CBS' "60 Minutes" adds new correspondents for 59th season
The long-running news program announced several new contributors, including columnist Ross Douthat and former CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell, as part of a broader staffing overhaul.
CBS announced that its flagship news magazine will bring in a slate of new correspondents and contributors for its 59th season. Among the hires are New York Times conservative columnist Ross Douthat, former CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell, author Sebastian Junger, journalist Gianna Toboni and senior global affairs correspondent Trevor Phillips. The additions join existing correspondents Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker.
The changes were disclosed in a staff memo by the program's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, who was appointed by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss after a recent overhaul that saw longtime producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Scott Pelley depart. CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and Weiss said in an internal memo that they were "excited about this news" and looked forward to the new talent.
Bilton described Douthat as "one of the preeminent public intellectuals in America" and called O'Donnell a "powerhouse" who will appear frequently on the show. He praised Junger for his nonfiction work, noted Toboni's experience with VICE and CNN and highlighted Phillips as a respected voice in the United Kingdom.
The staffing moves follow a period of turmoil at the program, including a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over its editing of a 2024 interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris and a broader restructuring of CBS News under Weiss's leadership.