Lesley Stahl Signs Contract to Remain at ‘60 Minutes’

Lesley Stahl

Veteran journalist Lesley Stahl has signed a new two-year contract to continue as a correspondent on CBS’s flagship newsmagazine “60 Minutes,” according to people familiar with the deal.

The agreement marks a shift from Stahl’s recent year-to-year contracts and provides stability for the program amid significant internal upheaval at CBS News.

Stahl, 84, has been a “60 Minutes” correspondent since 1991 and is one of the show’s longest-serving on-air personalities. Her decision to commit for two more years comes just days after she, along with correspondents Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, publicly announced they would “stay and fight” to preserve the newsmagazine following a wave of high-profile firings and leadership changes.

The contract finalization was reported Thursday as the show navigates a turbulent period that has included the ouster of longtime executive producer Scott Pelley and several other senior correspondents and producers. Stahl has described the recent events as the “hardest chapter” and “worst experience” of her career, yet she has chosen to remain and continue reporting, including segments already in production for the upcoming season.

Stahl began her CBS career in 1971 and has become synonymous with “60 Minutes” through decades of award-winning investigative reporting, political interviews, and in-depth features. Her continued presence is viewed as a vote of confidence in the program’s future at a time when many questioned whether the iconic broadcast could retain its veteran talent.

The two-year term gives CBS breathing room as the network, now under Paramount Skydance ownership, works to stabilize “60 Minutes” ahead of its fall season. Additional details about the deal were not disclosed.