Tanya Simon named as executive producer of "60 Minutes"

CBS News

2 days ago

Award-winning journalist Tanya Simon has been named executive producer of "60 Minutes," America's #1 news program. Her new role was announced Thursday by Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News.
Simon has been with "60 Minutes" for 25 years, most recently serving as interim executive producer since the departure of the show's previous leader, Bill Owens, in April. She is just the fourth executive producer in the broadcast's 57-year history, and the first woman in the role.
"Tanya Simon understands what makes '60 Minutes' tick. She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer, and someone who knows how to inspire people," Cibrowski said in a statement. "Tanya knows that the success of today's '60 Minutes' depends on delivering a weekly mix of the most informative, impactful and entertaining stories and investigative journalism from around the world. This is the true essence and foundation of '60 Minutes.'"
"It is a privilege to lead '60 Minutes' and its formidable team of journalists," Simon said. "'60' is in a class of its own, upholding a legacy of extraordinary and thought-provoking journalism for more than half a century. I'm deeply committed to this level of excellence and I look forward to delivering an exciting season of signature '60' stories that cover a wide range of subjects for a broad audience and engage viewers with their world."
Simon was named interim executive producer in April, steering the program through the end of its 57th season. She previously served as the executive editor of "60 Minutes" for six seasons, helping to oversee the program's editorial process. Prior to that, she was a senior producer whose responsibilities included overseeing digital content for 60MinutesOvertime.com and supervising production of "60 Minutes Sports," a monthly program that ran on Showtime.
Simon has been contributing to "60 Minutes" for most of her career, playing key roles in some of the broadcast's highest-profile investigations, features and profiles.
She joined the staff in 2000, working with correspondent Ed Bradley on a wide range of stories, including reports on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Duke University lacrosse rape case, and a rare interview with Bob Dylan. Simon went on to produce for nearly all of the "60 Minutes" correspondents over the next decade, including Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, and Bob Simon, her father. During that time, she produced news-making interviews with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and hero pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, as well as profiles of rapper Eminem and Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Shaun White. She reported extensively on Boston Irish mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, including his capture after 16 years on the run, and on Lance Armstrong's use of performance-enhancing drugs to win bicycle races.
Simon began her career at CBS News in 1996 as a researcher for "48 Hours," where she rose to become an associate producer and producer before moving to "60 Minutes."
Her work has earned virtually every major broadcast honor, including multiple Emmy Awards, the Peabody and the DuPont-Columbia Award.