In a rare public rebuke, veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley warned that press freedom stands on shaky ground as CBS and its parent Paramount weigh settling former President Trump’s lawsuit. “Well, it’d be very damaging to CBS, to Paramount, to the reputation of those companies,” Pelley said during a CNN interview. The statement came amid controversy over a proposed settlement that Trump rejected, seeking $25 million and a formal apology over the Kamala Harris interview.
Pelley also defended former producer Bill Owens, who resigned in April, saying Owens acted in defense of viewers when CBS management began to “meddle in Bill’s decisions about the editorial content.” Pelley emphasized he hasn’t experienced editorial pressure himself but stressed the need for CBS leadership to reaffirm its support: “You really wish the company was behind you 100% … I haven’t heard that.”
The network’s internal strife deepened as CEO Wendy McMahon stepped down following Owens’s departure, prompting CBS staff to warn that a settlement could undermine credibility and press freedom. Paramount, reportedly eager to secure approval for its merger with Skydance, allegedly delayed critical stories—including coverage of Trump and Israel-Gaza—prompting accusations of corporate interference.
