Following his firing, Scott Pelley alleges CBS ordered him to air false claims
Veteran CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley, fired this week after accusing network leadership of murdering 60 Minutes, issued a detailed statement Tuesday outlining his allegations.
Pelley wrote, "New management has instructed me to inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story," adding, "I've been told to include assertions that are unverified."
"To date, in every case, I have managed to ignore these instructions or refuse them."
He denounced the network for allegedly allowing politicians to select which correspondents conduct their interviews, calling the practice incompatible with journalistic standards.
Pelley, who worked for 37 years at CBS, alleged the network's new owner was dismantling the acclaimed program "apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration."
He also revealed mismanagement nearly prevented an episode from airing, coming within 19 minutes of cancellation. Despite these claims, 60 Minutes posted a 9% viewer increase in its 58th season finale.
Pelley wrote, "The collapse of values at the top has become untenable," adding, "The principles I hold dear are gone, and so I must leave as well."
He signed off, praying for the return of sanity, competence, and courage.
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