Legendary “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley launched an astonishing on-air assault on his Paramount bosses for interfering with this system’s protection.
Pelley went rogue on the finish of Sunday evening’s episode throughout what gave the impression to be a easy tribute to Invoice Owens, the longtime “60 Minutes” govt producer who stop final week over the corporate’s heavy-handed interference.
“Bill resigned Tuesday — it was hard on him and hard on us,” Pelley mentioned in his closing remarks on the present he has labored on for greater than 20 years.
“But he did it for us — and you,” he informed viewers — then unexpectedly advised that Owens’ exit might finish the period of protection being “accurate and fair.”
“Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger,” he mentioned, noting that it wants approval from the Trump administration.
“Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” he mentioned.
Pelley mentioned that whereas “none of our stories have been blocked,” Owens “felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”
“No one here is happy about it. But in resigning, Bill proved one thing — he was the right person to lead ’60 Minutes’ all along.”
Owens walked away following a $20 billion lawsuit filed by President Trump, accusing this system of “unlawful and illegal behavior” for what the president claims was misleading enhancing of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris final October.
“Over the past months, it has also become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it. To make independent decisions based on what was right for ’60 Minutes,’ right for the audience,” Owens wrote in a memo final week obtained by The Submit.
“So, having defended this show — and what we stand for — from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward,” he wrote.
Trump demanded a retraction and even advised that CBS’s broadcast license be revoked.
The Submit beforehand reported that Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, who’s concerned in settlement talks between the Trump administration and her firm, had wished Owens gone.
Owens, who’s the 57-year-old present’s third govt producer, was changed by interim Tanya Simon, govt editor and daughter of late “60 Minutes” correspondent Invoice Simon.
