Guy Campanile, a former producer and managing editor at CBS's "60 Minutes," said he and several colleagues were fired earlier this year after refusing to compromise their journalistic principles, according to a social media post reported on Tuesday.
Campanile wrote that he and his co-workers "refused to be accomplices in the destruction of the most prestigious news program on American television." He said they objected to conducting interviews arranged by the administration and insisted on asking challenging questions to business and political leaders. "We did what reporters worth their salt do — we questioned authority...including our own bosses," he wrote. "To be clear — we were told to leave because we insisted on doing our jobs."
The dismissals in May included executive producer Tanya Simon, executive editor Draggan Mihailovich, senior producer Matthew Polevoy, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. The moves were part of an ongoing reorganization of the long-running news program led by Bari Weiss, who serves as editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Campanile did not name specific individuals behind his firing but criticized what he called "on-line opinionists" who have been given control of major reporting institutions. He argued that some newsroom managers lack experience covering poverty, war, or disaster, yet make programming decisions based on what might trend online. "These dilettantes and their enablers make critical programming decisions based on what might trend on-line over the next few hours," he wrote.
A CBS News spokesperson declined to comment but pointed to past statements rejecting accusations from former employees. The network has previously dismissed claims of political interference in the program's editorial process.
Campanile's remarks come ahead of the latest season premiere of "60 Minutes." He said he refuses to stay silent while media trust is "wrecked," and offered encouragement to former colleagues still at the network: "Hold the line. Don't give an inch because they will keep scraping away until there's nothing left worth a da--."
Campanile told Fox News Digital that his private Facebook post was intended for friends and family, not public consumption. Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley was also dismissed shortly after Campanile, following a reported clash with Weiss and executive producer Nick Bilton over the direction of the series.
"60 Minutes" has recently aired segments critical of the Trump administration, including interviews with farmers who opposed tariffs and progressive American cardinals who disagreed with immigration policies. The program has faced internal turmoil as new leadership seeks to reshape its editorial approach.