Scott Pelley lands prestigious new role after Bari Weiss’s CBS shakeup Jocelyn NoveckTue, August 4, 2026 at 8:52 AM UTC 1.1K Sharyn Alfonsi and Scott Pelley, two correspondents recently ousted from "60 Minutes," will be moving from the newsroom to the classroom (AFP/Getty) The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Scott Pelley lands prestigious new role after Bari Weiss’s CBS shake-up
Jocelyn NoveckTue, August 4, 2026 at 8:52 AM UTC
1.1K
Sharyn Alfonsi and Scott Pelley, two correspondents recently ousted from "60 Minutes," will be moving from the newsroom to the classroom (AFP/Getty)
The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Former "60 Minutes" correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Scott Pelley have landed new roles at Columbia Journalism School just two months after being pushed out during the sweeping overhaul of CBS News led by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
Columbia announced Monday that Alfonsi and Pelley will serve as Journalists in Residence during the upcoming academic year, where they will mentor students, deliver lectures and contribute to the Columbia Journalism Review.
The appointments follow the high-profile shake-up at "60 Minutes," where Weiss oversaw major changes that included replacing longtime executive producer Tanya Simon with Nick Bilton, who had limited broadcast television experience.
Pelley was dismissed in early June after publicly challenging CBS News leadership over Weiss's editorial direction, while Alfonsi's contract was not renewed after more than a decade as a correspondent on the program.
Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb said he contacted Pelley the day after his departure.
"One of the responsibilities of my job is to have an eye out for talent that's available," Cobb said.
CBS News, led by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, announced last month that a series of journalists would be joining 60 Minutes, including a conservative opinion writer (Getty)
He praised both journalists for their investigative work, calling it "unparalleled."
Advertisement
"'60 Minutes' is the pre-eminent investigative broadcast news show for a reason," Cobb said.
The pair will advise and mentor journalism students, give guest lectures and write for the Columbia Journalism Review.
Columbia said the appointments would give students access to "two journalists whose reporting has shaped the national conversation for decades," noting that Alfonsi and Pelley have covered many of the defining stories of modern times, including wars, politics, public health, criminal justice and international affairs.
In a statement released by the school, Sharyn Alfonsi, who spent more than a decade reporting for “60 Minutes” before the show failed to renew her contract this year, called the new position “an extraordinary privilege (60 Minutes/CBS News)
Alfonsi called the role "an extraordinary privilege."
"I'm excited to work with the next generation of journalists who are eager to ask the tough questions that hold power accountable," she said.
Pelley said the move comes at "a critical time for a free press."
"Columbia is leading the way in training the next generation of great journalists, and I am honored to join Sharyn in that vital cause," he said.
The two journalists will also take part in a public conversation moderated by Cobb on Nov. 11, where they will discuss major investigations from their careers, ethical challenges they have faced and lessons learned over decades in journalism.
The appointments come as "60 Minutes" prepares for its 59th season with a revamped lineup of correspondents following one of the biggest changes in the program's history.
Source: "AOL Breaking"
Source: Breaking
Published: August 5, 2026 at 01:54PM on Source: MORNING MAG
#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle
