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 introduced Monday she is tipping down, the most recent spin in an expanding fight of wills in between the firm’s information department and Paramount Global managing investor Shari Redstone.
Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks spoke with McMahon on Saturday and requested for her resignation, according to individuals acquainted with the issue. McMahon accepted tip down, and the Paramount Global board held a conference Sunday at which participants were warned of the choice, according to those individuals, that talked on the problem of privacy to go over inner issues.
Spokespeople for McMahon, Paramount Global and CBS News decreased to comment.
“The past few months have been challenging,” McMahon composed in her resignation letter to workers. “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 current weeks, Paramount Global’s board had actually placed boosting stress on Cheeks and McMahon to recognize certain information regarding “60 Minutes” programs in advance of its air day, in an aberration from just how the program run in the past, according to individuals acquainted with the issue. Veteran “60 Minutes” exec manufacturer Bill Owens surrendered in April, stating Paramount Global’s increased scrutiny of his content choices infringed on his journalistic freedom.
“Our parent company Paramount is trying to complete a merger,” Scott Pelley, a “60 Minutes” contributor, stated 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 last episode of the periodSunday It will not have brand-new episodes once again tillSeptember McMahon felt she needed to deal with to also obtain “60 Minutes” to air in any way in current weeks, offered the board’s choice that particular tales not run, according to individuals acquainted with her reasoning.
McMahon was assigned chief executive officer in August 2023.
There have actually likewise been a number of factors of stress in between McMahon and Redstone in current months, consisting of CBS’ protection of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and a possible “60 Minutes” negotiation with the Trump management over the editing and enhancing of an October meeting with then-presidential prospect and previous united stateVice President Kamala Harris Privately, Redstone has actually slammed McMahon over “fairness and balance” problems, according to individuals acquainted with Redstone’s reasoning.
Redstone has actually likewise been miserable with McMahon’s management and the efficiency of CBS News from an organization point of view, according to individuals acquainted with Redstone’s reasoning.
Merging with Skydance
Paramount Global is attempting to obtain federal government authorization to combine with Skydance Media, run byDavid Ellison The offer would certainly pay Redstone greater than $1.5 billion for her managing share in the firm. She would certainly not have a duty at the joined entity moving forward.
That merging is being stood up by the Federal Communications Commission as arrangements in between Paramount Global and the federal government proceed over the “60 Minutes” meeting.
Another factor of opinion in between the government firm and the firm is business variety campaigns,The Wall Street Journal reported in April FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has actually openly prompted media firms to suppress variety, equity and addition programs.
In February, Paramount stated it would certainly finish its DEI plans, pointing out an exec order by President Donald Trump outlawing the technique in the federal government and requiring that firms examine exclusive firms over their DEI programs.
In October, Redstone openly slammed McMahon’s choice to reprimand CBS News early morning support Tony Dokoupil over a meeting with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates CBS News stated Dokoupil had actually gone against content requirements when the host pressed Coates on why he really did not consist of even more of Israel’s point of view on the battle in Gaza throughout the meeting. Redstone stated CBS News made a “bad mistake.”
“I think Tony did a great job with that interview,” Redstone stated in October throughout a panel at Advertising Week New York.
