Lesley Stahl Reportedly Considered Quitting '60 Minutes' Over Editorial Disputes
The veteran correspondent allegedly clashed with CBS News leadership over edits to a segment on Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl, 84, reportedly considered quitting the program after a contentious editing process for her recent segment on Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Stahl became "frustrated" with what sources described as "very hands-on" editing from CBS News boss Bari Weiss and Managing Editor Charles Forelle, according to a report by Status.
The segment, which aired Sunday, focused on the violence Palestinians have faced from extremist Israeli settlers attempting to occupy land in the West Bank. Weiss, an advocate for Israel, reportedly raised objections to unspecified aspects of the piece. Forelle, whom Weiss hired from The Wall Street Journal, suggested delaying the story as its deadline approached, but Stahl reportedly pushed for immediate resolution.
One source told The Daily Mail that the screenings became "so heated" that the segment's airing was uncertain. "They didn’t know if it was going to air because the screenings got so heated," the source said.
A spokesperson for "60 Minutes" denied the report, calling the narrative "ludicrous" and "twisted." The spokesperson stated that all "60 Minutes" pieces undergo a rigorous editorial process and that this particular segment received fewer edits than most. However, a source familiar with the matter suggested that changes under new leadership have altered the program's traditionally independent editorial approach.
This dispute comes amid broader changes at "60 Minutes" since Weiss took over leadership. In June, following Scott Pelley's departure, Stahl, alongside fellow correspondents Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, issued a statement emphasizing the importance of collaboration and argument in the newsroom, after Anderson Cooper had reportedly refused to continue with the program under the new leadership.
Pelley had previously accused Weiss and "60 Minutes" executive Nick Bilton of "murdering" the program. Sources indicated that Cooper's decision not to continue was a response to the new leadership structure. Stahl has been a correspondent for "60 Minutes" for 35 years, and her segment examined the methods used by Israeli settlers, including sheep farms and other forms of encroachment, to acquire West Bank land, as well as clashes with Palestinians and Israeli peace activists.