Scott Pelley is an Emmy Award-winning American journalist who served as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News from 2011 to 2017 and has been a correspondent for 60 Minutes since 1999. Born on July 28, 1957, in San Antonio, Texas, Pelley built one of the most respected careers in broadcast journalism, covering presidential elections, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and some of the biggest breaking news events of the 21st century. His abrupt departure from the CBS Evening News anchor chair in 2017 marked a turning point both for Pelley personally and for CBS News as an institution.
How Did Scott Pelley Build His Career at CBS News?
Pelley joined CBS News in 1989 after working at local television stations in Texas, including KXAS in Dallas. He rose quickly through the ranks as a White House correspondent covering the Clinton administration and then as a foreign correspondent in conflict zones. His reporting from Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks and his on-the-ground coverage of the Iraq War earned him widespread recognition. In 1999, he joined 60 Minutes as a full correspondent, a prestigious posting that gave him a platform for long-form investigative journalism. Over the following two decades, he conducted notable interviews with figures including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and numerous American presidents and senators. In 2011, CBS tapped him to replace Katie Couric as anchor of the CBS Evening News, a role he used to champion fact-based reporting at a time when misinformation was becoming a growing public concern.
What Were Scott Pelley's Most Significant Stories and Achievements?
Pelley has won more than 40 journalism awards, including multiple Emmy Awards and a DuPont-Columbia Award, one of broadcasting's highest honors. At 60 Minutes, he produced landmark investigations into veteran suicide rates, the opioid crisis, and foreign cyber-espionage. During his tenure anchoring the CBS Evening News, the broadcast gained viewers and was praised for rigorous standards. He also became known for explicitly correcting misinformation on-air, stating on multiple occasions: 'We're going to do our job tonight, even if the facts offend.' His 2013 interview with President Barack Obama on the eve of the government shutdown and his 2016 election-night coverage were considered career highlights. Pelley also authored the memoir 'Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter's Search for Information That Matters,' published in 2019, which detailed his philosophy of fact-first journalism.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Joins CBS News as a correspondent |
| 1999 | Becomes a full correspondent for 60 Minutes |
| 2001 | Reports from Afghanistan after 9/11 attacks |
| 2011 | Named anchor of CBS Evening News |
| 2017 | Removed as anchor; returns full-time to 60 Minutes |
| 2019 | Publishes memoir 'Truth Worth Telling' |
Why Did Scott Pelley Leave the CBS Evening News in 2017?
In May 2017, CBS News replaced Pelley with Jeff Glor as anchor of the CBS Evening News. Reports at the time, including from the New York Times, indicated that Pelley had raised concerns internally about the leadership and workplace culture at CBS News, creating friction with network management. Pelley himself confirmed on air during his final broadcast on June 19, 2017, that his departure was not voluntary, stating plainly: 'It has been an honor.' Despite the circumstances, CBS retained him as a 60 Minutes correspondent, where he has continued to produce high-profile investigative segments. The episode was part of a broader period of turbulence at CBS News that ultimately led to the resignation of CBS Corporation CEO Les Moonves in 2018 amid misconduct allegations.
