Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim pledge to stay at CBS's '60 Minutes

The three remaining full‑time correspondents of CBS News' flagship newsmagazine – Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim – announced they will remain with the program. In a joint memo they wrote, “We don’t want to see ‘60 Minutes’ die,” and expressed sorrow over recent firings at the show, including executive producer Tanya Simon, senior producer Draggan Mihailovich and veteran anchor Scott Pelley, who was dismissed after a confrontation with the new executive producer Nick Bilton.

The memo criticised the management style of the new CBS News leadership under editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss, stating “Newsrooms are not supposed be run like dictatorships.” The correspondents said they will stay only if they can continue independent, fearless journalism, and they are working to build trust with Bilton while keeping open the possibility of leaving later.

The turmoil follows a broader shake‑up at CBS News after Paramount’s merger with Skydance and several high‑profile departures, but the decision of the three veterans is seen as a stabilising step for the show ahead of its new season.