Veteran CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley has been fired from the network following an explosive confrontation with CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss over new leadership at 60 Minutes. Pelley, a correspondent for 60 Minutes since 2004 and one of the most recognizable faces in broadcast journalism, was terminated effective immediately on Tuesday after a contentious staff meeting Monday in which he accused Weiss of “murdering” the long-running agency, according to a . The firing comes shortly after reports emerged detailing a heated meeting between Pelley and newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton, a former technology journalist who was tapped to lead the program as part of a broader overhaul at CBS News.
According to the multiple reports, Pelley challenged Bilton’s qualifications and sharply criticized Weiss, saying she had been “brought in to kill” the show and was “murdering it through a series of management decisions. Pelley interrupted Bilton after introductory remarks during the meeting and ripped into the new leader, according to the outlet.
There are varying reports about Weiss’s attendance at the meeting, some outlets reporting that she did not attend after being advised not to. Pelley also reportedly went after Weiss’s resume, saying she didn’t have any qualifications for the job.
