In a significant leadership change, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon announced her resignation on Monday, May 19, 2025. Her departure adds to the network’s ongoing challenges following recent disclosures about parent company Paramount’s increased oversight of editorial content.
McMahon’s resignation closely follows the April 22 exit of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who cited a lack of editorial independence at the news program. In a memo to staff, McMahon mentioned that tensions had been escalating at CBS.
“It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” McMahon wrote to employees, noting that her time at CBS News was significant, but recent months were challenging.
The leadership changes follow veteran correspondent Scott Pelley’s announcement on the April 28 “60 Minutes” broadcast that Paramount had begun new oversight measures for the news division. Pelley explained that this supervision was linked to Paramount’s plans to merge with Skydance Media, a deal needing approval from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Sources indicate that Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, raised concerns regarding certain CBS News reports. As a result, additional layers of oversight were implemented, including former CBS News President Susan Zirinsky reviewing “60 Minutes” segments before airing.
CBS News staff members have reportedly been unsettled by the sudden leadership changes. A CBS insider revealed to Fox News Digital that McMahon took part in the company’s routine editorial call on the morning of her resignation without hinting at her decision to leave.
Industry experts suggest the resignation may relate to ongoing discussions between Paramount Global and President Trump, who filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS last October. The lawsuit accuses the network of election interference due to its handling of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The lawsuit focuses on CBS’s decision to air different versions of Harris’ response to a question about the Israel-Gaza conflict on “60 Minutes” and “Face the Nation.” Trump’s legal team claims this editorial choice was intentionally misleading, while CBS argues it was a valid journalistic decision.
Legal analysts note that Trump’s case faces significant challenges under established First Amendment protections. Nonetheless, reports suggest that settlement talks between Paramount and Trump’s representatives have started, with speculation that the company seeks to resolve the lawsuit before federal regulators make a decision on the proposed Skydance merger.
Both McMahon and Owens reportedly opposed settling with Trump. Owens’ resignation letter emphasized that “60 Minutes” acted appropriately in its reporting and refused any apology.
During the April 28 broadcast, Pelley described Owens’ departure as a principled decision, informing viewers that while Paramount did not block stories outright, the executive producer felt he lost the independence necessary for authentic journalism.
Despite internal disruptions, “60 Minutes” continues to air investigative reports on the Trump administration. Recently, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reported on reductions at the National Institutes of Health. However, a planned segment on Internal Revenue Service cutbacks was removed from the May 19 broadcast after CBS learned the agency would reinstate approximately 7,000 probationary employees.
George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount Global and head of the CBS Television Network, announced that CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell will now report directly to him following McMahon’s resignation.
The network is also working to establish a new anchor team for its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast, with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois assuming roles amidst ongoing ratings challenges.
This situation marks the latest in a series of conflicts between major media organizations and the Trump administration, which has been involved in disputes with several outlets since returning to power in January 2025. In December 2024, Walt Disney Co. paid $15 million to settle a Trump libel lawsuit against ABC News over statements made by George Stephanopoulos about a sexual assault case involving the president.
