Steve Kroft Slams CBS News Firings As 60 Minutes Faces One Of Its Biggest Crises
Former 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft is speaking out forcefully against the recent changes at CBS News, calling the shake-up âdisastrousâ for both the program and its audience.
Kroft, one of the most respected veterans in the history of 60 Minutes, criticized the network after a series of high-profile departures and firings that have shaken one of Americaâs most iconic news programs. According to PEOPLE, Kroft said the changes make âno business sense whatsoever,â especially because 60 Minutes remains one of the strongest and most recognizable brands in broadcast journalism.
The controversy comes amid reports that several major figures have been pushed out or removed from CBS News, including longtime correspondent Scott Pelley, correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon. The shake-up also includes the arrival of Nick Bilton as the new executive producer, a move that has reportedly intensified concern among insiders because of his limited background in traditional broadcast management.
For Kroft, the issue is not simply about personnel. He framed the situation as a deeper threat to the identity and independence of 60 Minutes. In his criticism, he suggested that the firings and leadership changes could weaken the editorial backbone of a program long known for tough investigations, powerful interviews and fearless reporting.
That is why the reaction has been so emotional among journalists and longtime viewers. 60 Minutes is not just another television program. Since its debut in 1968, it has become a symbol of serious American journalism, famous for stories that expose wrongdoing, challenge powerful people and give audiences carefully reported investigations. When major names disappear from that institution all at once, viewers naturally begin asking what kind of program will remain.
The firing of Scott Pelley has drawn particular attention. Reports say Pelley was terminated after clashing with new leadership during a tense staff meeting following other abrupt dismissals. An ABC News producer and former 60 Minutes producer described the situation as an âabsolute horrific earthquake,â reflecting the shock spreading across the broader news industry.
CBS, however, has denied political interference and has framed the changes as part of normal editorial and business processes. Network leadership has pointed toward modernization, restructuring and the need to prepare 60 Minutes for a changing media environment. But critics argue that the scale and timing of the firings have made those explanations difficult for many people to accept.
The wider context has only made the story more sensitive. CBS and 60 Minutes have faced intense political scrutiny in recent years, including controversy tied to a settlement over an interview involving Kamala Harris and pressure from Donald Trump and his allies. Kroft and others have suggested that these developments raise serious questions about whether corporate and political considerations are affecting journalistic decision-making.
For fans of 60 Minutes, the concern is simple: they do not want one of journalismâs most trusted institutions to lose the qualities that made it powerful in the first place. They want tough questions, independent reporting and correspondents willing to challenge authority, even when doing so creates discomfort inside the network.
Kroftâs warning has now become part of a much larger debate about the future of CBS News. Is this a necessary modernization of an aging news brand, or a dangerous dismantling of a program built on courage and credibility?
Either way, the backlash shows how much 60 Minutes still matters. When a program has earned decades of trust, any change to its foundation will be watched closely.
And right now, Steve Kroft is making clear that he believes CBS is risking far more than ratings. It may be risking the legacy of 60 Minutes itself.
