Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim, three correspondents of the CBS News program ’60 Minutes’, announced in an email to their staff that they decided to remain with the show. This decision followed a period filled with grief and frustration regarding recent changes within the program.
The news came after speculation about whether these departures could leave the program without any prominent on-air personalities. In their message, the correspondents said they intended to ‘stay and fight’ to maintain the integrity and reputation of the renowned news program. They emphasized their commitment, stating, ‘We don’t want to see ’60 Minutes’ die.’
However, their communication also expressed disappointment over the recent actions by Bari Weiss, CBS News editor in chief. They found the dismissal of the executive producer, Tanya Simon, and several other producers and correspondents to be ‘heartbreaking’. They firmly warned that a loss of editorial independence would lead to their own departure.
The appointment of Nick Bilton, a tech journalist without experience in broadcast news, as the new head of the program, surprised many at ’60 Minutes’. Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley openly criticized both Mr. Bilton and Ms. Weiss, which led to his firing.
In a bid to maintain stability, Mr. Bilton made efforts to convince Ms. Stahl, Mr. Whitaker, and Mr. Wertheim to stay. He assured them of the show’s commitment to its journalistic standards. He further promised the staff that ’60 Minutes’ would continue to operate independently from the influence of its parent company, owned by tech magnate David Ellison.
Lesley Stahl explained in an interview that the decision to continue with the program came after numerous discussions, including a video conference involving Mr. Wertheim, who is currently in Paris for the French Open.