UMVA has learned that veteran journalist Scott Pelley is speaking out after being abruptly fired from his long-time position as a correspondent on 60 Minutes, a program he had been a part of for decades.
In a statement, Pelley, 68, expressed his dismay at being let go by CBS, suggesting that the decision was made to appease the Trump administration. He emphasized that the show's integrity, quality, and humanity were the reasons it had remained a top program in America for so long.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Pelley accused the new management of 60 Minutes of attempting to compromise his journalistic standards by urging him to include falsehoods and unverified assertions in his reporting. He proudly stated that he had refused to comply with these instructions.
Pelley also alleged that politicians were being given too much influence over the program, often choosing which correspondents would be allowed to interview them. He described the new management's approach as "incompetent and unprofessional," claiming that it had brought the program to the brink of disaster on more than one occasion.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Pelley had a heated exchange with the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, during a meeting with staff. In the meeting, Pelley questioned Bilton's qualifications to lead the program and accused the new management of trying to dismantle 60 Minutes.
Bilton, a former technology journalist, had attempted to reassure staff that he had no intention of overhauling the program to appeal to social media users. However, Pelley was not convinced, and his criticisms of Bilton and the new management ultimately led to his dismissal.
In a letter to Pelley, Bilton stated that he had been "terminated for cause," citing Pelley's behavior during the meeting as the reason. Pelley's departure follows that of Anderson Cooper, who left the program after 20 years.
The shake-up at 60 Minutes has raised concerns about the program's future and whether it will continue to maintain its high standards of journalism. As one veteran journalist noted, "Things can always evolve and change, but the core of what 60 Minutes is should always remain."
