Story perspectives

Weiss Picks Bilton as 60 Minutes EP, Pelley protests

6/2/2026

Summary

Weiss Appoints Bilton

Bari Weiss appointed Nick Bilton as executive producer of “60 Minutes” on June 1 2026.
Scott Pelley accused Weiss of “murdering ‘60 Minutes’” and questioned the recent dismissals.
The “Black Thursday” firings removed executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, leaving three remaining correspondents.
Charles Forelle called Pelley's interruptions rude, said his questioning was unproductive, and noted CBS declined comment.

Summary

Ellison Appoints Weiss

David Ellison of Paramount-Skydance appointed Bari Weiss to lead CBS News after the $8 billion merger.
In a “approach” memo, Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski said they will expand “60 Minutes” beyond one hour and adopt a streaming mentality to stay competitive.
Nick Bilton, a former Netflix and HBO documentary filmmaker, will hold meetings with every staff member over the next two weeks, reflecting his hiring to boost streaming presence for “60 Minutes.”

History

Historical Context

In October 2014 CBS launched CBS All Access, its first OTT service, offering live local affiliates and on-demand shows. By early 2018 the platform had surpassed 2 million paid subscribers. After rebranding as Paramount+ and expanding globally, executives now plan to turn the flagship news program 60 Minutes into a multi-hour streaming series.

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Weiss Appoints Bilton

Bari Weiss appointed Nick Bilton as executive producer of “60 Minutes” on June 1 2026.
Scott Pelley accused Weiss of “murdering ‘60 Minutes’” and questioned the recent dismissals.
The “Black Thursday” firings removed executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, leaving three remaining correspondents.
Charles Forelle called Pelley's interruptions rude, said his questioning was unproductive, and noted CBS declined comment.

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