'60 Minutes' boss Bill Owens resigns amid Trump pressure, sparking freedom of the press concerns

Just two weeks after US president Donald Trump fumed over CBS News’ “fraudulent” reporting – over which he said he would be suing 60 Minutes, “CBS Fake News” and Paramount – the executive producer of the aforementioned programme has resigned, citing a loss of “independence” over its reporting.

Trump called on an “out of control” CBS to “lose their license” in a rant on Truth Social on 13 April, expressing a desire to see the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) “impose the maximum fines and punishment” over its “unlawful and illegal behaviour”.

The Republican didn’t make clear exactly how CBS News broke the law with its coverage, and as for the FCC, they’re an independent federal agency which issues eight-year licenses to broadcast stations, not networks.

Trump’s complaints came on the same day 60 Minutes aired an interview with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he claimed US vice president JD Vance is “somehow justifying Putin’s action” against Ukraine.

Now, executive producer Bill Owens has resigned, with correspondent Scott Pelley telling viewers on Sunday that CBS’ parent company Paramount is “trying to complete a merger” which requires approval from the Trump administration.

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

60 Minutes calling out its parent company has since left viewers shocked:

A second account slammed the situation as “state-controlled media by blackmail”:

A third expressed concerns that the US is “falling into fascism”:

Meanwhile, another wrote “you don’t appreciate freedom of the press until you lose it”:

Trump is yet to comment on the segment or Owen’s resignation.

indy100 approached Paramount for a statement, but they declined to comment.

Why not read…

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