What Happened to 60 Minutes?

Since its debut in 1968, '60 Minutes' has been a cornerstone of American broadcast journalism, renowned for its investigative reporting and distinctive newsmagazine format. It has consistently been the most-watched news program, a streak that continued through its 58th season in 2025-2026, averaging 9.1 million viewers and marking its 52nd consecutive season as the top news show. However, the period leading up to mid-2026 has been one of significant internal strife and public controversy, challenging the program's long-held reputation for editorial independence.

A key turning point occurred in October 2024 when former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris, alleging biased editing. This lawsuit culminated in July 2025 with Paramount, CBS's parent company, agreeing to a $16 million settlement with Trump, a move widely criticized internally and externally as potentially politically motivated, especially given Paramount's ongoing merger discussions requiring government approval. This settlement was seen by many within CBS as a low point for the network's journalistic integrity.

The fallout from this period intensified in the spring of 2025 when Bill Owens, the executive producer, resigned, citing infringement on his journalistic independence. Tanya Simon, daughter of legendary correspondent Bob Simon, stepped into the role. However, her tenure was short-lived. In December 2025, an internal dispute erupted over a planned segment by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi concerning the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss reportedly postponed the segment, citing a need for more reporting, which Alfonsi publicly characterized as political interference. The segment eventually aired in January 2026.

The most dramatic changes occurred in May and June 2026. On May 28, 2026, CBS News announced a major shakeup, ousting Tanya Simon as executive producer and appointing Nick Bilton, a former New York Times tech journalist and filmmaker with limited broadcast news experience, to lead the show. Simultaneously, veteran correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega were terminated, and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich was also let go. Anderson Cooper had already announced his departure in February 2026, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

The turmoil reached a peak when longtime correspondent Scott Pelley was fired on June 2, 2026, following a contentious staff meeting where he openly challenged Bilton's qualifications and accused Bari Weiss of 'murdering' the program and steering coverage favorably towards the Trump administration. In the wake of these events, the three remaining core correspondents, Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim, issued a joint memo on June 5, 2026, stating their decision to stay and 'fight' for the show's integrity, emphasizing they 'don't want to see 60 Minutes die' and criticizing the network's management style. Bilton, for his part, has outlined a vision to expand '60 Minutes' beyond its Sunday evening slot, aiming for a '360-degree product' that reaches audiences across multiple platforms. Despite the internal strife, '60 Minutes' continues to garner critical acclaim, receiving 10 News & Documentary Emmy nominations in April 2026 and winning for 'Outstanding Hard News Report: Short Form' for 'The War in Gaza' in May 2026. The show's 59th season is set to begin in the fall of 2026, with a significantly altered leadership and correspondent team.