The Word He Used

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Scott Pelley stood up in a CBS News staff meeting on Tuesday and used the word “murdered.” Not “damaged.” Not “diminished.” Not “redirected toward a different editorial vision,” which is the phrase you’d reach for if you were still being careful. He said the program was being murdered, and then he said it publicly, and then CBS fired him.

I’ve been in enough newsrooms to know what it takes to choose that word about the institution where you’ve spent your career.

CBS News on Sunday Evening Review

The Word He Used