Controversial efforts

Written by

Ophelia Benson

in

CNN predicts a lawsuit.

CBS News fired veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, one day after he sharply criticized the newsmagazine’s new leadership in front of the staff.

CBS said Pelley was terminated for cause, and industry analysts immediately predicted that Pelley might take legal action against the network.

Here’s hoping.

The firing is sure to trigger even more scrutiny of CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss and her controversial efforts to overhaul the network news division.

Controversial in part because she is such a random choice for CBS News editor in chief.

The letter referenced Pelley’s decision to pointedly question and criticize Bilton in a staff-wide meeting on Monday morning. Pelley’s scathing remarks immediately leaked to outside news outlets and ignited a crisis inside CBS.

In the meeting, Pelley pressed Bilton to explain last Thursday’s firings of top producers and two correspondents at the storied newsmagazine. Bilton, who was appointed on the same day, tried to reassure staff that he respected the program’s legacy while arguing that changes were necessary.

And a random tech journalist is exactly the right person to make those changes!

Pelley also accused Weiss, who was not in attendance, of “murdering” “60 Minutes.” When Bilton said Weiss loves the show, Pelley responded, “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.”

Pelley’s charge had political overtones. President Donald Trump sued CBS in 2024 over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, and even though legal experts said the suit was frivolous, Paramount’s previous ownership team decided to settle the case in July 2025 rather than defend the program in court.

Furthermore, Paramount’s new ownership team has sought a close relationship with Trump and his administration, and some critics of CBS have asserted a link between corporate attempts to appease Trump and the current overhaul of “60 Minutes.” 

Gosh, ya think??

Comments

3 responses to “Controversial efforts”

  1. Sumi Avatar
    Sumi

    “(S)ome critics of CBS have asserted a link between corporate attempts to appease Trump and the current overhaul of ’60 Minutes.’” LOL! Ya think? The Ellisons (père et fils) are full-on MAGA.

  2. Your Name's not Bruce? Avatar
    Your Name’s not Bruce?

    I have no idea if 60 Minutes itself has reported on trans issues, or CBS’s overall stance on them, but this is the kind of instance in which “legacy media” support for trans ideology proves itself to be counterproductive. How does one trust news organizations which support and promote lies? Why squander your reputation and credibility on such dangerous untruths? Why give your enemies ammunition and helpfully paint a target on yourself to boot? This will only reduce the number of people willing to support you when your independence and freedom come under attack. How do you win public support in your fight to resist one dishonest, self-serving, reality denying agenda, when you’ve already completely surrendered to another?

  3. Artymorty Avatar
    Artymorty

    @YNNB,

    I know that 60 Minutes tried to run a piece on detransitioners a few years ago. The finished product was, at best, a mixed bag. There was a massive, coordinated behind-the-scenes push by trans activists and LGBTQ orgs to have the piece quashed. In the end a piece about detransitioners aired, but it was neutered. We did an episode of The Mess We’re In featuring the detransitioners whose stories were cut by 60 Minutes.

    https://www.youtube.com/live/MaxmU8A3URw

    I agree completely that the legacy media’s mishandling of the trans beat has empowered the amateur-hour takeover. The liberal legacy media’s mishandling of the trans story has effectively subsidized MAGA and its fake-news agenda.

    (I wrote about that in depth here:

    https://artymorty.substack.com/p/the-power-of-the-powerful-blame-the

    )

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