CBS News Producer Resigns over Parent Company’s Meddling in Gaza War Coverage
The Executive Producer of CBS News’ “60 Minutes” show, Bill Owens, has resigned the flagship news program, citing lack of “journalistic independence.”
On Apil 22, 2025, Owens said in a memo that over the past few 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,” The Guardian reported.
Owens announced he was stepping down, ending his 37-year career at CBS News. “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.
Owens’ resignation came amid a dispute between Donald Trump administration and CBS News and its parent company, Paramount, over the coverage of Gaza war and the Trump administration. Trump filed a $20 billion lawsuit claiming that the news outlet edited an interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign, when she answered a question about Israel’s war in Gaza.
CBS rejected the claim, calling Trump’s lawsuit an attempt to “punish” journalism institutions for their editorial decisions. Meanwhile, Paramount is currently holding talks with Trump to settle the lawsuit.
Owens’ resignation has triggered reactions. The 60 Minutes correspondent, Scott Pelley, paid tribute to Owens during the show. “Stories we have covered for the last 57 years are often controversial, lately the Israeli-Gaza war and the Trump administration. Bill made sure they were accurate and fair,” he said.
Then, Pelley criticized Paramount for placing scrutiny over the program’s content. “Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways. None of our stories have been blocked, but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism required,” Pelley added.
