'60 Minutes' calls out Paramount Global over executive producer departure

“No 1 present is happy.”

That was the connection from “60 Minutes” analogous Scott Pelley astatine the extremity of Sunday’s program, successful which helium paid tribute to departing enforcement shaper Bill Owens, who resigned past week citing expanding firm interference successful the venerable show.

“Bill resigned Tuesday,” Pelley said. “It was hard connected him and hard connected us, but helium did it for america and you.”

Owens had battled efforts astatine CBS genitor institution Paramount Global to settee a $20-billion suit filed by President Trump regarding the network’s October interrogation with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount Global is looking to get authorities support for a merger woody with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

“Paramount began to supervise our contented successful caller ways,” Pelley told viewers successful a conception called “The Last Minute.” “None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt helium mislaid the independency that honorable journalism requires.”

“60 Minutes” unit person ne'er been shy astir addressing interior battles with the network. But presenting unhappiness implicit a company-related substance connected the aerial successful beforehand of a viewing assemblage of millions is highly unusual.

A typical for CBS said Monday that the institution had nary remark connected Pelley’s remarks.

According to 1 writer astatine the web who was not authorized to talk publicly, Paramount Global bulk shareholder Shari Redstone has asked for communicative line-ups up of the broadcasts successful caller months. When asked if immoderate stories had been killed, the idiosyncratic said, “Not yet.”

Trump’s suit claiming the interrogation with Harris was deceptively edited is expected to spell earlier a mediator this week.

But since it was filed, “60 Minutes” has continued to aggressively screen the Trump White House. Sunday’s variation included a conception connected fund and occupation cuts astatine the National Institutes of Health and however they volition harm aesculapian research.

Owens, who is inactive moving astatine the programme for a fewer much weeks, was known for being protective of the program’s independence.

“If you’ve ever worked hard for a brag due to the fact that you admired him, past you recognize what we’ve enjoyed here,” Pelley said.