Former CBS Leader Critiques Network Direction
Bill Owens, the former chief of 60 Minutes, has recently expressed strong criticisms of CBS News, claiming it’s overseen by individuals who “don’t know what we’re doing and don’t really care.” He also commended correspondent Scott Pelley for taking a stand during a notable meeting with management.
These remarks were made at the New York Press Club’s annual banquet in Manhattan, where Owens received an award. He humorously noted, “These statements were written last night and today the Scott Pelley thing happened,” as he began his speech.
He criticized the layoffs of staff announced the previous week, which included correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Owens described CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as “an opinion writer best known as an ideologue,” asserting that actions against the staff were taken by people indifferent to the network’s work, a sentiment echoed by other former employees.
These comments come shortly after a tense exchange between Pelley and newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton during a staff meeting. During this confrontation, Pelley accused Weiss of “killing 60 Minutes,” questioned Bilton’s qualifications, leading to a quick end to the meeting.
Owens praised Pelley’s actions, stating, “Scott can smell fraud from a mile away. He stepped up like I did a year ago and I couldn’t be prouder of him.” He added that everyone at 60 Minutes shares this pride.
Finishing his speech, Owens defended the culture of 60 Minutes and took issue with the current trajectory of CBS News under Weiss, who has been described as aiming for balance since taking the reins last fall. He remarked that these networks and programs ought to serve as institutions rather than habitats for partisanship.
While acknowledging that 60 Minutes isn’t perfect—”We’ve made mistakes,” he admitted—he emphasized the diligence with which the program approaches stories, contrasting it with the current team’s efforts.
Owens, prior to his departure, had reimagined The Evening News as a “mini-60 Minutes” hosted by John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois; however, those ratings still lagged behind competitors at NBC and ABC, consistently under 4 million viewers.
After Weiss brought in Tony Dokoupil as the new anchor, Evening News has seen a modest recovery, gaining more than 100,000 viewers, a 3% uptick compared to earlier this season.
These comments mark Owens’ first public remarks since Weiss implemented significant changes at 60 Minutes. The recent shakeup wasn’t limited to just Alfonsi and Vega; it also included the departures of executive producer Tanya Simon and senior executive producer Dragan Mihailovic, among others.
The Post has reached out to CBS News for a response.
