Shari Redstone asked CBS to ‘delay sensitive – Business News
Paramount Global boss Shari Redstone asked CBS brass to delay airing sensitive tales about President Trump and his insurance policies till after she closes the deal to merge with Skydance Media, The Post has realized.
According to a source with information, Redstone had turn out to be more and more involved over a handful of “60 Minutes” tales that drew criticism from the president and the Federal Communications Commission.
The media heiress referred to as CBS CEO George Cheeks in April to specific her issues about vital Trump tales on Ukraine and Greenland that triggered the president to urge FCC chair Brendan Carr in a Truth Social Post to “impose the maximum fines and punishment,” the source mentioned.
Shari Redstone asked the CBS CEO if it was potential to delay sensitive tales
forward of the Paramount-Skydance merger. Variety by way of Getty Images
Puck News, which was first to report Redstone’s request to Cheeks, mentioned she asked the exec what else she may anticipate from this system and needed to know if it could be potential to delay sensitive tales about Trump and his insurance policies till after she closed the Skydance deal.
The outlet added that there’s no proof of Redstone’s elevated oversight of “60 Minutes” that has triggered the show to change its programming, nor has Cheeks ever tried to execute her request.
CBS declined to remark. A rep for Redstone didn’t instantly return requests for remark.
A CBS insider advised The Post that Redstone’s request isn’t essentially out of the atypical; generally execs make it clear to community brass that there are sensitive occasions to maintain off on working sure tales.
But on this case, the scenario is completely different; there’s a highlight on “60 Minutes,” which is within the crosshairs of President Trump over alleged bias.
President Trump has been extremely vital of “60 Minutes” and sued the show over its sitdown with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. AP
Currently Paramount is in mediation with legal professionals for Trump, after he filed a $20 billion lawsuit in opposition to “60 Minutes,” during which he alleged the show “deceptively edited” its sitdown with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was working for president on the time, to make her look higher
Carr, who’s charged with greenlighting Paramount’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance, has additionally launched a probe into the interview over claims of “news distortion.”
“60 Minutes” has claimed no wrongdoing and launched the unedited interview and transcript of the sitdown, however the episode has rankled journalists inside of the community.
The FCC is trying into complaints over claims of “news distortion” in its Harris interview. 60 Minutes / CBS
Last week, Bill Owens, the pinnacle of the show, stepped down, citing issues about a lack of editorial independence.
In current months, Owens bumped heads with larger ups on the company, notably Redstone.
Redstone, whose household stands to pocket about $1.75 billion if the $8 billion merger with Skydance Media goes by, allegedly pressed CBS News president Wendy McMahon to fire Owens for airing of a one-sided January report on the Gaza War.
Following the episode, Redstone insisted that Susan Zirinsky, a legendary CBS producer who additionally served because the information division’s president from 2019 to 2021, oversee the Standards & Practices of “60 Minutes” and different CBS News packages.
“60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley slammed his bosses, accusing them of interfering with this system’s protection, following Bill Owens’ exit.
Owens privately bristled on the appointment of Zirinsky, who had as soon as been in a bake-off with him for his job on the show. Zirinsky later introduced in CBS News veteran Al Ortiz to help her with oversight of “60 Minutes,” which was a lot more palatable to Owens.
Owens’ issues of editorial interference had been echoed by “60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley, who launched into a surprising on-air assault of Paramount on Sunday, during which he accused prime brass of interfering with this system’s protection.
In a tribute to “60 Minutes” Owens, Pelley went off on Paramount’s heavy handed-interference, which triggered his boss to resign.
Although Pelley mentioned “none of our stories have been blocked,” he famous that Owens “felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”
