Madeleine Carlisle, the daughter of "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert, has resigned from her role as an associate producer at "60 Minutes." Her exit marks another departure from the venerable CBS newsmagazine, which has been experiencing a significant talent exodus.
Carlisle, who previously held reporting roles at Time and The Atlantic, left "60 Minutes" in recent days. Neither CBS nor Carlisle has commented on her departure. Her resignation follows the cancellation of her father's "The Late Show" in May, a decision CBS described as purely financial.
Staff Turnover and 'Black Thursday'
The departures at "60 Minutes" have become a significant internal issue, with several producers leaving the program since what remaining staffers have reportedly dubbed "Black Thursday" in May. This period saw the ouster of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, along with executive producer Tanya Simon and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich.
New leadership, including editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and executive producer Nick Bilton, is preparing the program for its fall return amidst these personnel changes. Further departures are reportedly possible.
Unaired Epstein Investigation
Carlisle's exit coincides with renewed questions about an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein that reportedly never aired. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) stated that he was interviewed by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi in March for a segment that was intended to examine the relationship between major banks and the late financier. However, neither Wyden's interview nor the broader Epstein story was broadcast before the season concluded in May.
A CBS News spokesperson confirmed that Alfonsi interviewed Wyden for a potential segment but stated that the story was not finalized for broadcast within the season. The network pushed back against any claims of editorial or political suppression, asserting, "We are proud of our aggressive and extensive reporting on the Epstein scandal. That reporting continues. We air pieces when they are ready and suggesting that an interview is being ‘suppressed’ for any reason is categorically false."
Broader Corporate Context
The turmoil at "60 Minutes" occurs within a larger context of corporate shifts at Paramount, the parent company of CBS. Paramount's proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery is currently facing an antitrust challenge from a coalition of state attorneys general.
TKO Group executive chairman Ari Emanuel has suggested the creation of an editorial board to oversee CNN, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery, as a potential measure to alleviate concerns about future media ownership should the merger proceed. Emanuel characterized the litigation as partly political and related to CNN's role, proposing an external editorial structure to address potential influence from the Ellison family, who may gain control over news organizations like CNN and CBS.