Cecilia Vega says it "hurts" to watch changes at 60 Minutes and CBS News
Cecilia Vega, a former correspondent for CBS News's 60 Minutes, said on Thursday that it "hurts" to see what has happened to the program and other parts of the network. The Guardian reported that she made the remarks during an evening talk for students at American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a bachelor's degree in 1999.
A correspondent is an on-air reporter. Vega said she was fired and still does not know why. She said she was not given a reason and was dismissed without cause. According to the same report, her contract was not due to expire until March 2027.
Vega also said she was told to put information that is factually untrue into a piece of journalism. CBS News responded in late May with a statement from a spokesperson: "We respect Ms Vega and her contributions, but her claims are not based in reality."
The departures came as CBS News reshaped 60 Minutes. Bari Weiss, the network's editor-in-chief, hired Nick Bilton, a technology journalist, as executive producer. CBS News parted ways with correspondent Scott Pelley "for cause" after he clashed with Bilton, according to the Guardian's account. The network also declined to renew the contract of correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, and it fired executive producer Tanya Simon along with several other senior producers.
Audience figures show a mixed picture. The program's 58th season averaged 9.1 million viewers, up 9% from the previous season. Its most recent episode, however, drew 5.64 million viewers, the smallest audience this century for the sixth episode of a 60 Minutes season.
