Tanya Simon has been named executive editor of “60 Minutes,” executive producer Bill Owens announced on Thursday.
“Tanya is [a] fantastic journalist with two decades worth of reporting at ’60 Minutes.’ She has been central to this season’s strong start, both on TV and our digital platform. I could not ask for a better partner,” Owens said in a statement.
Simon was previously a senior producer and has been with the news magazine for nearly two decades. She replaces Owens, who was bumped to executive producer in February, replacing Jeff Fager, who was ousted amid a cloud of sexual misconduct accusations last fall. Simon also oversaw digital content and supervising production of “60 Minutes Sports” for Showtime.
“I’m humbled and excited to be a part of the team leading ’60 Minutes’ into its next chapter,” Simon said in a statement. “It’s a place I’ve considered family for a long time and I welcome the opportunity to help build upon the world class journalism that has defined the program for the last 50 years.”
Simon’s highlights as a producer over the years include the first major television interview with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Emmy-winning first interview with hero pilot Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, and the investigation that revealed how Lance Armstrong used illegal performance-enhancing drugs to win bicycle races.
Simon began her career at CBS News as a researcher for “48 Hours” in 1996. Simon rose to associate producer and then producer at the news magazine before joining “60 Minutes” in 2000.
Simon holds a B.A. degree from Columbia University and lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.