CBS News President Wendy McMahon Steps Down Amid Mounting Tensions Over Trump Coverage and Corporate Politics
Wendy McMahon, president of CBS News and Stations, is stepping down in the wake of months-long friction with Paramount executives, marking another major shakeup at one of America’s top news networks.
McMahon, who took over leadership of the division in August 2023, announced her departure in a staff memo Monday, writing that “it’s become clear the company and I do not agree on the path forward.” Her exit follows internal clashes tied to CBS’s coverage of former President Donald Trump and a broader legal and political storm brewing around the network’s flagship newsmagazine, 60 Minutes.
She had aligned herself with Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes who resigned last month citing interference with editorial independence. McMahon publicly backed Owens at the time, saying supporting him was “an easy decision.” That gesture, however, appeared to deepen the rift between her and higher-ups at Paramount, the network’s parent company.
Paramount has been navigating sensitive territory as it considers settling a $20 billion lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump. The lawsuit accuses 60 Minutes of misleading editing in a 2023 segment featuring Kamala Harris. Legal experts have dismissed the claim as weak, but Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, reportedly supports settling—part of her broader strategy as she seeks government approval to finalize a multibillion-dollar sale of Paramount to Skydance, a Hollywood production studio.
The legal battle and political pressure have cast a long shadow over CBS News. McMahon’s support for the journalistic autonomy of 60 Minutes reportedly clashed with corporate concerns about the program’s impact on the lawsuit and Redstone’s business dealings.
Tensions also extended to newsroom controversies. Ms. Redstone was displeased with CBS’s internal response to an interview by “CBS Mornings” anchor Tony Dokoupil, who challenged author Ta-Nehisi Coates over his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. CBS executives criticized Dokoupil for breaching editorial standards, but Redstone publicly disagreed, praising the anchor and calling the network’s rebuke “a mistake.”
McMahon’s tenure had already seen its share of struggles, including a poorly received reboot of CBS Evening News, which failed to win over viewers. And the network also came under fire over its reporting on the Israel-Hamas war in a 60 Minutes segment earlier this year.
Though some CBS insiders had long anticipated McMahon’s exit, the announcement came swiftly—less than a day after 60 Minutes aired its season finale—surprising many within the organization.
In a statement, CBS CEO George Cheeks said McMahon will stay on briefly to assist with the leadership transition. For now, her responsibilities will be split between Tom Cibrowski, recently named president of CBS News, and Jennifer Mitchell, who heads CBS Stations.
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