Scott Pelley is not looking to go quietly. Veteran 60 minutes Reporter, once CBS Evening News The CBS News anchor fired back at him on Tuesday. In a lengthy statement, Bailey accused CBS News management, led by editor-in-chief Barry Weiss, of “incompetence and unprofessionalism” and made more damning accusations including that he was “instructed by me to insert lies and bias into a politically sensitive story.”
Incoming 60 minutes Executive producer Nick Pelton fired Bailey on Tuesday, the day after a fiery meeting with the show’s staff, which saw Bailey criticize Pelton’s lack of TV news experience and criticize management under Weiss. Billy privately said that Weiss “kills.” 60 minutes. She doesn’t like this place; She was brought in to kill her and she does just that.
“You should hear this from me first. Scott Pelley and I have broken up,” Pelton wrote in a note to 60 minutes Staff Tuesday. “I know how much Scott meant to a lot of you, and I don’t say that lightly. I made repeated attempts to have direct conversations with him over the weekend, and this afternoon I tried to find common ground. This was not the path Scott chose.”
In the note to Bailey, Belton wrote: “Yesterday, you hijacked my first staff meeting to belittle me, my qualifications, and my intentions with marked rudeness and contempt. I welcome diversity of viewpoints and respectful discussion among the team, but this was nothing of the sort.”
Later on Tuesday, Bailey released his statement about his dismissal, which reiterated the importance of it 60 minutes In the American cultural fabric and how it is now under attack from external forces. “60 “It has been the number one show in America for decades because our beloved audiences find integrity, quality and humanity in our stories. “Now, the new owner of our network is dismissing that myth, apparently to gain a moment of favor with the Trump administration.”
In the statement, Bailey makes some inflammatory allegations against CBS News management, including that they “ordered me to insert lies and bias into a politically sensitive story. I was asked to include unverified assertions.” Billy adds that he “was able to ignore or reject these instructions.”
He also wrote that “recently, politicians have been invited to select reporters for interviews on radio broadcasts. Giving politicians control over… 60 minutes Interviews are not the way it’s done. It is likely that Billy is alluding to the conversation 60 minutes An interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly chose the interviewee.
Billy wrote that “The incompetence and unprofessionalism of the new management has wreaked havoc” on the newsroom, and in one particular case involving one of his stories, “the entire program came within 19 minutes of not being broadcast at all.”
He expressed his regret for the position that Jalila Foundation likes 60 minutes Now finding himself inside, he explains why he had to leave. “Most of the men and women at CBS News are still in that fight. But now the collapse of values at the top has become untenable.” Leading the United States 60 minutes He is no longer recognizable. The principles I hold dear are gone, so I must leave too.
Billy’s full statement, via Dylan Byers, is below:
There was nothing in America like 60 Minutes.
The Sunday Tradition is the most successful program of any kind in history. For over a decade, its innovative growth on every major online platform has expanded its reach to countless millions around the world. This spring, at the end of its 58th season, 60 Minutes experienced rapid growth with an unprecedented 9% jump in viewers on CBS.
“60” has been the number one show in America for decades because our beloved audiences find integrity, quality and humanity in our stories. When management of the program passed to my colleagues and me, our responsibility was to aggressively expand into a new era of media technology while maintaining the values our audiences expect. Now, our network’s new owner is brushing that myth aside, apparently for a moment of favor with the Trump administration.
Waste is heartbreaking.
Last month, 60 Minutes lost its DNA when our entire senior leadership and two of our best on-air reporters were cruelly fired without cause. Good people have been silenced because they stood up for our constituency. They defended justice against the forces of political bias. They defended professionalism against chaos.
For my part, the new administration ordered me to introduce lies and bias into a politically sensitive story. I have been asked to include unverified assertions. So far, in all cases, I have been able to ignore or reject these instructions. Recently, politicians have been invited to select reporters for interviews on radio broadcasts. Giving politicians control over 60 Minutes interviews is not the way to do it. Finally, the incompetence and unprofessionalism of the new administration created chaos. In the case of one of my stories, the entire program came within 19 minutes of not being broadcast at all.
At 60 Minutes, we did more than anyone else to save a program that had become an American icon. We owe it to millions of viewers. I was deeply touched by the thousands of wishes we received to “keep up the good fight.” Most of the men and women at CBS News are still in that fight. But now the collapse of values at the top has become untenable. The 60 Minutes leadership is no longer recognizable. The principles I hold dear are gone, so I must go too.
I leave after 37 years at CBS with one emotion — a heart overflowing with gratitude to the men and women at CBS News who encouraged and enriched my work, often at the risk of their own lives. I pray for a day when these people and their ideals are honored again – a day when reason, competence, and courage return.
Scott Bailey
