Former "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens is reportedly preparing a memoir critical of CBS News and its parent company, Paramount, even as he continues to receive millions of dollars under a separation agreement. The arrangement includes a non-disparagement clause, prompting internal discussions at Paramount and CBS about potential violations.
Sources familiar with the separation told Puck News that Paramount is honoring the remaining years of Owens' contract, with annual multimillion-dollar payments continuing. Owens also signed a non-disparagement agreement as part of his exit.
Owens, who resigned from "60 Minutes" in April of the previous year, has already made public criticisms of the company's new leadership. While accepting an award from the New York Press Club, he described CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as "a fraud" and "an ideologue."
The proposed memoir is expected to include accusations against former Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, alleging she succumbed to political pressure. It also reportedly claims that corporate executives interfered with "60 Minutes" and that senior management prioritized merger politics over journalism. Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and Weiss are also said to be targets of criticism in the book proposal, with Owens accusing them of politicizing the network.
Owens' departure from "60 Minutes" stemmed from a dispute with Paramount's previous leadership over what he perceived as increasing corporate interference in the news magazine's editorial process during the company's attempted sale to Skydance. A central issue was a lawsuit filed by then-President Trump against CBS concerning the editing of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Redstone, focused on the Paramount-Skydance transaction's approval, reportedly urged Owens and then-CBS News chief Wendy McMahon to issue an apology and settle the case, which Paramount eventually did for $16 million.
Redstone also reportedly became more involved in reviewing programming. Following a report on Gaza, she requested that CBS television chief George Cheeks bring in veteran executive Susan Zirinsky to oversee standards, a move Owens viewed as an infringement on his authority. Zirinsky subsequently appointed producer Al Ortiz to screen "60 Minutes" segments before broadcast, though Puck noted that such reviews were not unprecedented and were handled with a light touch.
Despite these reviews, Owens concluded that he lacked the editorial independence necessary to lead the program. The turmoil within CBS News reportedly intensified after Weiss took over and initiated significant changes, leading to the dismissal of several key personnel, including "60 Minutes" executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Veteran correspondent Scott Pelley was reportedly removed after confronting Weiss and new executive producer Nick Bilton at a staff meeting, where Pelley accused Weiss of "murdering" "60 Minutes."