Another CBS Show May Deal With Major Layoffs After Head Honcho Allegedly Thinks It Has Gone 'Soft'

Some of the latest game-changing news out of CBS has concerned the cancellations of two of its entertainment programs, but April of the 2026 TV schedule is starting out with potential bad news for longtime CBS News program 60 Minutes. More major layoffs may be on the way to affect on-camera talent and behind-the-scenes producers, allegedly tied to concerns voiced by head honcho Bari Weiss that programming has gone “soft.”

The news comes months after Weiss became more of a household name for pulling a 60 Minutes segment about the Trump Administration’s reported deportation of migrants to an El Salvador CECOT prison. Starting in June, The New York Post reports that a major shakeup is going to happen to 60 Minutes that affects some of the biggest names.

According to a source cited by the outlet, Bari Weiss wants to downsize “soft programming” and shift the focus to scoops and hard-hitting reporting, with the goal to “make the show harder.” The source further claims that Weiss “wants to put her stamp on 60 Minutes and how you do that is you either get rid of the top producer or the top correspondent.”

The “top producer” at the time of writing is 60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Harding, although insiders apparently claimed that Simon is on the same page as Weiss about the show having “gone soft.” It seems that despite Simon’s year-long contract expiring soon, an overhaul could happen at the show with her remaining on board.

The top correspondent would be Scott Pelley, whose contract is reportedly set to expire in 2027 but could face a Paramount buyout before that happens. Per another source cited by The New York Post, Pelley is “not ready to retire” and is “the face of 60 Minutes,” floating the possibility that Bari Weiss could aim to keep the correspondent but reduce his salary. His salary is said to be between $6.9 million and $8.5 million.

While no names of who is on the way out have been confirmed at the time of writing, the report surfaced weeks shy of the one-year anniversary of Scott Pelley addressing the changes that had happened behind the scenes at 60 Minutes.

Rumors have circulated that correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi’s job could be on the line as well when her contract expires in May. Alfonsi is the journalist behind the CECOT prison report that Bari Weiss pulled late last year. Gayle King has been rumored as well. Other journalists named as potential layoffs include Lesley Stahl and Bill Whitaker. Per The New York Post, a CBS spokesperson went on the record as saying in a statement:

The previous round of layoffs at CBS News occurred in mid-March, when 6% of the workforce – a.k.a. nearly 60 people – was let go. Buyout offers for the March layoffs at CBS Evening News began in January; if the June window for the next round of layoffs is accurate and the timeline is approximately the same, then the next round of offers could be distributed soon. While those layoffs are not said to be exclusive to 60 Minutes within CBS News, members of the show are said to be on the list to be let go.

You can find 60 Minutes on Sundays at 7 p.m. ET, both airing on CBS and streaming via a Paramount+ subscription.