Stahl is one of the “60 Minutes” veterans who decided to stay on the CBS News show amid its period of upheaval.

Lesley Stahl says Paramount boss David Ellison promised editorial independence for 60 Minutes

Stahl is one of the "60 Minutes" veterans who decided to stay on the CBS News show amid its period of upheaval.

By Kathleen Perricone

June 9, 2026 8:08 p.m. ET

Lesley Stahl; David Ellison. Credit:

John Nacion/Variety via Getty; Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

- Paramount boss David Ellison promised to respect the editorial independence of *60 Minutes*, Lesley Stahl says.

- The CBS News journalist relayed Ellison's message to staff during a morale-boosting champagne toast.

- *60 Minutes* has been mired in drama amid the firings of several correspondents, including Emmy Award winner Scott Pelley.

In its time of uncertainty, *60 Minutes* has gained renewed footing.

Longtime correspondent Lesley Stahl told *The New York Times* that in a weekend phone call with David Ellison, Paramount's chief executive promised to respect the editorial independence of the CBS newsmagazine.

Stahl relayed the message to *60 Minutes* staffers on Monday during a morale-boosting champagne toast at the show's New York office.

Lesley Stahl on '60 Minutes'.

"My toast was, 'to us,' meaning the survivors," she told *The Times* via text message. "Maybe 'us' with a twinge of survivor's guilt."

Paramount and CBS did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment.

Amid the show's upheaval, a slew of journalists, including *60 Minutes *veterans Dan Rather and Steve Kroft, published an open letter to Ellison on June 1 urging CBS News "to uphold the principle of editorial independence" that was once the bedrock of the program. Ellison has yet to publicly comment on their request.

Lesley Stahl calls '60 Minutes' firings 'the hardest chapter of my career'

Scott Pelley's 7 most memorable '60 Minutes' interviews

Stahl — along with her *60 Minutes* colleagues Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim — has pledged to remain on the news program following the June 2 ouster of Emmy-winning journalist Scott Pelley, who openly criticized CBS News' leadership and accused boss Bari Weiss of "murdering" *60 Minutes*.

Days earlier, correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, executive producer Tanya Simon, and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich were all fired as well. Anderson Cooper announced he was exiting the show in February, and signed off for the last time on May 17.

Jon Wertheim, Bill Whitaker, and Lesley Stahl have decided to remain on '60 Minutes' after firings.

Jai Lennard/CBS News via Getty

During the champagne toast, Wertheim reportedly told the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, that he had been dealt "a hell of a hand." As part of Bilton's role, there would be "bridges to build and fences to mend," noted Wertheim. "But there's a path here."

Stahl, Whitaker, and Wertheim admitted they "had a hard time deciding whether to stay at *60 Minutes*," in a joint statement. "As far as we can tell — because no explanation has ever been offered, they were expelled because they fought for our *60 Minutes *values and stood up to protect our independence and integrity. Newsrooms are not supposed to be run like dictatorships. Collaboration and argument are the way we have always worked at *60*."

Scott Pelley was fired from '60 Minutes' on June 2.

The trio's decision to remain, however, is not "an endorsement of the existing power structure," insisted Stahl, Whitaker, and Wertheim.

"We don't want to see *60 Minutes* die," they explained. "We have been grieving because this whole mess has wounded and damaged the broadcast. We want to stay and fight, to try and repair and preserve our reputation."

- News & Commentary Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW News”