Wendy McMahon has announced her resignation from her position as president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, citing disagreements with the company’s direction. The news was revealed in a memo to staff.
“Today, I am stepping down from my position as president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures,” McMahon wrote in the memo. “This has been one of the most meaningful chapters in my career. Leading this extraordinary organization has been the honor of a lifetime because I got to work alongside all of you. Your commitment to truth, fairness and the highest standards is unassailable… At the same time, the past few months have been challenging. It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”
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McMahon’s departure comes amid a high-profile $20 billion lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against CBS News and its program “60 Minutes.”
The lawsuit alleges that the network manipulated an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, editing her responses to favor her ahead of the 2024 election. Specifically, Trump’s lawsuit claims that CBS News omitted portions of Harris’s answers that raised questions about the Biden administration’s stance on Israel’s military actions.
The lawsuit has reportedly created significant internal pressure within Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company.
According to The New York Times, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, is reportedly open to settling the lawsuit by seeking Trump’s agreement to support the company’s sale to Skydance, a Hollywood studio.
The controversy surrounding the “60 Minutes” interview also led to the resignation of Bill Owens, the program’s former executive producer, in April. Owens reportedly cited a loss of journalistic independence as the reason for his departure.
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Trump has further escalated his attacks on CBS News, accusing the network of “derogatory and defamatory” reporting. He has called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revoke CBS News’s broadcast license and impose maximum fines.
“I am so honored to be suing 60 Minutes, CBS Fake News, and Paramount, over their fraudulent, beyond recognition, reporting,” Trump stated in a Truth Social post. “They did everything possible to illegally elect Kamala, including completely and corruptly changing major answers to Interview questions, but it just didn’t work for them. They are not a “News Show,” but a dishonest Political Operative simply disguised as ‘News,’ and must be responsible for what they have done, and are doing.”
Paramount Global President George Cheeks acknowledged McMahon’s departure in a statement, thanking her for her “partnership” and “leadership” over the past four years. “Under her leadership, the competitive position and culture at our television stations have improved dramatically, and we’ve expanded local news significantly. Our streaming news platforms – national and local – are stronger and growing, with digital extensions now in place for several of our flagship CBS News broadcasts,” Cheeks stated.
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