Jeff Fager Male • United States of America

Jeff Fager built a long career at CBS News spanning nearly 40 years, starting in entry-level roles and later becoming executive producer of 60 Minutes and the division's chairman. Jeff is best known for his leadership at 60 Minutes and for helping CBS News adjust to changes in how news is delivered across platforms.

Jeff began working in television news in the late 1970s after earning a degree in English literature from Colgate University. He started at a CBS affiliate in Boston, where he worked as a production assistant, writer, and assignment editor. He later moved to KPIX-TV in San Francisco, where he took on the role of broadcast producer. In the early 1980s, he contributed to CBS News programs, including the weekend CBS Evening News and Nightwatch. He then moved into international assignments, based in London, where he produced coverage of major global events, including conflicts in the Middle East, the 1986 U.S. bombing of Libya, and meetings between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Jeff later helped develop 48 Hours before joining 60 Minutes as a producer. During this period, he worked on many reports with correspondents like Morley Safer and Steve Kroft. In the 1990s, he moved into senior production roles at the CBS Evening News, where he contributed to coverage of important international stories, including the war in Bosnia and the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. His work during this time 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 placed greater emphasis on depth of reporting and international coverage, which helped grow the program’s audience. He later led 60 Minutes II before becoming executive producer of 60 Minutes, a role he held for 14 seasons. His approach emphasized timely reporting and clear storytelling while maintaining the program’s established standards, and the broadcast received numerous major journalism awards.

In 2011, Jeff was named chairman of CBS News while continuing his involvement with 60 Minutes. He helped relaunch CBS This Morning with a stronger focus on hard news and supported changes at the CBS Evening News. He also encouraged digital expansion through updates to the 60 Minutes website, new partnerships, and the launch of 60 Minutes Overtime. Jeff Fager remained focused on long-form journalism and continued to shape how news content reached audiences across both traditional and digital platforms.