CBS News terminated longtime ’60 Minutes’ correspondent Scott Pelley following his allegations against Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. Pelley accused Weiss of damaging the program and criticized the qualifications of newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton.
In another legal development, former ABC News field producer Samira Said filed a lawsuit against CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman, ABC News, The Walt Disney Co., and an ABC bureau chief. Said alleged Gutman made inappropriate comments in the workplace, and she was later fired after her request for medical accommodations was denied.
“While the team waited in a public queue during the assignment, Gutman initiated a discussion rating a female correspondent’s appearance,” the complaint stated. Said maintained that the conversation depreciated the woman’s professional reputation by reducing it to a numerical score based on looks. Despite attempts to include her, Said declined to engage.
The lawsuit describes another incident during a movie-release press event. Said and Gutman disagreed over relocating their team, leading Gutman to make a comment suggesting Said had an after-hours date, thus trivializing her professional judgment.
Samira Said claimed her dismissal resulted from discrimination and retaliation. Said worked in ABC News’ Los Angeles bureau from May 2021 until March 2025. She alleged undergoing COVID-19 symptoms while covering the Uvalde school shooting contributed to severe psychological symptoms.
After being cleared for return by a psychiatrist, Said alleged that the bureau chief denied her a flexible schedule, moving her instead to weekend shifts and later assigning her to cover dangerous weather events. During one such assignment, she suffered a bone contusion.
ABC terminated Said in March 2025 during a supposed routine meeting. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial. The allegations await adjudication.
Matt Gutman joined CBS in January after 17 years at ABC. At CBS, he leads reporting and serves as a fill-in anchor. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss commended Gutman’s dedication and energetic reporting.
Fox News reached out to Disney and CBS, but they had not provided comments. A Disney representative conveyed they had not yet reviewed the complaint.