On April 28, 2025, 60 Minutes host Scott Pelley stunned viewers by revealing that longtime executive producer Bill Owens resigned over growing corporate interference, not personal choice. Pelley said Owens left to protect the show’s editorial independence as parent company Paramount sought government approval for a merger, allegedly leading to increased supervision of the program’s content.Owens, a CBS veteran of nearly 40 years,
had reportedly grown frustrated with mounting pressure that he felt compromised journalistic integrity. “Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires,” Pelley said, calling his resignation a principled stand. The disclosure ignited fierce debate online,