Former 60 Minutes Managing Editor Claims Dismissals Stemmed from Editorial Disputes
Ex-managing editor Guy Campanile said he and several senior journalists were fired by CBS after refusing to incorporate unverified material and White House talking points into their reporting.
Former managing editor of "60 Minutes" Guy Campanile, who spent 34 years at CBS News, posted on Facebook that he and six other senior reporters were terminated in May because they would not compromise journalistic standards. He said the group, which included Tanya Simon, Draggan Mihailovich, Matthew Polevoy, Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, "refused to be accomplices in the destruction of the most prestigious news program on American television."
Campanile wrote that the dismissals followed a restructuring by CBS News' new management and that the staff were asked to conduct interviews arranged by the administration and to include unverified notions or White House talking points. He added that they insisted on asking challenging questions of business and political leaders and that their removal was a result of "insisting on doing our jobs."
CBS also terminated veteran journalist Scott Pelley, citing "cause" related to his conduct in a meeting with the show's executive producer and the network's managing editor. During that meeting, Pelley reportedly criticized Bari Weiss, the network's editor-in-chief, saying she was "murdering 60 Minutes" and was brought in to "kill it."
Campanile concluded his message by reflecting on his career at CBS and urging remaining staff to uphold editorial independence. The Guardian has sought comment from CBS News.