Veteran journalist Scott Pelley posts gratitude after CBS termination
Former "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley thanked supporters on Instagram following his dismissal by CBS News, after a week of public criticism of the network's new leadership.
Scott Pelley posted a thank‑you message on Instagram on Saturday, sharing a photo of himself at the helm of a boat and writing, "To all of you who have been so kind, you are the wind in my sails… So deeply grateful." The post came a few days after CBS News terminated the veteran journalist following a heated exchange with newly appointed "60 Minutes" executive producer Nick Bilton.
During a staff meeting, Pelley accused CBS News Editor‑in‑Chief Bari Weiss of undermining the long‑standing newsmagazine, saying she was brought in to "kill" it. Bilton later described the encounter as an "ambush" and cited "remarkable incivility and contempt" before ending Pelley’s 37‑year tenure at the network.
In a farewell statement, Pelley alleged that CBS’s new leadership was compromising editorial standards to appease the Trump administration and claimed he was pressured to include unverified material in a politically sensitive story. He told The New York Times in a preview clip that he had heard "respected journalists" say there was a partisan bias favoring one political party and warned that "CBS News, in my view, is on fire."
Not all public figures supported Pelley’s stance. On Friday’s episode of "Real Time," host Bill Maher said he was "for" the firing and expressed indifference toward the controversy.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions within CBS News over editorial direction and management changes.