CBS News reshuffles '60 Minutes' staff under new editor Bari Weiss

Bari Weiss, appointed editor‑in‑chief of CBS News after Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media, dismissed several longtime members of the flagship Sunday program "60 Minutes." She removed veteran producer Tanya Simon, correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and later senior anchor Scott Pelley following a tense confrontation. Weiss installed tech journalist Nick Bilton as the new executive producer, marking a shift away from traditional broadcast experience.

Former executive producer Bill Owens, who left in protest last year, warned that corporate interference from the merger threatened the show's journalistic independence. The shake‑up comes after CBS settled a $16 million lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump over the editing of a 2024 interview with then‑presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Three remaining correspondents—Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker—issued a joint memo stating they will stay for now, expressing regret over the firings and a willingness to work with Bilton while leaving the option to depart later. The changes are part of broader restructuring at CBS News, which also saw the shutdown of its radio operation and the recent departure of Stephen Colbert.