Brian Stelter, reporting this utterly unsurprising news for CNN:

CBS News fired veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, one day after he sharply criticized the newsmagazine’s new leadership in front of the staff.

CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss said Wednesday that her leadership team had tried to reconcile with Pelley, but “we weren’t able to do so.” The correspondent said that wasn’t true, reaffirming that he will not go quietly from the network where he worked for 37 years.

I knew Pelley was done for as soon as I read that he’d accused Weiss during a staff meeting with newly hired executive producer Nick Bilton of “murdering” 60 Minutes—a meeting in which Pelley also accused both Weiss and Bilton of lacking qualifications for their jobs.

A few hours later, in a Tuesday evening letter to Pelley, Bilton wrote that Pelley’s “antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you.”

Bilton’s letter states he fired Pelley “for cause” (and “misconduct”), language specifically crafted, no doubt, to allow CBS News to weasel its way out of paying whatever was left on Pelley’s contract. I suspect a breach of contract and wrongful dismissal lawsuit will be forthcoming from Pelley’s lawyers, followed quickly by a confidential agreement in which CBS News admits no wrongdoing but Pelley’s bank account finds itself several million dollars larger.

60 Minutes is the number one news program on television but I doubt that remains true for much longer. Though I haven’t watched regularly in decades (I’m usually drawn in by specific segments), I’ve trusted their reporting to be accurate and truthful. Since Weiss was installed, that’s no longer assured.

Two full-time correspondents now remain: Lesley Stahl and Bill Whitaker. I don’t see how they continue with the program following Pelley’s termination. Both should walk away in solidarity with Pelley—and with all who were fired or resigned under Weiss—though I suspect that’s exactly what Bilton, Weiss, and David Ellison (owner of parent company Paramount Skydance) want. The fewer people who care about what 60 Minutes stood for, the easier it is to twist it into a MAGA mouthpiece.

After today, it’s safe to pronounce the 60 Minutes program we’ve known for nearly 60 years “dead”—murdered by Weiss (and Bilton). We’re just waiting for the funeral.