’60 Minutes’ Calls Out Paramount for Executive Producer’s Exit in Rare On-Air Rebuke

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During the initial 98% of Sunday’s “60 Minutes” airing on CBS, everything appeared ordinary. However, the final 2% might have left viewers in a state of surprise.

During the “Last Minute” segment on the program, correspondent Scott Pelley informed viewers that Bill Owens, the executive producer of the show, decided to leave last week. This move comes as Paramount Global, CBS News’ parent company, is working towards a merger and has increased its focus on the editorial processes of “60 Minutes”. This heightened scrutiny occurred during the show’s investigation into the war in Gaza and the impact of President Trump’s policies on Americans.

Paramount started managing our content differently, and this shift made Bill feel his journalistic autonomy was compromised, even though none of our stories have been censored. He expressed this sentiment, adding that nobody on the team is content with this new arrangement.

The segment presented an unusual situation where employees from “60 Minutes”, a popular news magazine and a highly esteemed platform in television journalism, spoke critically about their company’s management. This unique occasion also allowed the audience, who usually remain oblivious to the behind-the-scenes workings of the show for most weeks, a glimpse into its inner operations.

Recently, executive producer Owens announced his decision to step down from ’60 Minutes’ after nearly six decades of its existence, taking many by surprise. He explained his departure was due to a diminishing capacity to make autonomous decisions for the show, as parent company Paramount Global navigates a lawsuit filed against CBS News by former President Trump and works towards merging with Skydance Media. The controversy revolves around Shari Redstone’s ambition to expedite the approval process of her company’s acquisition by Skydance, which was slowed down due to regulatory concerns. In November, President Trump initiated a lawsuit in Texas alleging that ’60 Minutes’ manipulated public opinion by airing two separate versions of an interview with Kamala Harris, then his presidential rival. CBS has attempted to dismiss the case, and several legal experts believe the suit lacks solid legal ground.

In January, CBS News established a fresh tier of editorial oversight, appointing Susan Zirinsky, a seasoned producer and previous CBS News president, as the “interim executive editor.” Her responsibilities include maintaining standards, reviewing stories, and evaluating journalistic practices. This position was created following a string of controversies related to CBS News coverage on shows such as “60 Minutes” and “CBS Mornings.” However, this new structure has raised concerns among those who produce “60 Minutes” weekly. On Tuesday, Owens stated that he was encountering an escalating inability to make independent decisions that were best for “60 Minutes” and its audience.

For over five decades, the show has operated with a unique degree of independence on-air. Although it has always ensured its content complies with legal requirements and journalistic ethics, it has been self-regulated. However, recently, the producers were asked to involve an external party in their decision-making process. In this instance, Al Ortiz, a former senior producer at CBS News and head of news standards and practices, was brought in to review stories. This was known by three individuals familiar with the situation. Ortiz has maintained a friendly rapport with Owens in the past, and his career has been marked by respect, these sources say. However, his presence caused producers to feel that they were being overseen by outsiders whose interests might not be entirely aligned with the show. The resignation of Owens is perceived by “60 Minutes” staff as a red flag about the potential diminishment of the newsmagazine’s credibility.

Pelley stated that Bill stepped down on Tuesday, a decision that was difficult for both him and for us. Yet, he made this move for our benefit.

News presenters are rarely allowed to openly critique the company financing their wages through the platform controlled by the same corporation. However, over the past year, there seems to be an increase in news staff being given more freedom of speech.

MSNBC and its parent company NBCUniversal faced criticism from several of MSNBC’s top anchors like Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Joe Scarborough, and Mika Brzezinski, over the hiring of former Republican operative Ronna McDaniel as a news analyst. McDaniel’s credibility was questionable, and the sight of multiple anchors attacking their own employers and superiors raised some eyebrows. In a similar year, ESPN had to deal with host Pat McAfee verbally attacking a former senior executive, Norby Williamson, whom he accused of trying to undermine his show.

Previously, actions that seemed like minor defiance were swiftly and severely penalized. For instance, Josh Elliott, a former team member of “Good Morning America”, who transitioned to CBS News following a spell at NBC Sports, rose in prominence as an anchor for Paramount Global’s new streaming platform (initially known as CBSN). However, without approval from the higher-ups, he revealed his upcoming role working on some CBS News linear properties. Instead of being given a new workstation, Elliott was let go. Similarly, in 2020, Brooke Baldwin, a popular anchor at CNN, expressed her disapproval on Instagram about her afternoon program being cut back in favor of election coverage, stating it was “not my choice”. This reportedly angered the top executives at the network. Eventually, she parted ways with CNN in 2021.

More to come…

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2025-04-28 04:16