Wendy McMahon, head of state and co-head of CBS News and Stations.
Michele Crowe|CBS|Getty Images
CBS News Chief Executive Officer Wendy McMahon launched Monday she is tipping down, the latest spin in an increasing battle of wills in between the agency’s data division and Paramount Global managing investor Shari Redstone.
Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks spoke with McMahon on Saturday and requested for her resignation, in keeping with people acquainted with the problem. McMahon accepted tip down, and the Paramount Global board held a convention Sunday at which contributors had been warned of the selection, in keeping with these people, that talked on the issue of privateness to go over inside points.
Spokespeople for McMahon, Paramount Global and CBS News decreased to remark.
“The past few months have been challenging,” McMahon composed in her resignation letter to staff. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”
In present weeks, Paramount Global’s board had really positioned boosting stress on Cheeks and McMahon to acknowledge sure data relating to “60 Minutes” packages prematurely of its air day, in an aberration from simply how this system run up to now, in keeping with people acquainted with the problem. Veteran “60 Minutes” exec producer Bill Owens surrendered in April, stating Paramount Global’s increased scrutiny of his content material decisions infringed on his journalistic freedom.
“Our parent company Paramount is trying to complete a merger,” Scott Pelley, a “60 Minutes” contributor, acknowledged on airat the end of an episode April 27, after Owens resigned “The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways. None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt he had lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”
“60 Minutes” broadcast its final episode of the intervalSunday It won’t have brand-new episodes as soon as once more tillSeptember McMahon felt she wanted to take care of to additionally get hold of “60 Minutes” to air in any means in present weeks, supplied the board’s alternative that individual tales not run, in keeping with people acquainted along with her reasoning.
McMahon was assigned chief govt officer in August 2023.
There have really likewise been a lot of components of stress in between McMahon and Redstone in present months, consisting of CBS’ safety of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and a potential “60 Minutes” negotiation with the Trump administration over the modifying and enhancing of an October assembly with then-presidential prospect and former united stateVice President Kamala Harris Privately, Redstone has really slammed McMahon over “fairness and balance” issues, in keeping with people acquainted with Redstone’s reasoning.
Redstone has really likewise been depressing with McMahon’s administration and the effectivity of CBS News from a corporation perspective, in keeping with people acquainted with Redstone’s reasoning.
Merging with Skydance
Paramount Global is trying to acquire federal authorities authorization to mix with Skydance Media, run byDavid Ellison The provide would definitely pay Redstone larger than $1.5 billion for her managing share within the agency. She would definitely not have an obligation on the joined entity shifting ahead.
That merging is being stood up by the Federal Communications Commission as preparations in between Paramount Global and the federal authorities proceed over the “60 Minutes” assembly.
Another issue of opinion in between the federal government agency and the agency is enterprise selection campaigns,The Wall Street Journal reported in April FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has really overtly prompted media corporations to suppress selection, fairness and addition packages.
In February, Paramount acknowledged it could actually end its DEI plans, mentioning an exec order by President Donald Trump outlawing the method within the federal authorities and requiring that corporations study unique corporations over their DEI packages.
In October, Redstone overtly slammed McMahon’s option to reprimand CBS News early morning assist Tony Dokoupil over a gathering with author Ta-Nehisi Coates CBS News acknowledged Dokoupil had really gone in opposition to content material necessities when the host pressed Coates on why he actually didn’t encompass much more of Israel’s perspective on the battle in Gaza all through the assembly. Redstone acknowledged CBS News made a “bad mistake.”
“I think Tony did a great job with that interview,” Redstone acknowledged in October all through a panel at Advertising Week New York.
