Scott Pelley Leaves CBS News After Conflict with New Management

Veteran journalist Scott Pelley, 68, is expected to end his 37‑year tenure at CBS News and the flagship program 60 Minutes following a tense confrontation with newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton. During an all‑staff meeting, Pelley challenged Bilton’s qualifications and criticized CBS editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss, accusing her of undermining the program. A follow‑up meeting with CBS leadership later in the day failed to resolve the dispute, making a resignation or dismissal increasingly likely.

CBS aired an on‑air tribute to Pelley on the CBS Evening News, where anchor Tony Dokoupil highlighted the reporter’s extensive career, including coverage of 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and multiple Emmy‑winning interviews. The tribute noted recent shake‑ups at CBS, including the departures of long‑time correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, all linked to the network’s recent editorial overhaul under Weiss.