Steve Kroft to retire from ’60 Minutes’ after 30 years with show

CBS News announced Friday that veteran correspondent Steve Kroft will retire from “60 Minutes,” after 30 years with the popular news magazine show.

Kroft, 73, has reported almost 500 stories for “60 Minutes” and is currently the longest-serving correspondent on the Sunday evening program’s staff.

He will announce his departure plans following this weekend’s 51st season finale.

{mosads}“Steve Kroft’s reporting for 60 MINUTES has been as important as any correspondent’s in the history of this broadcast,” said Bill Owens, the show’s executive producer. “Steve, with his sharp eye for detail, rich writing and demanding journalism, has set the bar at ’60 MINUTES’ for three decades.”

Susan Zirinsky, who was named CBS News president earlier this year and has worked with Kroft in the past, also praised his 39-year career with the network.

“From the moment Steve Kroft arrived at CBS News in 1980, he has been shot out of a cannon and wherever he landed his stories broke news, had depth, and a strong sense of humanity,” Zirinsky said. “From Central America to a tour of duty in London, and back to New York, his destiny was clear, Kroft’s investigative instincts and ability to unravel the most complex stories made him a perfect fit for the ‘60 Minutes’ team.”

Kroft’s final segment on Sunday will be an investigation into bank fraud.