Former anchor Scott Pelley claims he was ousted from CBS Evening News because he repeatedly complained about a hostile work environment
- Scott Pelley claims he lost his job as CBS Evening News anchor after repeatedly complaining about the company's workplace culture
- Pelley was forced out of the position in 2017 after six years on the job
- He said he complained about five years ago to then network news president David Rhodes about a hostile work environment
- He says he was let go from the evening news the next time his contract came up
- The '60 Minutes' correspondent said things have changed in the last 18 months due to dramatic management changes amid scandals and misconduct claims
Former 'CBS Evening News' anchor Scott Pelley claims he lost his job because he wouldn't stop complaining to management about the hostile work environment for men and women.
Pelley, who was forced out of the position in 2017 after six years on the job, told CNN's Reliable Sources on Sunday that he had repeatedly raised complaints about the workplace culture.
'We've been through a dark period of the last several years of incompetent management and sort of a hostile work environment within the news division,' he said.
'I lost my job at the 'Evening News' because I wouldn't stop complaining to management about the hostile work environment.'
Former 'CBS Evening News' Scott Pelley, who was forced out of the position in 2017 after six years, claims he lost his job because he repeatedly complained about workplace culture
The '60 Minutes' correspondent said, however, that things have changed after 18 months of dramatic management changes amid a slew of scandals and misconduct claims at CBS.
Executives who have departed include Jeff Fager of '60 Minutes,' network news president David Rhodes, anchor Charlie Rose and CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves, who left in September after multiple women alleged sexual misconduct.
When asked to elaborate, Pelley said that four or five years ago he went to the president of the news division, who was then Rhodes, and described the hostile environment.
'He told me if I kept agitating about that internally then I'd lose my job,' Pelley said.
Pelley told CNN's Reliable Sources on Sunday that he had repeatedly raised complaints about the workplace culture
'Having exhausted the possibilities in the news division, I went to the chairman of the CBS Corporation who listened to me very concerned for an hour, asked me some penetrating questions about what was going on.
'I didn't hear back from him but in the next opportunity in my contract I was let go from the evening news.'
Now, Pelley said, with the promotion of people like Susan Zirinsky to head the news division, who is the first woman to hold that position, it's all blue sky from here.
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Pelley added that the network is on the right track.
A CBS spokesperson issued a statement in response to Pelley's remarks, saying: 'Scott was expressing his own opinion. We disagree.
'CBS News has been working hard to advocate for an inclusive, safe and dignified workplace for everyone at CBS News and Scott has been a supporter of these efforts.'
Pelley, pictured in 2013 with President Obama, said, however, that things have changed after 18 months of dramatic management changes amid a slew of scandals and misconduct claims at CBS
