Veteran journalist Steve Kroft has stated he “hated” working on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” describing the newsroom as operating like “a snake pit.”
Kroft, 80, made these remarks during a recent appearance on Bill O’Reilly’s “We’ll Do It Live!” podcast. Reflecting on his 30-year tenure with the program, he said he likely would not have taken the role again.
The veteran correspondent explained that tensions within CBS News emerged after he joined the show in 1989. Initially viewing the opportunity as “fantastic,” he later realized “not everybody was happy that I got” the position.
“There were other people that wanted, so then you’ve all of a sudden made a bunch of enemies,” Kroft said, pointing to competition among colleagues.
He also noted the demanding nature of the job, calling it “24 hours a day.” The role involved frequent travel, script writing, screenings, and continuous production cycles. Despite these pressures, Kroft acknowledged the appeal of the work itself.
“It was exhilarating,” he said. “The reason I loved the job was because of the stories that I could do and the fact that they liked good stories.”
When asked whether he became reliant on the intensity of the work, Kroft replied that he “probably” did, adding, “You get excited about the fact that you’re still alive.”
Before joining “60 Minutes,” Kroft worked in other roles at CBS, including as a correspondent in London. He described that assignment as his preferred position: “Look, the best job I ever had at CBS was when I was correspondent at the London bureau and got to see the world. That was the job I always wanted.”
Kroft also mentioned he wasn’t as well known as others on the show initially: “I was kind of at a disadvantage. I was the first person on that show who had not been an anchorman, wasn’t really well known.”
Over three decades, Kroft conducted notable interviews—including a 1992 conversation with then-Gov. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, a 2008 interview with Barack and Michelle Obama, and the Obamas’ final interview in January 2017. He also performed the only TV interview with Woody Allen during Allen’s custody battle with Mia Farrow.
Kroft retired in May 2019 after completing his 30th season. Reports indicate CBS News is facing potential changes following the Paramount-Skydance merger, with internal clashes over editorial decisions and uncertainty around talent retention and layoffs.
