Politics
Top Dog At CBS News Resigns Amid Bleak Legal Battle With Trump
A top executive is out at CBS after butting heads with Paramount brass who are seeking to redirect the news agency, specifically “60 Minutes,” away from its slew of anti-Trump coverage.
CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon announced Monday that it has “become clear” to her she’s persona non grata after her pleas to leave “60 Minutes” with a sliver of independence went unheeded. Her exit follows the departure of longtime executive producer Bill Owens, who stated that running the program became untenable after new oversight by Paramount.
“Today, I am stepping down from my position as president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures. It has been one of the most meaningful chapters in my career. Leading this extraordinary organization has been the honor of a lifetime because I got to work alongside all of you,” McMahon wrote in a memo to staffers obtained by Fox News.
“At the same time, the past few months have been challenging,” she continued. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”
McMahon’s departure comes as President Donald Trump’s legal team continues negotiations with Paramount over his $20 billion lawsuit alleging that the “60 Minutes” team jeopardized his 2024 campaign when it allegedly edited a Harris interview to make the former vice president appear more composed and less ditzy.
Compounding the pain was a ratings free fall experienced by CBS under the second Trump administration. The news network’s audience scores with 25-54 year olds, a key advertiser demographic, slumped badly compared to one year ago.
“I would say it’s a five-alarm fire,” a seasoned former TV news executive confided to Status about the situation.
Another source told the media industry newsletter that ratings for rival evening news programs on ABC and NBC saw slight bumps in ratings over the same period.
“It’s almost impossible to build it once you’ve lost it. So to have a drop off like that suggest that this asset… is circling the drain,” the unnamed producer added.
“Why did McMahon and Owens decide to try to reinvent the ‘Evening News’ in this challenging moment?” they went on. “Any excuse you give the audience to change their habit is a massive risk. The habits are so fragile in this new media landscape. So if you give them an excuse to stop watching, they will.”
It is widely believed that Paramount executives are hedging their bets now that they are finalizing a merger with Skydance valued in the billions of dollars. It will ultimately fall on the Trump administration to approve or deny the deal, with many hinting that the “60 Minutes” reforms are a gesture of good will toward the fickle Republican president.
McMahon’s rocky tenure began in Aug. 2023 when she took the reins at “CBS Evening News,” introducing an overhaul that failed to connect with viewers. Meanwhile, she battled criticism from within the outlet by staffers upset at the coverage they claim was slanted in its stories about the Israel-Hamas war.
“60 Minutes” host Scott Pelley last month cast blame on Paramount for pressuring Owens out of his jobs.
“Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” he said toward the end of one Sunday night show.
