Katie Couric, a former anchor for CBS Evening News and correspondent for "60 Minutes," has accused former "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager of undermining her by rejecting her story pitches and later assigning them to male colleagues. Couric made the allegations on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast, stating that Fager "just didn’t like me."
Couric recalled two specific instances during her time at CBS News, which began in 2006 when she became the first woman to solo anchor a major network evening newscast. She reported for "60 Minutes" concurrently. According to Couric, she pitched a profile of the then-emerging artist Lady Gaga, believing she would become a major star. However, she was informed that Fager found the idea "not for us."
Approximately a year later, Couric stated she saw that the same story had been assigned to correspondent Anderson Cooper. "I see Lady Gaga, Anderson Cooper," she said. "I know. And I was like, what? Like, this was my whole idea."
In another instance, Couric alleged that Fager initially approved a profile of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. However, her producer later informed her that State Department officials were confused because another CBS team was pursuing the same interview. Couric described this as a "bald-faced lie" and an act of being "gaslit."
A source close to Fager disputed Couric's account, calling the claims "simply not true." This source suggested that Fager ensured Couric received strong producers and significant assignments, citing a high-profile interview with Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger that correspondent Scott Pelley had also desired. Another individual familiar with the situation commented that Couric "could never accept that CBS sent her away and she’s been looking to blame anyone she can ever since."
Couric joined CBS News in 2006, a move intended to boost the network's third-place evening news broadcast. While her tenure included award-winning work, such as interviews with Sarah Palin during the 2008 election, the broadcast largely remained in third place during her five years as anchor. She departed CBS News in 2011.
Fager, who led "60 Minutes" from 2004, departed the company in 2018 after CBS cited a violation of company policy related to a text message sent to a correspondent investigating misconduct allegations against him. Fager denied the allegations, and CBS stated his dismissal was not directly tied to the underlying claims.
Couric's allegations emerge amid significant changes at "60 Minutes." The program has seen leadership transitions, including the resignations of executive producers Bill Owens and Tanya Simon, and the dismissal of veteran correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. These departures sparked internal backlash, notably from Scott Pelley, who publicly criticized management's editorial decisions before his own dismissal from CBS News. Anderson Cooper also departed "60 Minutes" earlier this year, with reports suggesting discomfort with the direction of the news division under new leadership.