Jeff Fager

Jeff Fager spent close to 40 years at CBS News, where he moved from early production work to leading roles such as executive producer of 60 Minutes and chairman of the news division. Jeff is best known for his long connection with 60 Minutes and for helping CBS News adjust during a period of change in both broadcast and digital journalism.

Jeff began his career in television news after graduating from Colgate University with a degree in English literature. In the late 1970s, he worked at a CBS station in Boston as a production assistant, writer, and assignment editor. He later joined KPIX-TV in San Francisco as a broadcast producer. During the early 1980s, he contributed to CBS News programs, including the weekend editions of the CBS Evening News and Nightwatch. He was then assigned international work and spent time in London, where he covered major global events, including conflicts in the Middle East, the 1986 bombing of Libya, and meetings between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Jeff later helped develop the news magazine 48 Hours before joining 60 Minutes as a producer. There, he worked on a wide range of reports alongside correspondents, including Morley Safer and Steve Kroft. In the 1990s, he took on senior production roles at the CBS Evening News, contributing to coverage of significant international events such as the war in Bosnia and the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, work that earned a Peabody Award.

Jeff went on to serve as executive producer of the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather from 1996 to 1998. In that role, he focused on strengthening reporting and expanding international coverage, thereby increasing the program’s reach. He later led 60 Minutes II and then became executive producer of 60 Minutes, serving for 14 seasons. His work emphasized timely reporting and clear storytelling while maintaining established editorial standards, and the program received numerous major journalism awards during that time.

In 2011, Jeff was named chairman of CBS News while continuing his involvement with 60 Minutes. He supported the relaunch of CBS This Morning with a stronger focus on hard news and contributed to changes at the CBS Evening News. He also encouraged digital expansion through updates to the 60 Minutes website, new distribution partnerships, and the launch of 60 Minutes Overtime. Jeff Fager continued to focus on long-form reporting and remained involved in shaping how news content was delivered across platforms.