CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss defended the firing of longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, telling staff that a breakdown in “trust and mutual respect” left the network with no choice but to part ways with one of its most prominent journalists.
“I’m only interested in working in a newsroom built on trust and mutual respect; we cannot do our work without it. That foundation was broken on Monday,” Weiss reportedly told staff during a newsroom call Wednesday morning, according to the New York Times.
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“Despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and find a way forward, unfortunately we weren’t able to do so, and so we had to part ways,” Weiss said. “We did not want that to happen, but that’s the path that he chose.”
Pelley, who joined 60 Minutes in 2004, was fired Tuesday following a contentious staff meeting the day before.
According to multiple reports, Pelley challenged the qualifications of incoming executive producer Nick Bilton and criticized Weiss, accusing her of being “brought in to kill” 60 Minutes and “murdering” the storied newsmagazine through a series of management decisions.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Pelley interrupted Bilton shortly after his introductory remarks and launched into a blistering critique of the network’s leadership.
The dispute is the latest chapter in months of upheaval at CBS News following the merger of Paramount and Skydance Media and the appointment of Weiss as the network’s first editor-in-chief.
During Wednesday’s call, Weiss reportedly praised Pelley’s contributions to the network, including his reporting on Havana syndrome and his interview with former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse.
Four days before the confrontation, Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski reportedly sent a memo to staff outlining their vision for the future of 60 Minutes, saying they wanted to build a show that “thrives in the 21st century” and that doing so “requires a new approach.”
“Those are the kind of stories that have always typified 60 Minutes, and they’re the kind of stories that Nick Bilton is going to put on the air come September in Season 59 with the amazing team that’s still there,” Weiss reportedly told employees.
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Pelley is the third 60 Minutes correspondent to be fired since Weiss took over CBS News last year. Another longtime correspondent, Anderson Cooper, left voluntarily. Three regular correspondents remain.
Weiss also referred to “some new people that are going to be joining us” during the call, though she did not elaborate.
