Paramount CEO David Ellison has reportedly promised editorial independence for 60 Minutes after a tumultuous week that saw the firing of Scott Pelley, who accused leadership of trying to tilt news coverage to align with President Trump’s version of events. Ellison, an ally of President Trump, called 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl on Sunday and vowed to leave the show’s editorial decisions alone, Stahl told staffers during a champagne toast at the program’s New York offices the next day, per the New York Times. Stahl said the toast was to the show’s “survivors,” adding there was “a twinge of survivor’s guilt.”
It comes after a sweeping shake-up that has included the departures of executive producer Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and Anderson Cooper, per USA Today. The overhaul, led by CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss, has drawn internal anger and an open letter from prominent journalists urging Ellison to publicly guarantee 60 Minutes will remain independent while Paramount seeks federal approval for its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim say they debated quitting but chose to stay rather than “see 60 Minutes die.” With reruns set until September and new executive producer Nick Bilton—who has no broadcast background—trying to mend fences, the future of the franchise remains in flux.
