60 Minutes is in for a major reboot—led by someone who's never worked in TV news. CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss on Thursday pushed out executive producer Tanya Simon and installed Nick Bilton, a former New York Times tech columnist and documentarian, to run the broadcast when it returns for its 59th season this fall. Weiss called Bilton "one of the most entrepreneurial journalists of our time," NBC News reports, while Bilton told the staff in a letter that he plans to lead the show, not "preserve it under glass," and hinted at changes aimed at a world that consumes content nonstop. "I have a notebook full of ideas," he wrote. The shake-up is part of Weiss' broader overhaul of CBS News, which has included naming Tony Dokoupil anchor of CBS Evening News.
Simon, in a statement, said leadership decided it was "time for a new chapter" and called being in charge of the broadcast a privilege. The changes extend to the on-air team: Correspondent Cecilia Vega, the program's first Latina correspondent, was fired, as was correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who had clashed with Weiss over a story. Anderson Cooper also recently left. Weiss had no experience in television when she was appointed to her job last year, either, the New York Times points out. She's broken industry ground by hiring new on-air contributors herself and personally booking interview guests. 60 Minutes is the No. 1 US news program and posted a 9% year-over-year ratings increase this season.
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