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The top producer of legendary news show “60 Minutes” abruptly quit on Tuesday, suggesting that CBS News has surrendered to President Donald Trump and abandoned journalistic freedom.
Executive producer Bill Owens wrote a memo to his staff saying it’s “become clear I would not be allowed to run the show” without interference or “make independent decisions based on what’s right for ‘60 Minutes,’ what’s right for the audience.”
“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 wrote.
Owens’ exit comes as Trump wages a $10 billion lawsuit against “60 Minutes” over its campaign-trail interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the show of editing the segment to make her look good. CBS denies the claim, but the Federal Communications Commission—now stacked with hand-picked Trump allies—is investigating the network, an unprecedented move with potentially massive implications for media freedom.
Trump’s attacks on CBS go well beyond the lawsuit. Earlier this month, he erupted on his Truth Social site after “60 Minutes” aired two segments he didn’t like—one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and another about Trump’s bizarre obsession with buying Greenland. During the rant, Trump called for CBS to be stripped of its broadcast license.
Behind the scenes, that pressure seems to be shaping decisions at the network. CBS parent company Paramount and its controlling shareholder have reportedly pushed for a settlement, fearing the lawsuit could derail a multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media—a deal that will need clearance from Trump administration regulators. Staffers are furious, with some warning that surrendering to Trump would effectively gut the network’s credibility.
And CBS isn’t alone. The Washington Post has tacked right under billionaire ownerJeff Bezos, earning Trump’s praise but costing the outlet subscribers and talent. Then there’s the Los Angeles Times, where owner Patrick Soon-Shiong reportedly told the editorial board in December to “take a break” from writing about the president, even as he wreaks havoc on the federal government. The fallout cost the paper several of its most prominent reporters and editorial writers.
Trump has also targeted other networks in court. ABC News settled a defamation suit in December and agreed to pay $15 million to the president’s future presidential library—a move that blindsided journalists there.
CBS seems to be following the same conciliatory path. According to The New York Times, settlement talks with Trump are underway, and a mediator has already been appointed.
Related | New FCC chair eagerly carries out Trump’s war on the press
Owens’ resignation may be the clearest sign yet that even flagship news programs aren’t immune from Trump’s grip on the press. His exit is especially striking: a CBS lifer, Owens first joined the network as a summer intern in 1988 and became just the third executive producer in “60 Minutes” history when he took the reins in 2019.
And this isn’t happening in a vacuum. Earlier this month, Trump backed an appeal to a judge’s order forcing the White House to reinstate the Associated Press’ credentials after the outlet was punished for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
In a message to staff, CBS News and Stations CEO Wendy McMahon said she was “committed to ‘60 Minutes’ and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority.”
But Owens’ abrupt departure sends a different message: Trump’s pressure campaign is working. More and more outlets are caving to the aspiring autocrat—and if that trend continues, all that’s left will be a MAGA-friendly right-wing echo chamber.
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