Scott Pelley Responds to Bari Weiss’ Comments After His Firing

Scott Pelley replied the CBS editor-in-chief Barry Weiss‘ ideas about his latest move from the network.
“I was saddened to see the transcript of this morning’s CBS News editorial meeting,” Pelley, 68, said in a shared statement. The New York Times on Wednesday, June 3. “Bari Weiss knows what he said is not true. At Tuesday’s meeting, from which I was effectively fired, there was no attempt of any kind to ‘find a way back’ as Weiss said at the planning meeting.”
Pelley was fired from CBS again 60 Minutes after 37 years following a verbal dispute and allegations of a new executive producer Nick Bilton with a change in leadership. Weiss, 75, later told the rest of the crew that the “foundation” of trust had been broken.
“I love working in a newsroom that is built on mutual trust and respect; we can’t do our job without you,” Weiss said during a conference call Wednesday, according to a transcript obtained The New York Times. “Despite our efforts to contact Scott Pelley and find a way back, unfortunately we couldn’t do that, we had to part ways. We didn’t want that to happen, but that’s the way he chose.”
Pelley, however, says he was let go in a brief meeting with Weiss and the CBS News president and editor-in-chief. Tom Cibrowski Tuesday, June 2.
“There was absolutely nothing in Tuesday’s meeting that suggested there could be steps taken by both parties that would lead to a resolution,” Pelley said in his statement. “Weiss and Tom Cibrowski were openly hostile from the start. ‘Fire’ was suggested by Cibrowski in the first 15 seconds. No CBS executive, at any time, suggested a ‘way back.’ To say so now is disrespectful. And they know.”

Barry Weiss.
Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free PressPelley went on to say that Weiss, Cibrowski and Bilton all “refused to answer [his] questions” about the reasons why some CBS employees were fired last month previous statement shared on Tuesday, Pelley speculated that the shooting was done to “find a moment” about it President Donald Trump and his administration.)
“Throughout the meeting, CBS executives were abrupt, dismissive and disinterested in the discussions,” he said Wednesday. “No constructive critical dialogue was allowed at any time by CBS management. I was stonewalled for about 10 minutes and, for no apparent reason, [was told]’This conversation is over.’”
Pelley continued, “I’m saddened that CBS News employees were misled at Wednesday morning’s meeting. These officials cannot win the trust of employees with lies. This is against everything we stand for and shows a lack of respect for journalists.”
Weiss and other CBS executives have not commented on Pelley’s allegations about his departure. Us Weekly has reached the comment.





