What Comes Next for Scott Pelley: Will CBS’ Fired ’60 Minutes’ Veteran Remain in New York—or Decamp to $3 Million Texas Ranch?

CBS News made the sensational decision to axe veteran "60 Minutes" reporter Scott Pelley this week, after he got into a reported "clash" with the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton, during a staff meeting.

In a publicly shared letter written to Pelley, 68, by Bilton, the longtime TV host was accused of "hijack[ing]" the producer's first official meeting with staff and of displaying "antipathy to the future of the show."

The letter was sent hours after it was reported that Pelley had openly criticized Bilton and CBS News' editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, during a June 1 meeting, in which he is said to have branded the executive producer's qualifications as "slender."

According to newsletter Status, Pelley also accused Weiss of attempting to "kill" the success of "60 Minutes," while questioning Bilton over the May 28 firings of several CBS staff, including his predecessor, Tanya Simon.

"You hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt," Bilton stated in his message to Pelley. "I welcome a diversity of viewpoints and respectful debate among the team, but this was nothing of the sort.

"Yesterday's performative display of hostility—enacted in front of the staff instead of in a civil, private conversation—demonstrated that you have no interest in contributing to the future success of the show, or approaching my new tenure with a mind open to collaboration and progress."

Bilton concluded his letter by telling Pelley that his "employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately."

Pelley, who began his 37-year career with CBS as a reporter in New York City in 1989, issued his own statement early on June 3, praising the history of the show, while accusing CBS' new owner, Skydance Media exec Larry Ellison, of "casting [the series' legacy] aside, apparently to curry favor" with President Donald Trump's administration.

"The waste is heartbreaking," he continued, before accusing "new management" of telling him to "inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story."

"I’ve been told to include assertions that are unverified," he alleged. "To date, in every case, I have managed to ignore these instructions or refuse them. Recently, politicians have been invited to choose correspondents for interviews on the broadcast.

"Giving politicians control over 60 Minutes interviews is not how this is done. Finally, incompetence and unprofessionalism in the new management have wreaked havoc. In a case involving one of my stories, the entire program came within 19 minutes of not getting on the air at all."

He concluded: "I depart after 37 years at CBS with one emotion—a heart brimming with gratitude for the men and women of CBS News who encouraged and enriched my work, very often at the risk of their own lives. I pray for a day when those people and their ideals are honored again—a day when sanity, competence, and courage return."

Pelley, who is originally from Texas, where he began his broadcast career, did not reveal his plans for the future—however, media experts have suggested that he might pursue legal action against the network, according to CNN.

The veteran broadcaster, who shares two children with his wife, Jane Boone Pelley, has spent nearly four decades living in the New York area, residing most recently in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom Flatiron apartment that the couple purchased for $2.25 million in 2016.

At around the same time that they bought that unit, which spans nearly 1,300 square feet and was described in its listing as offering "everything the discerning buyer wants," it was also reported that the duo had invested in a much larger property in Pelley's home state of Texas: a stunning 24-acre ranch in Kendalia, which is 44 miles north of San Antonio.

Because Texas is a nondisclosure state, it is unclear what price the couple paid for the property, which had been listed for $2.25 million before they bought it. It is now worth upwards of $3 million, according to Realtor.com® estimates.

At the heart of the expansive ranch, there is a picturesque primary residence that spans more than 5,200 square feet and comes complete with stunning views of a live spring.

The dwelling, which features five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, was crafted with top-of-the-line materials, including hardwood floors, cedar beams, and rock walls that had been hand trowled, according to the listing.

An enormous great room with a stunning stone fireplace sits at the heart of the main level of the home, opening up via French doors to a beautiful terrace that wraps around much of the dwelling and is also accessible from the kitchen.

A dining nook and a formal dining room offer ample room for guests to enjoy a nice meal, while an additional butler's pantry offers plenty of space for storage and prep work. There is also a large island in the kitchen with space for several seats.

Upstairs, an enormous primary suite features its own private seating area, with large walls of windows that overlook the grounds, as well as a a huge en suite bathroom with a clawfoot soaking tub, a large shower, and dual vanities.

Additional features include an oversized garage, a glittering backyard pool and spa, and 1,200 feet of private beach-entry frontage along the Guadalupe River.

It is unclear how regularly Pelley and his wife were able to enjoy the property—however, the former CBS host has shared several images from the ranch on his Instagram account over the years, including a 2019 snap that he took while kayaking along the river.

Earlier that same year, the on-air host had admitted how "tough" it was to leave the ranch and return to work, while sharing a photo of the stunning wildflowers that bloom along the banks of the river.

"Peaceful morning on the ranch," he shared in another post. "As Whitman wrote, 'Give me solitude, give me nature, give me again, O Nature, your primal sanities.' Thank you my friends."

Though Pelley has not yet revealed—or, perhaps, decided—where his future lies in the wake of his CBS career, his Texas ranch would no doubt provide him with the perfect place to seek privacy and enjoy some reflection after a very tumultuous few days.

The property is understood to be the only dwelling that Pelley and Jane currently own outside of the city, having previously sold their longtime Connecticut home for $2.75 million in 2020.

They initially put that dwelling on the market for $3.99 million in 2017, having purchased the property for $4 million in 2007.

However, they faced a very lengthy battle to find a buyer—ultimately selling the six-bedroom Darien, CT, abode at a significant loss, according to records.