EP 385: Scott Pelley on Truth, Values, and Journalism

As a 60 Minutes correspondent and former anchor of the CBS Evening News, Scott Pelley has been a witness to events that have changed our world and he talks about some individuals who illustrate the best of America. He recalls the heart-break and exhaustion of reporting on the 9/11 attacks and why he feels it was the finest hour for CBS News. He shares the three rules of journalism that he learned from CBS legend Walter Cronkite, and why he believes that 24-hour cable news creates even more demand for a show like 60 Minutes. He discusses his time as a combat journalist in Iraq and Afghanistan, the question that landed him on Hillary Clinton’s blacklist, and why he says that President Donald Trump just can’t stop himself from lying. Plus he elaborates on his accusations that the CBS Evening News was a hostile work environment, explains the secret to 60 Minutes’ longevity, and shares a few favorite memories of 60 Minutes’ lovable curmudgeon Andy Rooney.

Order Scott Pelley's book Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter's Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold. Today's podcast was sponsored by Udacity.