Nick Bilton was named executive producer of CBS's 60 Minutes on May 28, 2026, becoming the first person appointed from outside traditional television news to lead the 57-year-old program [1, 2, 3, 4]. Bilton, 49, replaces Tanya Simon, who served as executive producer since 2025 and had been with the show for over 30 years [1, 2, 3, 4].
Bilton’s background includes work as a technology columnist for The New York Times, correspondent for Vanity Fair, author, and documentary filmmaker [1, 2, 4]. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski said, "Nick embodies the energy and ambition that animated the founders of the show. We cannot imagine a better fit" [1]. Bilton said, "I am here because the world outside this building has changed a lot since this show was conceived – and we have to talk honestly about what that means" [1].
Ratings for 60 Minutes have declined by more than 20% over the past decade but remain strong with an average of 9.7 million viewers recently, up 9% year-over-year [1, 2]. Bilton intends to modernize the show and attract younger audiences amid shifting media consumption habits, saying, "I have a notebook full of ideas. Some are about the show itself. Some are about the next generation of correspondents. Some are about the strange fact that we produce one extraordinary hour for one night a week in a world that consumes content around the clock" [2, 4]. He added, "Look at Don Hewitt and how he came up with the idea for this. He loved documentaries, but he did not have the patience to watch two-hour long versions of them. So he came up with ‘60 Minutes,’ which was a series of short documentaries" [3].
Recent internal tensions have roiled the program. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi left after a failed contract renewal in mid-May following editorial disputes surrounding a cancelled December 2025 report on migrant deportations and a controversy involving the Trump administration [1, 4]. Veteran anchor Anderson Cooper exited in May 2026, citing a loss of faith in current management, saying, "I hope 60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes. There’s very few things that have been around for as long as 60 Minutes has and maintain the quality that it has" [3].
Paramount Skydance, CBS News’ parent company, acquired the digital outlet The Free Press in October 2025 to boost streaming and digital audiences as part of a wider media strategy [1, 2]. The parent firm is pursuing a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery and seeking regulatory approval from the Trump administration [1, 2].
Bilton's appointment marks a leadership shift as 60 Minutes adapts to a changing media environment. He replaces Tanya Simon, the show's first female executive producer, who took the role in 2025 [1, 3].
