- CBS's '60 Minutes' has hired a lineup of new correspondents and contributors for its 59th season, including Ross Douthat, a conservative opinion columnist at The New York Times, and Norah O'Donnell, former anchor of 'CBS Evening News'.
- The new executive producer, Nick Bilton, announced the new hires in a staff memo shared on X.
- Bilton called Douthat 'one of the preeminent public intellectuals in America today, a thinker of uncommon rigor and a journalist of deep empathy.'
- Bilton praised O'Donnell as 'a powerhouse.'
- The new correspondents include Sebastian Junger, Trevor Phillips, and Gianna Toboni.
- Toboni joins '60 Minutes' as a contributor and CBS News as a national correspondent.
- Trevor Phillips will also serve as a contributor, announced last month as the news division’s senior global affairs correspondent.
- Turmoil had raged at '60 Minutes' before the May shakeup.
CBS's '60 Minutes' is gearing up for its 59th season with a fresh roster of correspondents, including Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for The New York Times, and Norah O'Donnell, the former anchor of CBS Evening News. This comes after a period of turmoil within the show, which saw significant changes in its leadership.1
New executive producer Nick Bilton announced the hires in a memo shared on X, expressing excitement about the new team. He described Douthat as “one of the preeminent public intellectuals in America today, a thinker of uncommon rigor and a journalist of deep empathy.” O'Donnell was referred to as “a powerhouse” in the industry.234
Joining Douthat and O'Donnell are Sebastian Junger, known for his book “The Perfect Storm,” Trevor Phillips, the senior global affairs correspondent, and Gianna Toboni, who has a diverse background in investigative journalism, including coverage of the Islamic State and cartel violence in Mexico. Bilton praised Toboni for her “extraordinary range” as a journalist.567
The shakeup at '60 Minutes' reflects CBS's commitment to revitalizing the program and addressing the challenges it faced in recent months, aiming to maintain its reputation as a leading news source.
“New executive producer Nick Bilton expressed enthusiasm for the new hires, stating, 'We couldn’t be more excited about this news.' He praised Douthat as 'one of the preeminent public intellectuals in America today' and described O'Donnell as 'a powerhouse.'”
