Former “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley has signed with the talent agency CAA, marking a new phase in his career following his departure from CBS News. CAA will represent Pelley in all areas as he explores future opportunities after 37 years with the network.
The move comes weeks after Pelley's firing from “60 Minutes,” which capped a period of significant turmoil at CBS News. Pelley was dismissed after publicly confronting the new “60 Minutes” executive producer, Nick Bilton, during a staff meeting. Pelley reportedly accused CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss of damaging the newsmagazine. Bilton, in turn, stated that Pelley had “hijacked” the meeting and informed him that his employment was terminated “for cause."
Since his dismissal, Pelley has publicly stated that CBS News management attempted to introduce “falsehoods and bias” into reporting. He also alleged that Paramount's new ownership was weakening “60 Minutes” and potentially seeking to influence the Trump administration.
Another key figure affected by the recent changes at CBS News, former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, is also reportedly preparing for his next career step. Owens is said to be shopping a memoir about his time at CBS News through CAA literary agent Sloan Harris. Owens previously resigned from his role, citing corporate interference that he believed made it impossible to maintain the editorial independence of “60 Minutes.” In his memoir proposal, Owens reportedly criticizes Paramount's handling of a lawsuit related to a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, calling it a "worst-run media company" decision. He has also reportedly accused Paramount of establishing an internal "spy ring" to share story plans with senior executives.