CBS News in Turmoil Over Redstone Pressure

An article published by The Wrap Wednesday evening , titled “CBS News in Turmoil Over ‘Perfect Storm’ at ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News.

Bill Owens

The story detailed significant internal unrest at CBS News, driven by a combination of external pressures and leadership changes. The turmoil stems from President Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, the abrupt resignation of 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, and Paramount Global’s (CBS’s parent company) potential settlement to secure a merger with Skydance Media. 

The article described CBS News as facing a “perfect storm” of challenges, including pressure from the Trump administration, internal leadership upheaval, and corporate priorities tied to Paramount’s Skydance merger.

The resignation of 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens on Tuesday, after 24 years at CBS, was a focal point. Owens cited a lack of autonomy, stating in a staff memo that he could no longer make “independent decisions” or run the show as he had previously. Sources told The Wrap that Owens held back tears during a staff meeting, saying, “I am the corporation’s problem,” reflecting his resistance to corporate pressure to settle Trump’s lawsuit.

Trump’s lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, alleges that 60 Minutes deceptively edited an October 2024 interview with Kamala Harris to favor her in the 2024 election by cutting a “word salad” response about the Israel-Hamas conflict. CBS released the full transcript in February 2025, but mediation talks signal a likely settlement, which critics view as capitulation.

Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from the Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr, is seen as driving Redstone’s willingness to settle. The article quoted sources saying CBS News is “already weathered plenty of changes,” and further concessions could erode its credibility.