In a media world already swirling with shifting allegiances and political tremors, the sudden departure of CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon signals a storm that’s been brewing behind the scenes for months. Her exit, which follows the resignation of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, has blown the lid off a deepening rift between CBS News leadership and parent company Paramount Global—just as the company attempts to navigate a high-stakes merger and an even higher-stakes relationship with a returning President Donald Trump.
McMahon’s departure was announced Monday in a memo that managed to sound both gracious and pointed. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” she wrote, confirming industry whispers that she had become persona non grata for pushing back against efforts to rein in editorial independence at “60 Minutes”. According to insiders, her request to preserve “a sliver of independence” for the legendary news program was flatly rejected.
Owens, who had helmed “60 Minutes” through multiple administrations, also left in recent weeks, citing the “untenable” environment created by new Paramount oversight. And what triggered the tension? Two words: Donald Trump.
The Trump team is currently negotiating with Paramount to resolve a massive $20 billion lawsuit accusing “60 Minutes” of manipulating an interview with Kamala Harris to damage Trump’s 2024 campaign. Paramount is now reportedly tightening control of the show’s editorial content in what many view as a strategic olive branch to the Trump White House, which will ultimately have the power to approve—or scuttle—the company’s proposed merger with Skydance Media.
It’s not just editorial independence on the chopping block. CBS is also facing a brutal ratings decline, particularly in the coveted 25-54 demographic. A former TV news executive told “Status” the situation is “a five-alarm fire,” and compared the network’s ratings trajectory to a car in a nosedive. Meanwhile, rivals ABC and NBC have managed to hang on or slightly improve their numbers.
One anonymous producer explained the challenge this way: “Any excuse you give the audience to change their habit is a massive risk. So if you give them an excuse to stop watching, they will.”
McMahon’s tenure, which began with high hopes in August 2023, has been marred by missteps, from a widely criticized overhaul of “CBS Evening News” to internal dissent over the outlet’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her defenders say she was trying to modernize a legacy institution; her critics say she gave viewers too many reasons to tune out.
In a stunning moment of on-air candor, “60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley addressed the elephant in the studio last month, saying, “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.”
That statement turned whispers into headlines. And now, with both McMahon and Owens out, the message from Paramount is unmistakably clear: business first, journalism… second?
Whether these moves will appease the Trump administration—or stabilize CBS’s shaky ratings—remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain: “60 Minutes” just became a whole lot more than Sunday night TV. It’s now a pawn in a much bigger game.
