Turmoil at ’60 Minutes’ after Pelley and two others are fired

<p>For over 50 years, CBS’ legendary “60 Minutes” has been a stalwart of the investigative reporting tradition. But <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/06/07/scott-pelley-60-minutes-firing-interview/90446645007/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a recent shakeup to leadership and on-air talent</a> may put that reputation and future at risk. Behind the changes is CBS News new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, a former New York Times opinion columnist who left the grey lady to found “The Free Press,” a digital publication that is broadly described as featuring contrarian and conservative viewpoints. Last fall, CBS News, under the leadership of newly minted CEO David Ellison, acquired the Free Press for a deal estimated at $150 million. And, after the deal closed, he put Bari Weiss, a successful entrepreneur with no broadcast experience, in charge of CBS News. Will Weiss’ radical approach usher in a new age of prosperity for the storied network or will it lead to its demise? CNN’s Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter joins The Excerpt to dig into the issues plaguing CBS News in this moment and what it means for the future of “60 Minutes.”</p><p>Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to <a href="mailto:podcasts@usatoday.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">podcasts@usatoday.com</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Episode transcript <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/06/08/drastic-changes-at-60-minutes-with-bari-weiss-at-the-cbs-news-helm-the-excerpt/90455951007/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>