New 60 Minutes boss Nick Bilton storms out of staff meeting after explosive clash with Scott Pelley: Enjoy the bagels
Nick Bilton — 49-year-old a tech journalist who was named the new boss of “60 Minutes” in a major reshuffle — stormed out of a meeting with the storied news magazine’s staffers following a heated exchange with correspondent Scott Pelley, sources told The Post.In a Monday morning meet-and-greet gone wrong, Pelley laced into Bilton, telling the new executive producer — who was handpicked last week to lead the show by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss — that “nobody wants wants him there,” a source with knowledge said.Pelley likewise took aim at Weiss, slamming her management and mission for CBS News, according to sources.He demanded that Bilton and Weiss’ deputy Charles Forelle, who was also at the meeting, to explain last week’s firings of the show’s top producers including Tanya Simon, as well as reporters Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.
After Bilton gave what one source called a “lame” answer, the 68-year-old Pelley fired back, “You wouldn’t do very well in a ’60 Minutes’ interview,” according to a source briefed on the meeting.“Scott, I’m not intimidated by you,” a hacked-off Bilton said in response, according to a second source.“Enjoy the bagels,” Bilton added before getting up and leaving the room, the source said.“The room erupted into applause and Nick definitely heard it,” the source added.Network sources said Weiss and Bilton had reached out unsuccessfully to Pelley over the weekend to avoid such a catastrophe, adding that the correspondent is “valued” and that they respect his “passion” and “commitment” to the show.A source close to the situation said Weiss was advised not to attend the meeting.Neither Pelley nor CBS commented.
Pelley also asked Bilton how he would improve on the job Simon did, but Bilton did not answer, a source told The Post.During the heated exchange the Guardian reported that Pelley said of Weiss: “She’s murdering ’60 Minutes’.
She does not love this place.Sh...