Fired ’60 Minutes’ Managing Editor Says New CBS Bosses Wanted ‘White House Talking Points in Our Reporting’ and ‘We Questioned Authority’

Former "60 Minutes" managing editor Guy Campanile has spoken out about his recent departure from CBS, stating that the staff he worked with were "told to leave because we insisted on doing our jobs." Campanile, along with Tanya Simon, Draggan Mihailovich, Matthew Polevoy, Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and himself, refused to become "accomplices in the destruction of the most prestigious news program on American television."

They objected to being pressured to conduct interviews arranged by the administration and insisted on asking challenging questions of business and political leaders without fear or favor. According to Campanile, this was simply how the best newsrooms operated. He expressed his dismay at the recent decline of "60 Minutes," attributing it to the erosion of editorial independence due to corporate interests and ideological interference.

Campanile also voiced his concerns about the current state of journalism, arguing that "information has become commoditized in the attention economy and facts are increasingly treated as items in a buffet." He further lamented the rise of "influencers and online opinionists" who, despite lacking the experience of real-world adversity, have been given control of crucial reporting roles.

Campanile concluded by emphasizing the importance of upholding journalistic integrity and expressing hope that those still at CBS would resist attempts to undermine the quality of their work.