Memoir from Former CBS News Producer Bill Owens

Bill Owens, the ex-executive producer of “60 Minutes,” is in the process of writing a memoir that promises to delve into his 37 years at CBS News, casting a critical eye on figures such as Paramount’s owner, David Ellison, and editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.

In his proposal, he heavily criticized Paramount’s handling of former President Trump’s lawsuit concerning the editing of then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview, referring to it as “the worst legal strategy ever employed by perhaps the worst-run media company in American history.”

This upcoming book might be Owens’ most detailed account yet of the chaos at CBS News and “60 Minutes,” particularly around the time he stepped down.

Owens resigned last year, arguing that the increasing corporate influence over editorial choices compromised the independence he believed was essential for his role.

He claimed in his proposal that Paramount created an “in-house spy ring” that would be admired by authoritarian regimes, indicating that company executives were frequently privy to scripts and story outlines.

Regarding the lawsuit, Owens stated, “No lawyer thought this case had merit, and I didn’t want to set a precedent by handing over interviews to candidates who were threatening us.”

He accused Paramount executives of displaying “corporate cowardice” regarding the settlement.

Ellison and Weiss also faced scrutiny in his memoir proposal. Owens pointed out that Ellison had vowed to keep CBS News non-political before bringing Weiss on board to lead the network.

“Weiss is known for voicing her opinions,” he remarked. “During her first week, she asked each journalist to inform her about all their projects, almost asking, What did you do last summer?”

Owens seemed to reserve his strongest criticisms for Shari Redstone, a former controlling shareholder, pointing out that her decision to merge CBS with Viacom went against the advice of numerous experts.

“Shari chose to unite CBS with a struggling cable company, a decision that defied serious counsel,” he wrote. “But ‘merger’ doesn’t really capture the reality—it’s more akin to a takeover, with Viacom consuming CBS and leaving a dilapidated entity called Paramount unprepared for the challenges of the market.”

He is currently represented by literary agent Sloane Harris from CAA.

This memoir proposal comes as “60 Minutes” has faced significant upheaval recently. Following Owens’ exit, CBS News appointed longtime producer Tanya Simon as his replacement.

However, when Weiss took charge of Paramount’s news division a few months later, Simon, along with several correspondents and producers, were let go, leading to further tensions.

The situation peaked with the dismissal of veteran correspondent Scott Pelley, who allegedly confronted the newly-appointed executive producer, Nick Bilton, and accused Weiss of damaging the reputation of “60 Minutes.”

A spokesperson for Paramount Television President George Cheeks contested some of Owens’ claims, asserting that Cheeks never supported an apology to Trump as part of a settlement and had never seen the “60 Minutes” script before it aired.

Attempts to reach Owens, Redstone, CAA, and CBS News for comments were made but remain unanswered.