Bill Owens, a former executive producer for “60 Minutes,” revealed that he faced pressure to apologize for an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which became a focal point in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CBS. Owens recounted his experience at Colby College in Maine after receiving a journalism award, stating, “I’m not apologizing for anything. We did nothing wrong.” He acknowledged that while “60 Minutes” has had its imperfections, they’ve always taken responsibility for past mistakes.
Owens also expressed his belief that apologizing would only undermine the integrity of the show. “The only option I had would have been to self-destruct, which would have caused quite a stir,” he said. He left his position in April 2025, citing a lack of independence.
Additionally, Owens shared incidents where he felt additional scrutiny, particularly concerning coverage of both Trump and the situation in Gaza. He recalled receiving a call suggesting they limit references to Trump during discussions. “They were very concerned about President Trump,” he noted. He mentioned that Shari Redstone, a former Paramount shareholder, disapproved of the coverage related to the Gaza war, particularly a segment highlighting resignations by senior Biden administration officials over the war response.
Regarding the Gaza coverage, Owens stated, “She didn’t like the story,” although he himself had no desire to pursue it further and noted that Redstone never contacted him personally.
Trump’s lawsuit initiated in October 2024 claimed deceptive editing in Harris’s “60 Minutes” interview and alleged election interference. Following the legal conflict, CBS and Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement with Trump to cover various expenses.
CBS has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the situation.
