The turmoil at CBS Information over the controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris has put the present’s boss on the recent seat – and insiders are speculating the community might dump him if President Trump desires a “head on a spike,” The Put up has realized.
Invoice Owens – govt producer of “60 Minutes” since a sexual-misconduct scandal engulfed CBS and ousted his predecessor, Jeff Fager – has remained defiant amid fury from the rank-and-file over a potential settlement with Trump over his $10 billion lawsuit.
The president claims CBS edited the Harris interview to make her look higher forward of the election – an accusation the community has denied.
On Monday, 58-year-old Owens instructed staffers that the edit was “perfectly fine” and that “the company knows I will not apologize for anything we have done,” The New York Instances reported Tuesday.
Nonetheless, CBS confirmed it reluctantly despatched the complete interview transcript on Monday to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who has vowed to fast-track an investigation into any wrongdoing, as The Put up reported.
On Monday, Carr instructed The Put up he’ll vet the transcript in mild of an FCC “prohibition against news distortion on our books for 50 years” that applies to TV broadcasters. Some CBS insiders concern the outlook for the probe isn’t good.
“It might not matter what the transcripts show,” a CBS supply instructed The Put up. “Trump might want a head to roll.”
If Owens will get the boot, community sources are chattering that one of many individuals who might substitute him is Susan Zirinsky, the legendary producer who impressed Holly Hunter’s character within the basic film “Broadcast News.”
Final month, the 72-year-old Zirinsky, was named interim govt editor of CBS Information to assist the Tiffany Community “quickly and effectively deliver balanced, accurate, fair and timely reporting, including highly complex, sensitive issues like the war in the Middle East,” CBS CEO George Cheeks mentioned in a memo.
On the time, Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone praised Zirinsky’s appointment, saying the community is “fortunate” that she “stepped in.”
That was after “60 Minutes” drew barbs over a phase on the Gaza struggle – main Redstone to voice issues concerning the present’s route, a number of sources mentioned.
A “livid” Redstone, whose household stands to pocket about $1.75 billion if the $8 billion merger with Skydance Media goes by way of, allegedly pressed CBS Information president Wendy McMahon to fireside Owens for airing the one-sided report, one other supply with data of the state of affairs mentioned.
Redstone and CBS declined to remark.
The phase additionally drew scorn from the ADL and the American Jewish Committee for being “biased” and “villainizing Israel” and the US’ assist of the nation.
The backlash in opposition to “60 Minutes” comes at a fragile time for Paramount because it tries to sidestep regulatory hurdles from Trump’s appointed FCC chair to finish the long-winding Skydance deal.
Owens, who like his predecessors has run “60 Minutes” as an impartial fiefdom aside from CBS information, isn’t comfortable about having his work vetted by Zirinsky, sources mentioned.
Zirinsky and Owens declined to remark.
The pair had been locked in a bake-off for the “60 Minutes” gig in 2019. Some “60 Minutes” staffers, together with host Scott Pelley, had been apoplectic over the concept that Zirinsky — then boss of crime-focused information present “48 Hours” — might get the job over Owens, as The Put up beforehand reported.
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Owens did get the position after Zirinsky was promoted to CBS Information president – a place whose bureaucratic duties she reportedly didn’t relish. She stepped down in 2021 to run See It Now Studios, a CBS documentary unit.
Owens, within the meantime, has racked up criticism on his watch over this system’s allegedly leftward skid.
Along with the Harris interview, through which CBS was accused of enhancing down her prolonged, “word salad” responses to powerful questions, “60 Minutes” has taken warmth for giving former President Joe Biden comparable, soft-glove therapy throughout a fawning 2023 interview by Pelley.
“Bill Owens has so many strikes against him,” one other CBS insider instructed The Put up, including that Zirinsky could lastly get her likelihood to run the distinguished program “if Trump wants a head on a spike.”
Different bones of rivalry embrace Leslie Stahl’s 2020 sit-down with Trump through which she claimed the Hunter Biden Laptop computer story couldn’t be verified.
