'CBS News is on fire': Scott Pelley accuses Bari Weiss of editorial interference after being ousted

Pelley highlighted staff worries over Bilton's appointment due to his absence of experience leading television news operations.

Former CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley recently blamed CBS News head Bari Weiss for meddling in editorial decisions and urged her ouster from the leadership role. This came in his initial public comments after dismissal, where he informed The New York Times that CBS News faces severe issues.

Pelley, with 37 years at CBS News including roles as White House correspondent, CBS Evening News anchor, and 60 Minutes contributor, described his exit amid turmoil involving a settlement with President Donald Trump, Paramount's sale to David Ellison, Weiss's appointment, and multiple 60 Minutes departures.

Pelley recounts events leading to firing

Pelley called the recent shifts at 60 Minutes unexpected, especially after what he saw as a strong season for the program.

He noted that team members were shocked by the ouster of top leaders such as executive producer Tanya Simon and the naming of Nick Bilton as the new executive producer.

According to Pelley, Bilton's arrival raised concerns among staff because he lacked prior experience managing a television news operation.

Pelley also described a tense staff meeting during which he challenged Bilton's appointment and questioned why longtime employees had not received a fuller explanation for the leadership changes.

Shortly afterward, Pelley said he was called into a meeting with CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and was informed that his conduct during the staff meeting constituted grounds for termination. Pelley denied allegations that he physically intimidated Bilton and said he was subsequently dismissed from the network.

Claims of editorial interference

Much of the discussion centered on Pelley's claims that Weiss tried to shape coverage of politically charged topics.

Pelley told The New York Times that Weiss sought changes to a report on protests in Minneapolis related to immigration enforcement operations, arguing the edits would have portrayed protesters as more aggressive and aligned with the administration's version of events.

He said he rejected the proposed changes after reviewing the underlying footage and concluded that the available evidence did not support the characterization Weiss wanted included in the report.

Pelley described the incident as an example of what he viewed as political influence being exerted on newsroom decisions.

CBS News disputed those allegations, telling The New York Times that Weiss's comments were part of a standard editorial process intended to make the report as strong, fair, and accurate as possible. The network also rejected claims that Weiss had acted on behalf of a political agenda.

Calls for leadership changes

Pelley argued that the larger problem at CBS News was a lack of experience among members of the network's new leadership team.

While acknowledging Weiss's success as founder of The Free Press, he questioned whether she was qualified to run a major television news organization.

Asked directly whether Weiss should remain in her position, Pelley responded that she should not.

He also claimed trust inside CBS News had been severely damaged following the recent firings and leadership changes.

In the interview's closing moments, Pelley expressed hope that Paramount leadership would reconsider the direction of the news division and restore what he described as stability and editorial independence.

We can save this. It is possible to land this plane, he said. But right now, CBS News is on fire.