An embattled executive at CBS News is out of a job as the network continues to reel from President Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against “60 Minutes” for its editing of Vice President Harris’ interview. The exit could pave the way for the network to issue an apology.
The executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Bill Owens, said in a memo published by the New York Times on Tuesday that he would resign from the storied news show as it has been facing mounting pressure over the Harris interview and allegations of a left-wing, anti-Israel bias. Mr. Owens has also been under pressure over an embarrassing revamp of the “CBS Evening News” which he oversaw.
In the memo to his staff, Mr. Owens said, “Over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it, to make independent decisions based on what was right for ‘60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.”
“So, having defended this show — and what we stand for — from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward,” he said.
Mr. Owens did not specifically mention the Harris interview – or two anti-Israel segments that “60 Minutes” recently aired to much criticism – but the implication was clear.
There has been speculation that Mr. Owens might resign or be forced out of the position if a condition of settling Mr. Trump’s lawsuit is for the network to apologize for the edits, something the executive producer has reportedly said is a “red line” he will not cross, liberal journalist Oliver Darcy reported in his Status newsletter.
Despite his departure, Mr. Owens said “60 Minutes” will “continue to cover the new administration, as we will report on future administrations.”
“The show is too important to the country. It has to continue, just not with me as the executive producer,” he said.
The president of CBS News and Stations, Wendy McMahon, said in a memo that she is “committed to ‘60 Minutes’ and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority.”
Additionally, she praised Mr. Owens, saying, “Standing behind what he stood for was an easy decision for me, and I never took for granted that he did the same for me.”
Mr. Owens also said in his memo that Ms. McMahon has “always had our back.”
CBS News did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication.
Mr. Owens’ departure comes as “60 Minutes” has been under fire for editing an answer from Ms. Harris’ October 2024 interview with journalist Bill Whitaker to remove what critics called a “word salad” and make her sound more coherent.
CBS News denies that the cuts, which were exposed after it released different versions of its interview on lesser platforms, were deceptive and insists they were made for time purposes.
However, Mr. Trump filed the lawsuit, alleging the changes could have cost him the 2024 election. The Federal Communications Commission, with its Trump-appointed chairman, Brendan Carr, is also investigating the network for “news distortion,” after it received a complaint about the Harris interview.
While the network is facing legal pressure from the interview, there is speculation that Mr. Trump’s lawsuit and the “news distortion” investigation could sink the planned merger of CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, and Skydance, which requires the FCC’s approval.
As the merger is under review, it has been reported that the matriarch of the family that controls Paramount, Shari Redstone, believes the way to ensure the deal is approved is to settle Mr. Trump’s lawsuit. The former NBCUniversal executive expected to oversee Paramount’s day-to-day operations if the Skydance deal is approved, Jeff Shell, also believes that settling Mr. Trump’s lawsuit is the best way to win the FCC’s approval, Mr. Darcy reports.
Settlement talks between Mr. Trump and Paramount have reportedly begun. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that Paramount executives are concerned that settling Mr. Trump’s lawsuit could expose them to other legal risks, as it could be perceived as a bribe.
One way for the network to avoid legal peril and the optics of impropriety is to apologize for the way it edited the Harris interview, which is not a popular idea in the news division. In a February meeting reported by the Times, Mr. Owens told his staff, “There have been reports in the media about a settlement and/or apology. The company knows I will not apologize for anything we have done.”
“The edit is perfectly fine; let’s put that to bed so we can get on with our lives,” he said, referring to the release of the transcript, which CBS News finally released — after resisting for months — on the orders of Mr. Trump’s FCC.
While Mr. Owens and Ms. McMahon have reportedly opposed the idea of settling Mr. Trump’s lawsuit, a veteran media reporter Matthew Belloni predicted in a recent episode of his podcast “The Town” that the executives at Paramount and Skydance will do “whatever they have to” to ensure the merger is approved, including agreeing to a hefty settlement amount.
“I think this is all noise. [Trump’s] going to get his victory, he may even get an apology from CBS, which will be insane if they apologize for this,” Mr. Belloni said.
Mr. Belloni added that if CBS News is forced to apologize for its edits, its executives will “go absolutely crazy,” and he would not be surprised if the embattled head of the news operation, Wendy McMahon, quits as a result.
While Mr. Owens was facing pressure for his management of “60 Minutes,” he was also reportedly under pressure for falling ratings amid his revamp of the “CBS Evening News,” which was done at the behest of Ms. McMahon.
“60 Minutes” has also reportedly frustrated Ms. Redstone, a staunch supporter of Israel, for airing segments that have been accused of an anti-Israel bias.
With Mr. Owens on the way out, there will likely be increased scrutiny on Ms. McMahon. Mr. Belloni’s colleague at Puck, media reporter Dylan Byers, reported in February that Skydance executives have already decided to fire Ms. McMahon once the deal closes. Besides the “60 Minutes” controversy and falling ratings, the embattled executive reportedly further enraged her bosses with her side job managing CBS Media Ventures, which distributes syndicated programs.
Mr. Byers reported last week Paramount executives believe that Ms. McMahon did not properly handle negotiations with Sony amid CBS’ attempt to retain distribution rights for “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” Sony, which produces the shows, has been trying to end its relationship with CBS. As a result of the failed negotiations, Paramount executives feel that Ms. McMahon cost the network a significant amount of money.
The news of Mr. Owens’ departure comes days after CBS Studios settled a discrimination lawsuit that was brought by a white script writer, who claimed the studio hired “less qualified applicants who were members of more preferred groups” due to an “illegal policy of race and sex balancing.” The decision to settle the closely watched lawsuit comes as Mr. Carr has indicated that the FCC might block mergers of companies due to their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies
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