By Joe Flint and Jessica Toonkel

The top executive at CBS News program "60 Minutes" resigned Tuesday, saying he had lost editorial independence, a high-profile departure from a company in the throes of a legal battle with President Trump.

Bill Owens, executive producer of "60 Minutes," said in a memo to staff that it had become clear he would "not be able to run the show as I have always run it." Owens has faced criticism from Shari Redstone, whose family company controls CBS parent Paramount Global, for his editorial decisions -- including coverage choices regarding the Israel-Hamas war -- and from Trump over an October interview with Kamala Harris.

Trump sued CBS News over how "60 Minutes" edited the Harris interview, alleging that the network committed election interference by favorably editing portions and giving her an edge in her campaign for president. The network has said it was neither doctored nor deceitful.

In February, Trump amended the suit to seek $20 billion in damages, up from $10 billion when he filed it in the fall.

Paramount Global is pursuing a merger with Skydance Media and needs approval from the Federal Communications Commission to cross the finish line. The FCC has opened an investigation into possible news distortion by CBS News in relation to its editing of the Harris interview.

Redstone, the nonexecutive chair of Paramount, has advocated for a settlement with Trump, hoping it will clear the way for merger approval. A mediator was recently tapped to try to bring the parties together on a deal, and mediation is expected to begin at the end of the month, according to people familiar with the situation.

Inside CBS News, some are reluctant to settle, particularly if such a settlement includes any sort of apology, people familiar with the division's thinking have said. Some of Paramount's top executives and directors are concerned they could be exposed to criminal charges if a settlement is viewed as bribing a public official to get the deal approved, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.

Executives at Skydance have also pushed Paramount for a settlement, according to people familiar with the situation.

Trump's lawsuit and the regulatory review of Paramount's merger with Skydance are proceeding on different tracks. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has said the third-party news distortion complaint about the way "60 Minutes" edited the Harris interview could factor into the agency's review of the merger.

In a meeting with staff Tuesday, Owens said he had become a problem for CBS, according to a person who attended the gathering.

The New York Times earlier reported on Owens' resignation.

Trump has continued to criticize "60 Minutes" in recent months.

"They are not a 'News Show,' but a dishonest Political Operative simply disguised as 'News,' and must be responsible for what they have done, and are doing. They should lose their license!," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after an April 13 broadcast that included stories about Greenland and the war in Ukraine.

While Owens didn't name Redstone as the primary reason for his departure, people familiar with his thinking said that was who he was referring to in his memo and remarks. Owens wasn't immediately available for comment.

Redstone has become an increasingly vocal critic of CBS News and of Owens's stewardship of "60 Minutes." Earlier this year she criticized a "60 Minutes" story about the Biden administration's handling of the war in Gaza, which drew criticism from Jewish groups and others for having an anti-Israel bias.

Owens, who has worked for CBS News since 1988, began overseeing "60 Minutes" in 2019. Last August, he also added responsibility for "CBS Evening News."

Write to Joe Flint at Joe.Flint@wsj.com and Jessica Toonkel at jessica.toonkel@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 22, 2025 15:57 ET (19:57 GMT)

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