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Story perspectives

CBS fires 60 Minutes anchors, hires tech columnist.

6/12/2026

50 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

On May 28 2026, CBS News chief Bari Weiss fired 60 Minutes correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega and producers, an action staff called “Black Thursday.”
Tanya Simon was replaced by tech columnist Nick Bilton, who had never worked in broadcast news.
Steve Kroft warned Bari Weiss’s tenure may end soon and noted CBS’s $16 million settlement with U.S. President Donald Trump over a Kamala Harris interview.

History

Historical Context

The 2004 Killian-documents scandal, when CBS aired forged memos on President Bush on September 8, 2004 and forced Dan Rather’s March 9, 2005 retirement, triggered a wave of resignations—including Mary Mapes and senior producers in early 2005—showing CBS’s recurring vulnerability to credibility crises; the May 2026 dismissal of Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega by chief Bari Weiss echoes that pattern.

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Story summary

On May 28 2026, CBS News chief Bari Weiss fired 60 Minutes correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega and producers, an action staff called “Black Thursday.”
Tanya Simon was replaced by tech columnist Nick Bilton, who had never worked in broadcast news.
Steve Kroft warned Bari Weiss’s tenure may end soon and noted CBS’s $16 million settlement with U.S. President Donald Trump over a Kamala Harris interview.

1 / 2