Longtime “60 Minutes” producer Bill Owens quit Tuesday amid growing tension between the “journalists” at the show and corporate brass. The weekly left-wing news show was widely rebuked in October after it aired a deceptively edited interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. In one edited version, they showed her answer a question succinctly–but in another, you can clearly see that Harris delivered one of her trademark nonsensical word salads before actually answering the question.
In a memo to staff, Owens wrote:
Over the past months, it has 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.
I love that: “I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it.” Exactly, you would now be required to be more truthful and to stop letting your leftist agenda infect your stories.
He continued:
“To make independent decisions based on what was right for 60 Minutes, right for the audience. 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.
“The show is too important to the country, it has to continue, just not with me as the Executive Producer.”
Remember this, courtesy of the holier-than-thou Executive Producer?
Owens has refused to apologize for the fiasco, even after Trump sued CBS’ parent company Paramount Global for $20 billion. Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, is reportedly pushing for the company to settle with the president because she doesn’t want to jeopardize a massive business deal:
Owens’ comment about losing independence appeared to allude to the Trump suit hanging over the network. According to the New York Times, which first reported on Owens’ resignation, Owens said earlier this year that he would not apologize for the Harris segment as part of any settlement with the president.
CBS parent company Paramount Global is reportedly considering settling the suit ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump’s FCC, which has the authority to halt the multibillion-dollar transaction.
Veteran anchor Lesley Stahl might also be on her way out:
Inside the halls of CBS, there are whispers that Leslie [sic] Stahl, who has reported for “60 Minutes” since 1991,” also could likely step down and finally retire.
Stahl had been at the center of Trump’s ire after she interviewed him in 2020 and claimed that the Hunter Biden Laptop story could not be verified. Trump has called for Stahl and the program to apologize, but his requests were ignored.
“People are terrified and the fact that Bill Owens is out means nobody is safe,” the insider said. “I think he jumped before he was fired.”
We see so much dishonesty in the leftist press, yet rarely do we see consequences. As Dan Rather found out all those years ago, however, every once in a while their games with the truth catch up to them.
