What To Know
- Bari Weiss, CBS News editor-in-chief, is reportedly planning a major overhaul of 60 Minutes after the current season.
- The changes are expected to involve significant layoffs and bringing in younger correspondents.
- Executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondent Scott Pelley may be at risk as Weiss seeks to make the show more relevant and impactful.
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has 60 Minutes in her sights for her next major network shakeup, with reports suggesting significant layoffs and a change in tone for the long-running news program.
According to Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Weiss is looking at revamping the show after the current season ends in May. A source familiar with the situation told Darcy that Weiss is ready to “blow it up as soon as the season is over.”
While another staffer told the outlet, “no one knows what to expect,” Darcy reported that Weiss is expected to bring in younger correspondents who are more aligned with her editorial vision.
The New York Post shared a similar report, with insiders telling the outlet that layoffs are expected over the summer, potentially affecting some of 60 Minutes‘ top talent and producers. This comes after CBS News cut between 60 and 70 staffers last month, including the shuttering of its nearly 100-year-old radio division.
“They’re doing another round [of cuts] in June, and 60 Minutes people are on the list,” a source told the outlet, adding that Weiss wants the show to focus more on hard-hitting investigative reporting and major scoops, rather than “soft programming.”
“Bari wants to make the show harder,” one source told The Post. “No one is talking about 60 Minutes on Monday morning. She wants to put her stamp on 60 Minutes and how you do that is you either get rid of the top producer or the top correspondent.”
60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Simon‘s year-long contract is reportedly up soon. However, CBS insiders told the Post that Simon has “fallen in line” with Weiss and firing her would essentially be “ransacking the place.”
Another potential casualty is Scott Pelley, the veteran 60 Minutes correspondent who is a frequent critic of the Trump administration and not afraid to speak out against his own bosses. A source claimed Pelley’s contract is up in 2027, and the company could buy him out before then if Weiss wants to make a significant change.
The news of these potential changes comes about a month after long-time 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper announced he would be leaving the show at the end of the current season. While Cooper said he decided to leave to spend more time with his family, sources have suggested he didn’t agree with CBS News’s current direction.
