Scott Pelley Fired From 60 Minutes After Public Clash With Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss Over Minneapolis Protester Segment

Scott Pelley was fired from 60 Minutes last week after accusing CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of requesting changes to a segment on the January killing of Minneapolis protester Renee Good. ” CBS News also denied Pelley’s characterization of Weiss’s involvement. The segment aired in February.

Pelley said he rejected the requested changes after reviewing the footage with producers and an editor. Pelley’s accusations followed a Monday staff meeting in which he accused Weiss of “murdering” the show. He was fired soon after.

Tanya Simon was replaced as 60 Minutes executive producer. Several correspondents and producers left the program over questions of editorial independence. Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim are staying on.

Nick Bilton, a former Vanity Fair journalist and film-maker, was installed as the new executive producer. In a memo to staff he wrote that “the foundation of 60 Minutes is journalistic independence. ” Pelley said Tanya Simon concluded the season with a 9% audience growth and a 190% increase in online presence.

Pelley spent 37 years at CBS News. He said the recent staff cuts and leadership changes had shaken trust inside the program.