s introduction to the staff after Weiss named him to lead the program.

Bilton responded, “Bari loves this institution,” and, “She loves ‘60 Minutes.’” The exchange laid out the split inside the newsroom in plain terms: one senior journalist accused the new leadership of destroying the program, while the new executive producer defended the boss who appointed him.

Weiss Firings Last Week

Last week, Weiss terminated Tanya Simon as executive producer. She also ousted correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and removed other senior staffers. Pelley referred to that day as “Black Thursday” while grilling Bilton about the changes.

The firings landed before Bilton’s first staff meeting and set the tone for the confrontation. Bilton lacks both broadcast news and managerial experience, which made his arrival a focal point for staff already reacting to the personnel changes.

Questions Around Bilton

The meeting was obtained from audio by Status. A CBS News spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Staffers on the newsmagazine wondered if Pelley would resign after his remarks. For employees at 60 Minutes, the immediate issue is not a programming change but who now has authority inside the newsroom after Weiss’ moves and Pelley’s public challenge to them.