Scott Pelley’s firing from 60 Minutes has already become one of the biggest stories of the 2026 TV schedule, and the longtime CBS News veteran is not backing away from his criticism of the network’s new leadership. He was fired after allegedly clashing with Nick Bilton, the newly installed executive producer of 60 Minutes, whom CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss appointed amid a larger shakeup at the newsmagazine.
CBS’ new leadership has framed the changes as part of an effort to modernize the news division and reach audiences beyond traditional TV. Pelley, however, offered a much harsher read in a new interview with The New York Times, calling for Paramount Skydance to remove Weiss from her CBS News role and arguing that the people now in charge do not understand the program they are trying to change. According to him:
