Longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl has inked a new contract with CBS News, ensuring at least one familiar face will remain at the embattled newsmagazine.
Stahl, 84, is one of just three correspondents from the last season of 60 Minutes who will remain on next season. She, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim said in a joint statement that they would remain on the program to “try to repair and preserve” its reputation.
Her new contract will run for two years—a break from previous deals, which were year-to-year, Status reported.
“If we can continue doing the work that made this show what it is—committing acts of independent, fearless journalism and storytelling—we’re here for it," the group wrote in their statement. “If not, we leave.”
They also said their decision to stay on with the program should not be “construed as an endorsement of the existing power structure.”
In an interview with Puck, Stahl shed light on what has been referred to as “Black Thursday,” when the MAGA-curious CBS News boss, Bari Weiss, fired dozens of staff members.
Those fired include correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, executive producer Tanya Simon, Simon’s deputy Draggan Mihailovich, as well as segment producers Guy Campanile and Matthew Polevoy. CNN star and former 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper left the program on his own accord earlier this year after clashes over “abnormal” edits.
“This was by far the worst experience I’ve been involved in, or even witnessed,” Stahl told the outlet.
She said she was on the way to Madrid, Spain, when news of the firings came down. Campanile was en route to the airport when he found out he had been fired.
“They fired everybody who was around Tanya. We don’t know why. He doesn’t know why. He has no idea why he was fired. None,” Stahl said, explaining her thinking at the time. “And I have no idea why he was fired.”
After that, longtime correspondent Scott Pelley attempted to ask newly installed executive producer Nick Bilton, who, like Weiss, has no TV news experience, why the firings occurred. After, he was told he would “never be welcome” at 60 Minutes. Bilton fired him “for cause” hours later, ending a 37-year career at the network.
“That’s what he was agitated about,” Stahl told Puck. “‘Tell us why they were fired.’ That was his question. He never got an answer. They felt he was insubordinate for asking that question.”
