MUTINY ON 60 MINS

AN UNPRECEDENTED effort is underway by 60 Minutes cast members to strong- arm CBS brass into green- lighting their choice for the TV news magazine’s next executive producer. But sources believe the plot is more likely to backfire.

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Network insiders say the bold demand by top-tier correspondents Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Bill Whitaker, Anderson Cooper, Sharyn Alfonsi, Jon Wertheim and Cecilia Vega that CBS permanently appoint longtime staffer and interim executive producer Tanya Simon to the show’s top role has CBS executives seething.

“This is unlikely to end well,” says one source. “Yes, their combined star power is considerable, but corporate bosses don’t like being pushed around — and they’re the ones with all the power.

“If they cave, it will send the message that the talent can make critical decisions for the network. And the execs don’t want to be told how to do their jobs!”