‘Worst-run media company in the history of – Business News
Former “60 Minutes” government producer Bill Owens is reportedly writing a tell-all memoir about his 37 years at CBS News, taking goal at proprietor Paramount, its CEO David Ellison and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, amongst others.
In a proposal obtained by Breaker Media, Owens describes Paramount’s resolution to settle President Trump’s lawsuit over the modifying of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris as “perhaps the worst legal strategy ever employed by the worst-run media company in the history of America.”
The proposed e-book would mark Owens’ most in depth public account but of the turmoil that engulfed CBS News and “60 Minutes” earlier than and after he resigned from the community.
Former “60 Minutes” government producer Bill Owens is reportedly writing a memoir chronicling his 37-year profession at CBS News and the turmoil surrounding his departure from the community. Getty Images for Writers Guild of America East
Owens resigned final yr after claiming that growing company involvement in editorial selections had disadvantaged him of the independence he believed the government producer of “60 Minutes” needed to do the job.
According to Breaker, he alleges in the proposal that Paramount had “set up an internal spy ring that the Vichy government would have admired,” claiming scripts and story plans have been routinely shared with senior company management.
As for Trump’s swimsuit, Owens writes: “There wasn’t a lawyer alive who believed the case had merit, and I didn’t want to set a precedent by handing over all of our interviews to the candidate who was pointing a gun at us.”
He accuses Paramount executives of “corporate cowardice” over the settlement, in keeping with Breaker.
Ellison and Weiss additionally come below fire.
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is alleged to be a central goal of Owens’ proposed memoir. CBS News through AP
Owens writes that Ellison promised to not politicize CBS News earlier than hiring Weiss to run the community.
“Weiss is an opinion writer who has made a name for herself by having a lot of opinions,” Owens states.
“In her first week at the helm, she asked each journalist to do some homework. Write a note to her about everything you are working on — her version of — what did you do over summer break, children?”
Paramount Skydance chief government David Ellison additionally comes below fire in Bill Owens’ reported memoir proposal over the direction of CBS News. REUTERS
Owens reportedly reserves some of his harshest criticism for former Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, faulting her resolution to reunite CBS and Viacom regardless of what he says was overwhelming advice in opposition to it.
“Against almost every serious piece of advice, Shari decided to merge Viacom, a weak cable company, with CBS,” Owens writes. “But merger is too mild a noun for what happened.”
He calls the deal “more like a rape, with Viacom consuming CBS” and abandoning “a poor, slow child named Paramount” that was “not ready for the world, or Wall Street.”
Start your day with all you need to know
Morning Report delivers the newest information, videos, images and more.
Thanks for signing up!
Owens is represented by CAA literary agent Sloan Harris, in keeping with Breaker.
The memoir proposal comes as “60 Minutes” continues to reel from months of upheaval.
Following Owens’ resignation, CBS News changed him with longtime producer Tanya Simon.
Owens reportedly blames former controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for steering Paramount towards a settlement of President Trump’s lawsuit in opposition to CBS News. REUTERS
Months later, after Weiss took over the information division below Paramount Skydance, Simon was dismissed together with correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, senior government producer Draggan Mihailovich, veteran producer Guy Campanile and digital operations chief Matthew Polevoy.
The shakeup culminated in the firing of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after he confronted newly put in government producer Nick Bilton and accused Weiss of “murdering” “60 Minutes.”
A spokesperson for Paramount tv chief George Cheeks disputed parts of Owens’ account, telling Breaker Media that Cheeks by no means supported apologizing to Trump as half of the settlement and by no means reviewed “60 Minutes” scripts earlier than they aired.
The Post has sought remark from Owens, Redstone, CAA and CBS News.
