Scott Pelley, the veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent, was fired from CBS News on Tuesday.
It comes after Pelley condemned the broadcaster's editor in chief, Bari Weiss, at a heated staff meeting on Monday, according to audio obtained by Status and The New York Times.
He accused her of "murdering" the iconic program. "She was brought in to kill it, and she's doing exactly that," Pelley said in the recording.
A day later, the show's executive producer, Nick Bilton, wrote to Pelley to inform him that he had been terminated.
"Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear," Bilton wrote in a lengthy memo seen by Business Insider's James Faris.
Here's what smart people in media and politics are saying about the decision and its impact on "60 Minutes."
Brian Stelter, media commentator and CNN analyst
Stelter, the widely followed CNN media commentator, described Pelley's firing as like "an underwater earthquake at CBS News."
"It's not going to be visible on TV right away, but this is bound to have many ripple effects, and maybe a legal battle," Stelter said in an appearance on CNN.
Megyn Kelly, host of "The Megyn Kelly Show"
The former Fox News anchor criticized the length and tone of Bilton's memo to Pelley.
"'Dear Mr. Pelley: You're fired, effective immediately' would have been far more impactful and less needy," Kelly wrote in an X post on Tuesday evening.
Chris Cillizza, independent media creator
Chris Cillizza, a former CNN political reporter who now produces a Substack and YouTube channel, said CBS had little option but to fire Pelley.
"How can he NOT be fired? He said his direct boss and the woman who runs the network are 'murdering' '60 Minutes' and aren't qualified to do their jobs," he wrote in an X post.
"Like in what profession would he not be fired???"
Ashlee Vance, science and tech journalist and Elon Musk biographer
Ashlee Vance, the former Bloomberg reporter known for his biography of Elon Musk, was unconcerned about Pelley's departure.
"The heart and soul of 60 Minutes has been feeling dated for 20 years," he said on X. "Everything is going to be just fine and likely better."
T. Becket Adams, columnist and media critic
T. Becket Adams, who writes for publications including The Hill, suggested it was "almost weird" when star journalists face repercussions for their actions.
"Rare when management in media acts the way normal people expect it to," he said in an X post.
"No manager would tolerate this type of behavior at a Walmart all-hands meeting, yet we've become accustomed to rank unprofessionalism in journalism."
John Jackson, commentator and military veteran
John Jackson is a commentator and military veteran who says he fought in Ukraine.
In an X post, he said he admired Pelley and praised the importance of his reporting on Izium, a Ukrainian city on the front lines of the war with Russia.
"I like to think after seeing Ukrainians and their resolve, it was even harder to bend the knee to Trump and sacrifice his principles," Jackson wrote.
Katie Miller, host of "The Katie Miller Podcast"
Katie Miller worked as Mike Pence's communications director during his vice presidency and for the Department of Government Efficiency.
"Scott Pelley greatly overplayed his hand," she said in an X post.
"There isn't a market for his type of $5 million a year biased journalism. This is what happens when you work to become the story instead of report on it."
Mitchell Jackson, founder of BCC Communications
"60 Minutes viewers are boomers who like their consistent Sunday evening programming," said Mitchell Jackson, a public relations consultant and strategist, known for representing divisive figures such as Candace Owens.
"This will impact ratings."
"Bari Weiss and company cannot manage — or handle PR. Firing him for cause promises a monthslong fight," he added, calling the situation a "mess."
Tim Miller, host of "The Bulwark" Podcast
Tim Miller, who was prominent in Jeb Bush's 2016 presidential campaign, said on X that "60 Minutes" doesn't "really have another Pelley in the pipeline talent-wise."
"Survival on reputation and ticking clock nostalgia has its limits," said Miller, who now works for anti-Trump site The Bulwark.
Miller said the show can only have so many "mid" interviews with the likes of Benjamin Netanyahu and Pete Hegseth, "before it turns into a Sunday morning show."
The Bulwark is a news and politics website that is often critical of President Donald Trump.
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Pete Syme is an aviation reporter for Business Insider, based in London.He writes about all things related to the industry, such as flight diversions, aviation safety, airline updates, travel tips, plane tours, and aviation leaders.Pete has appeared on BBC News to discuss a Heathrow Airport closure and on Sky News to talk about Boeing.Before joining Business Insider in 2022, he graduated with an MA in Newspaper Journalism from City, University of London. While getting his BA in English from the University of Exeter, he was the award-winning deputy editor of the student newspaper, Exeposé.You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] or via Signal @syme.99.
