"Began to supervise our content in new ways": Scott Pelley takes a shot at Paramount+ addressing the exit of Bill Owens

The TV show "60 Minutes" is going through a tough time facing questions from inside and outside the organization. This comes after Bill Owens, the executive producer, suddenly quit. His departure, attributed to disagreements over corporate oversight, has brought to light simmering tensions between CBS’s flagship news show and its parent company, Paramount. This has brought to light some ongoing issues between CBS's top news program and its parent company Paramount.

In the most recent episode, Scott Pelley, a long-time reporter on the show, spoke to the audience. He talked about Owens leaving and hinted that the show's ability to report might be at risk. Pelley didn't say they were being censored, but he suggested that the company's increased involvement was making it harder for the show to make its own decisions about what to cover.

“Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” Scott Pelley said. “None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”

Paramount’s merger plans and their impact on “60 Minutes” editorial freedom

Paramount, which owns CBS, has stayed quiet about the issue. Yet, this has all played out while big business moves are happening. Shari Redstone, who controls Paramount, is trying to pull off a big merger. She needs the Trump administration to say yes. This has led some to think that worries about politics might be shaping what stories get told.

The events leading up to Owens leaving include some heated moments. Paramount’s increased involvement reportedly followed complaints from Redstone about a January segment covering the Israel-Hamas conflict, which she deemed biased. In response, CBS appointed a new journalistic standards officer tasked with reviewing sensitive content, a move that some insiders saw as a shift in editorial control.

CBS battles legal challenges while "60 Minutes" stays true to its investigative roots

Complicating matters, CBS faces a $10 billion lawsuit from former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit stems from a "60 Minutes" interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, which Trump claims was edited to mislead viewers. Most legal experts see the case as weak, but Redstone has shown interest in settling it, which raises more worries about compromising editorial standards.

Pelley's unusual on-air comments on how he framed Owens's departure as a defense of the show's integrity, bring to mind a significant event from the past. In 1995, "60 Minutes" found itself in a corporate standoff when CBS refused to broadcast a whistleblower's accusations against the tobacco industry citing legal worries. That episode, which made it to air, became a defining moment for the program and later inspired the movie "The Insider."

At the same time, "60 Minutes" keeps tackling tough subjects. The show's latest episode looked into budget cuts at the National Institutes of Health during Trump's presidency. This shows the program is sticking to its roots of bold reporting even as it faces pressure from within.

As Paramount pursues its business ambitions, the future of “60 Minutes” — and its ability to maintain its storied reputation for fearless reporting — remains a key question.
For now, the program continues to assert its commitment to accuracy and fairness.

Gomala Devi is a journalist at Primetimer. 

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering and has over three years of experience as a content writer.

Gomala was drawn to writing after reading the Harry Potter series, and she developed an interest in fashion and pop culture at the same time.
She loves exploring the newest developments in the lifestyle space and crafting interesting opinion pieces. She references official websites, interviews, and social media to ensure that her work is factually sound.

In her spare time, she loves to read books and play chess.