Nick Bilton, the newly appointed executive producer of 60 Minutes, met with the show’s three remaining correspondents—Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim—as the CBS newsmagazine works to stabilize after a week of turmoil that included the firing of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley.
Quick Facts
- Bilton was named 60 Minutes executive producer on May 28, 2026, replacing longtime producer Tanya Simon.
- Scott Pelley was fired on June 3 after confronting Bilton at a Monday staff meeting over recent dismissals.
- Stahl, Whitaker, and Wertheim announced Friday they plan to stay at the show.
- Bilton told staff the three correspondents are “core to this show’s success.”
Bilton consulted individually with Stahl, Whitaker, and Wertheim this week, according to a memo he sent to staff Thursday. In the message, obtained by NBC News, Bilton wrote that he had discussed with them what makes 60 Minutes exceptional, its traditions and legacy, and new ways of storytelling for emerging audiences.
The three correspondents responded Friday with a joint memo to their colleagues stating they had deliberated carefully about their futures. “We have had a hard time deciding whether to stay,” they wrote, but ultimately concluded: “We don’t want to see ’60 Minutes’ die.” They expressed deep concern over the firings of executive producer Tanya Simon and senior producer Draggan Mihailovich, whom they described as “strong leaders who everyone respected.”
Nick Bilton meets with Lesley Stahl, other 60 Minutes correspondents amid turmoil
Lesley Stahl says she’ll stay at ’60 Minutes’ after turmoil
The correspondents alleged that those leaders were dismissed because “they fought for our ’60 Minutes’ values and stood up to protect our independence and integrity.” They added that “newsrooms are not supposed to be run like dictatorships,” signaling their unease with the direction under CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss and Bilton’s leadership.
The turmoil began last week when several senior staff members were let go. Tensions escalated during a Monday meeting where Pelley openly challenged Bilton and Weiss, accusing the editor in chief of “murdering” the storied newsmagazine. Pelley was terminated the next day after nearly 40 years at CBS News. In a statement, he expressed “gratitude for the men and women of CBS News who encouraged and enriched my work” and prayed for “a day when sanity, competence, and courage return.”
The commitment from the three remaining correspondents marks a critical moment for a show that has faced questions about its future. Bilton emphasized in his memo that 60 Minutes “will never be instructed by the ownership” of the network on its reporting, an apparent effort to address staff concerns about editorial independence under the new leadership structure.
Sources
- NBC News — reporting on the three correspondents’ decision to stay and Bilton’s memo to staff.
- The New York Times — coverage of Bilton’s appointment and his pledge of editorial independence.
- Variety — reporting on Bilton’s vow to pursue stories without fear or favor.
- Business Insider — documentation of staff firings and the turmoil at 60 Minutes.
