“60 Minutes” is marked by precious seconds.
Tanya Simon, the fourth executive producer in the long-running news magazine’s history, could be fired from her role later this year if CBS News executives refuse to renew the one-year contract that appointed her, according to three people familiar with the matter. The revelations could further exacerbate concerns about how Paramount Skydance news operations editor Bari Weiss will recalibrate the venerated show, raising the prospect that CBS News managers could put an outsider, someone not affiliated with the show, in charge of “60 Minutes” for the first time in the show’s history.
Simon, who has been the show’s producer and editor for more than a quarter of a century and is the daughter of former correspondent Bob Simon, has a multi-year contract with CBS News, according to people familiar with the matter. However, Paramount only agreed to give her the executive producer position for one year. That was likely because the previous owners were in the midst of selling the company to David Ellison’s Skydance Media and were more interested in addressing short-term business issues than making long-term plans, the people suggested.
CBS News said in a statement: “’60 Minutes’ is a powerful program, and its hallmarks of inquisitive, serious and high-quality journalism are critical to CBS News. We are very excited about its future.”
Simon will be the first woman to direct the show, following previous roles by Don Hewitt, Jeff Fager and Bill Owens.
Some television deals tend to have 52-week “cycles,” according to a person familiar with talent negotiations. Such a clause allows for several weeks’ notice (perhaps 8 to 12 days) in advance if the network and possibly the employee wish to discuss a reassignment. Still, staff are concerned about the fact that Simon only has one year to officially take up the role and may have to relinquish it at a difficult time for the show’s survival.
For example, many in TV news are concerned about the next steps of 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who confronted Weiss after the president ordered reporting on immigrants sent from the United States to undergo harsh incarceration in El Salvador, which had already been widely publicized, in late 2025. The move invited new scrutiny as it appeared to be an attempt to appease the Trump administration over a story officials may not like. The segment appeared during a January 2026 telecast, with Weiss admitting that her unfamiliarity with some of the news organization’s processes led to unwanted attention.
Alfonsi’s contract with CBS News is believed to be nearing expiration, and her supporters fear Weiss will fire her in retaliation. Alfonsi did not respond to requests for comment.
“60 Minutes” has been under intense scrutiny for months. The show became a bargaining chip between Paramount’s former executives and the Trump administration, using a $16 million settlement against President Donald Trump to end what many legal circles considered a flimsy lawsuit related to a pre-Voting Day interview between “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker and former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount has entered into a deal to finalize the sale to Skydance.
As a result, two senior executives at CBS News — Mr. Owens, a former executive producer of “60 Minutes,” and Wendy McMahon, a former CEO of CBS News, local stations and syndication — suggested in statements that they could no longer resist corporate mandates they felt would weaken the newsroom. Both left CBS News last year.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been receiving more and more unwanted notifications. Anderson Cooper, who has worked for the news magazine as a correspondent for nearly 20 years, told CBS News in February that he was leaving the show. His departure was seen by some as a sign of rebellion against Weiss’s approach to running CBS News.
Since joining CBS News last year, Weiss, who was made news leader for the division following Paramount Skydance’s $150 million acquisition of the conservative opinion site Free Press, has been working on an overhaul of the organization’s operations to shift away from its focus on linear TV programming and make it more geared toward digital audiences. Walter Cronkite “had two competitors,” she told staff gathered at a January meeting. “We have more or less 2 billion in assets.”Staffers wanted to learn more about building digital appeal, but they also worried that Weiss’ past stances on issues like Israel and the Trump administration would only undermine CBS News’ credibility as a reporting organization.
Simon has run the show like clockwork through one of the most surreal times, filled with political pressure, changes in corporate control and the sudden departure of his predecessor. Simon was named interim executive producer after Owens’ departure, orchestrating not only the highest ratings “60 Minutes” was expected to generate, but also a steady flow of interesting stories. Last Sunday’s telecast drew 10.3 million viewers, making “60 Minutes” the most-watched news program in the nation all season. The show raked in nearly $80 million in ad revenue in 2024, according to guidelines that track ad spending.
Simon is a “great newswoman,” 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl told Variety last April.
This season’s stories include Alfonsi’s interviews with air traffic controllers who were in the tower on the day American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., and Scott Pelley’s two-part investigation into the microwave weapon that caused brain damage known to U.S. officials as “Havana syndrome.”
The newsmagazine’s veteran correspondents Scott Perry and Bill Whitaker are thought to have more time on their contracts. Whitaker, who has been with CBS News since 1984 and was once considered a candidate to host CBS News’ “Sunday Morning,” has no intention of retiring, according to a person familiar with his thinking. Whittaker did not respond to a request for comment. Perry could not be reached for comment.
“60 Minutes” correspondents and producers aren’t used to being part of regular CBS News. For years, they have worked out of a powerful office across the street from CBS News’ headquarters on West 57th Street in New York. That arrangement is expected to change by early next year, as Paramount consolidates office space and newsmagazine staff will work alongside different types of colleagues.
CBS News should decide on Simon’s next steps later this summer, according to people familiar with the matter. She was named executive producer of “60 Minutes” last July.
