The future of "60 Minutes" may well depend on two people with close ties to CBS News's past.
Many staffers and producers of the struggling news program are wondering whether Lesley Stahl and Bill Whitaker, two CBS News veterans who worked in the news division now controlled by Paramount Skydance since 1971 and 1984, respectively, will remain with the program after a series of unexpected senior management departures over the past week. Their decisions could play a significant role in whether the program is completely canceled or retains the elements that have captivated viewers for so many years.
More from Variety
-
CBS News chief Bari Weiss defends Scott Pelley's firing from 60 Minutes: "Trust was 'shaken' after his scandal and 'it was his choice.'".
-
Scott Pelley responded to criticism on 60 Minutes: "The collapse of values at the top of government has become unacceptable.".
-
Scott Pelley has been fired from CBS News after a heated dispute with the new executive producer of "60 Minutes.".
The decision is driven by emotion, a person familiar with the business tells CBS News: "I think they feel like if they leave, there won't be anything left of '60.".
Of course, such cases are rarer. On Tuesday evening, Scott Pelley, one of the show's most recognizable correspondents, was fired by Nick Bilton, who was appointed last week as the show's new executive editor by Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, which intends to reorganize the series. Bilton was outraged that Pelley questioned his qualifications at a staff meeting on Monday and furious that the correspondent failed to return his calls or meet with him beforehand. Bilton and Weiss believed Pelley had created an unstable work environment.
«"Your opposition to the future of the show has been made very clear," Bilton said in a letter sent to Pelley on Tuesday evening and reviewed by the publication. Variety . "And I heard you. So, on behalf of CBS News, I am writing to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated effective immediately.".
«"Despite our efforts to reach out to Scott Pelley and find a way to resume our collaboration, unfortunately, we were unable to do so, and so we had to part ways," Weiss said during a CBS News editorial meeting on Wednesday. "We didn't want this to happen, but this is the path he chose.".
According to a source familiar with the situation, CBS News executives and Bilton contacted all remaining correspondents last week and were in discussions with many of them. Pelley was not among them. CBS News representatives declined to comment Wednesday morning.
In a statement released Tuesday evening, Pelley said he believed the new leadership of CBS News and its parent company had weakened the news program "apparently to secure support from the Trump administration," adding that he believed the "incompetence and unprofessionalism of the new leadership has caused enormous damage" to the program's operations.
Pelley's departure will only increase the focus on the remaining correspondents, according to two people familiar with the program. These people say Stahl, who joined "60 Minutes" in 1991, has made the show an integral part of her life, and leaving will be a difficult decision for her. When Stahl began working on the show, legends like Mike Wallace and Morley Safer were still active. According to a person familiar with the situation, she has a one-year contract with the program.
Whitaker has also recently expressed a desire to remain with the program. Despite years of experience at CBS News, primarily on the West Coast, he remains somewhat of a "newcomer" at "60," which he joined in 2014. He was recently considered as a candidate to replace Jane Pauley on "CBS Sunday Morning," according to two sources familiar with the situation, after management expressed concerns about being unable to negotiate a new contract.
Stahl and Whitaker did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday, and Jon Wertheim, a "60 Minutes" correspondent who joined the program in 2017, could not be reached earlier this week for comment on his views on the recent changes to the program. Some staffers interpreted their recent silence as a sign that they might stay.
Both Stahl and Whitaker are veteran journalists. Whitaker is 74, and Stahl is ten years older. But in interviews, both convey a more youthful spirit: Whitaker takes on a wide range of assignments, from features to investigative reporting. Meanwhile, one of Stahl's producers once called her a "cool-girl grandma" after her 2021 trip to Rwanda in search of mountain primates.
«"It's true: I'm not bored," Stahl told the publication. Variety in 2021.
Many of the "60 Minutes" staff have been working on the show for years, even decades, and, according to one source familiar with the show's production process, may be reluctant to leave. Producers may also feel compelled to stay because they are entitled to substantial severance pay or termination compensation, as opposed to leaving, which could result in lower pay.
Moreover, very few news channels give their producers the same role. 60 Minutes doesn't chase breaking news; they cover it themselves or offer a unique perspective on the news cycle. Or their staff spend weeks preparing a story for broadcast, giving them the opportunity to conduct more in-depth reporting and exhaustive research that other news channels simply wouldn't allow, especially in an era dominated by streaming services and social media.
However, Stahl and Whitaker may never have more leverage than they do now.
The best of variety
-
What's Coming to Disney+ in June 2026?
-
What's Coming to Netflix in June 2026?
-
Tony Awards Predictions: Early Predictions Including 'Death of a Salesman' and 'The Lost Boys,' Plus Possible Records for Squibb, Lithgow, and Apple.
Subscribe to the Variety newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.