This week, the three remaining correspondents of 60 Minutes gathered to consider their futures in light of Scott Pelley’s recent dismissal, as reported. Former correspondent Steve Kroft suggested that the iconic news program “no longer exists” in the familiar way audiences have known it for years.
Bill Whitaker, Leslie Stahl, and John Wertheim spent over an hour in discussion on Wednesday amid rising tensions at CBS News after Pelley’s firing and significant changes initiated by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Reports indicated that speculation was rife about Whitaker and Stahl possibly being the next to exit the show.
The meeting took place just hours after the Post revealed insider thoughts that Whitaker might be next to leave. “I think Bill is next,” a close source to the network mentioned. Meanwhile, there was a suggestion that Leslie, typically quiet, could also be on her way out.
The concerns are heightened due to the prominence of the remaining correspondents.
Stahl, at 84, has been part of 60 Minutes since 1991, making her one of the longest-standing journalists on the program. Whitaker, 74, joined in 2014 and has recently wrapped his 11th season. Wertheim, the youngest at 56, became part of the show in 2017 after establishing himself as a top sports journalist.
This uncertainty followed Kroft’s critical remarks about the show’s state. “I just think 60 Minutes, as the audience knows it, is no longer,” he expressed. He pointed out that the significant departures, including Pelley’s, correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon, have dramatically altered the program’s essence.
Kroft elaborated that despite rising viewership, the new leadership apparently saw the program as outdated and in need of transformation.
He also recently mentioned in a conversation with podcaster Bill O’Reilly that he finds the current 60 Minutes lacking in “decency,” describing it as a “den of snakes.” He raised doubts about how the show will sustain its identity when it resumes in the fall.
The latest signs of unrest emerged after Pelley’s termination followed a public disagreement with new executive producer Nick Bilton. Since then, Pelley has accused CBS News of trying to introduce “falsehoods and bias” into their reporting. In a similar vein, Vega has pointed to issues of “censorship,” while Alfonsi has cautioned that the separation between editorial independence and corporate interests is in jeopardy at CBS.
CBS News has rejected these claims, with a spokesperson stating, “There is no political interference at CBS News, and no political interference from ownership or Bari Weiss.” They clarified that any perceived ‘interference’ is just the usual interactions between editors and correspondents typical in any newsroom.
The Post has sought comments from CBS News, as well as from Wertheim, Whitaker, and Stahl.
