CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly planning major changes at 60 Minutes, including a possible move to remove executive producer Tanya Simon once the current season ends in May. Simon’s year-long contract is expected to be up soon, and staffers at the show told Status that her departure could set off a revolt inside one of the network’s signature programs.
One staffer said it would be “an earthquake-like event” if Simon leaves. Another said, “If Tanya goes, you can expect others to leave.” Weiss, who took over as CBS News editor-in-chief last October, is said to be looking at revamping the broadcast after the season wraps, with a source familiar with the situation telling Status she is ready to “blow it up as soon as the season is over.”
The reported overhaul would come at a delicate moment for a program built around continuity and trust. Simon has been central to the show’s daily operation, and a CBS insider previously told the Post that she has “fallen in line” with Weiss’ vision. Even so, staffers said the mood inside the newsroom has turned anxious as rumors of a shake-up keep circulating.
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“Anyone familiar with the dynamics at 60 Minutes knows that putting on a weekly investigative news program that consistently makes money, finds an audience, and breaks meaningful news is very difficult—add on an unsupportive corporate overlord and near-constant leaks about your demise, and it’s near impossible,” one staffer said. That same staffer added that what Simon and her team deliver each week is “truly remarkable” and said, “It’s why she has the loyalty of her team.”
Weiss has already shown a willingness to intervene in the program’s editorial judgment. In December, she pulled a 60 Minutes report on the El Salvador mega-prison CECOT that was unfavorable to President Donald Trump. The piece had been scheduled to air on December 21, but it did not run until January 18, drawing criticism and adding to the scrutiny around Weiss’ direction for the newsroom.
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The pressure on 60 Minutes has intensified as the season nears its end and after correspondent Anderson Cooper announced in February that he would leave the show to spend more time with his family. A source told the Post that Weiss wants to make the program harder, while another said, “No one is talking about 60 Minutes on Monday morning.”
For now, the question is not whether Weiss wants to reshape the show, but whether she can do it without losing the people who have made it work. If Simon is pushed out, the staffers’ warning is blunt: the first change could become the one that breaks the team.
