The stars and producers of “60 Minutes,” who were unceremoniously purged by CBS News head Bari Weiss, setting off a firestorm for the network, may be headed back to the airwaves.
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According to a report from the New York Post and a press release from the Columbia School of Journalism, new jobs are already in the offing for high-profile “60 Minutes” alumni Scott Pelley and Sharon Alfonsi — with other plans in the works.
On Monday, it was announced that Pelley and Alfonsi are joining Columbia University’s School of Journalism. Dean Jelani Cobb announced their appointments, stating that their distinguished investigative reporting records would provide valuable learning opportunities for students. “We look forward to having Sharyn and Scott with us this year,” Cobb said.
But those cast off by Weiss and just before her arrival on the scene are looking to start up a competitive shop, using the “60 Minutes” model but without the editorial interference.
According to the Post, Bill Owens, a former “60 Minutes” executive producer and CBS veteran since 1988 who resigned last year amid a dispute over a Kamala Harris interview edit, is reportedly seeking $50 million to fund an independent investigative news venture.
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Sources indicate Owens is eyeing a “60 Minutes”-style operation that could capitalize on the institutional chaos Bari Weiss has created at the network. Owens is reportedly attempting to recruit Pelley, who was fired in June after he publicly accused Weiss of “murdering ’60 Minutes'” during a staff meeting confrontation with Weiss-hired Executive Producer Nick Bilton.
The prospective venture could also draw from other purged “60 Minutes” staffers, including correspondents Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, former executive producer Tanya Simon, and senior producers Guy Campanile, Draggan Mihailovich, and Matthew Polevoy.
Owens declined to comment on the project. Other former “60 Minutes” staffers could not be reached for comment.
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