'60 Minutes' Producer Quits Amid Lawsuit, Merger Talks

Bill Owens, the executive producer of CBS's '60 Minutes,' has resigned, citing a loss of journalistic independence amid mounting pressures from former President Donald Trump and parent company Paramount Global. Owens, only the third executive producer in the show's 57-year history, explained that he could no longer make decisions independently for the program's best interests. His resignation comes after Trump filed a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against CBS, alleging deceptive editing of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, which CBS denies. The controversy coincides with Paramount Global's attempts to merge with Skydance Media, a deal that requires government approval. Legal experts largely consider Trump's lawsuit to lack merit. CBS News president Wendy McMahon reaffirmed her commitment to '60 Minutes' and its journalistic mission.