On the Sunday broadcast of CBS’s “60 Minutes,” correspondent Scott Pelley delivered a rare on-air rebuke of the show’s parent company, Paramount, addressing the recent resignation of the show’s executive producer, Bill Owens.
The statement, aired during the show’s closing segment, highlighted a behind-the-scenes dispute spilling on-air.
Pelley’s comments came in the final moments of a segment dubbed “The Last Minute.” He spoke directly to viewers about the internal conflict that led to Owens’ departure:
60 Minutes directly calls out its parent company, Paramount, following the resignation of executive producer Bill Owens pic.twitter.com/KL9XSM35se
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 28, 2025
Owens, just one of three men to have ever led “60 Minutes,” resigned April 22. His exit followed what he described as increasing editorial interference by Paramount, the parent company of CBS News.
“Over the past 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,” Owens wrote in a memo to the staff.
He further explained his decision to step down, saying, “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.”
Pelley ultimately echoed Owens’ sentiments in his on-air rebellion, noting that Paramount had begun supervising content in new ways. He specifically mentioned the company’s pending merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from the administration of President Donald Trump.
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“Stories we’ve pursued for 57 years are often controversial — lately, the Israel-Gaza war and the Trump administration,” Pelley said.
(“60 Minutes” has often faced criticism for having a strong left-leaning slant.)
“None of our stories has been blocked,” Pelley did clarify. “But Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”
The veteran correspondent didn’t hold back on the team’s sentiment about the process changes.
“No one here is happy about it,” Pelley said. “But in resigning, Bill proved one thing: He was the right person to lead ‘60 Minutes’ all along.”
The on-air moment was captured and shared widely, including in a clip posted by Huffington Post Deputy Editor Philip Lewis on X.
The controversy stems from broader pressures on CBS News. Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media has placed the company under scrutiny, particularly as the Trump administration’s approval is required for the deal to proceed, as Kelley noted.
Additionally, “60 Minutes” has faced legal challenges from President Trump, who sued CBS for $10 billion over an allegedly deceptively edited interview with Kamala Harris in 2024. The lawsuit has only added to the network’s woes.
The Federal Communications Commission, led by Trump-appointed chair Brendan Carr, has also reopened an investigation into CBS for alleged “news distortion” related to the Harris interview, as noted by the Brookings Institute.
Owens’ resignation and Pelley’s on-air statement mark a rare public rift between “60 Minutes” and its corporate owners.
According to USA Today, neither CBS News nor Paramount immediately responded to requests for comment on Pelley’s remarks.
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