CBS News CEO Exits Amid Lawsuit, Merger Pressures

Wendy McMahon has resigned as president and CEO of CBS News, citing fundamental disagreements with company leadership about its future direction. Her departure follows the recent resignation of '60 Minutes' executive producer Bill Owens, both tied to concerns about editorial independence and increasing corporate pressure. CBS News is currently facing a $20 billion lawsuit from former President Donald Trump over alleged bias in a '60 Minutes' interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, a dispute currently in mediation. Reports indicate McMahon resisted settling the lawsuit and clashed with leadership over both legal strategy and newsroom autonomy. These events occur as Paramount Global pursues a merger with Skydance Media and faces its own leadership shakeups. Following McMahon's exit, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell will report directly to CEO George Cheeks.