The firing of Scott Pelley from 60 Minutes has been confirmed with a termination letter from the show’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton, detailing the reasons for his dismissal.
Bilton’s letter states that Pelley made himself impossible to work with and was terminated for cause effective immediately. The document reveals that Pelley’s antipathy toward the show’s future became evident through his actions.
According to the letter, which was shared by a staff member on social media, Pelley rejected an invitation to dinner and instead hijacked Bilton’s first meeting with the 60 Minutes production team to disparage him in front of colleagues. Bilton wrote that Pelley’s conduct demonstrated a lack of interest in contributing to the future success of the show.
Bilton also noted that Pelley chose a public display of hostility over private conversation, which he described as an act of incivility and contempt toward his qualifications and intentions.
Pelley responded by claiming the letter misrepresented what 60 Minutes stands for.