Lesley Stahl 'devastated' by Bill Owens' departure from '60 Minutes' amid Trump lawsuit against CBS News

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Lesley Stahl, one of the longest-serving correspondents at CBS News' '60 Minutes', revealed that executive producer Bill Owens' departure following President Donald Trump's lawsuit has left her 'devastated'.

Owens announced on Tuesday, April 22, that he was stepping down, and added that he no longer has control over the show and has lost the freedom to run it independently.

Lesley Stahl 'devastated' after Bill Owens' departure from '60 Minutes'

During a recent interview with Variety, Stahl praised Owens and said he "represented everything in a boss you could want."

Owens stepped down as producer of the show as Paramount Global, the parent of CBS News, is eagerly pursuing a sale to Skydance Media, which executives believe has been complicated by a lawsuit filed by Trump against the show and CBS News.

Trump alleged in his lawsuit that '60 Minutes' tried to mislead voters by airing two different edits of remarks made in an interview with former vice president Kamala Harris in 2024, then Trump’s rival for the White House, per the outlet.

Wendy McMahon, who oversees CBS News, stations and syndication operations, said in a memo on Tuesday that executives at CBS "are committed to '60 Minutes' and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority."

She added, "We have already begun conversations with correspondents and senior leaders, and those will continue in the days and weeks ahead."

Sources revealed that Paramount had set up outside monitors for the show’s various processes, putting the newsmagazine’s independence at risk.

Meanwhile, Stahl said, "I have been made aware of interference in our news processes, and calling into question our judgment. That is not the way that companies that own news organizations should be acting."

Stahl added that Owens "just couldn’t abide the interference."

"We hope that this message reaches our bosses, that we have a reputation to uphold. It’s one of the reasons that CBS News is valuable. It’s what '60 Minutes' stands for, and we can’t lose that. We can’t afford to lose that. We have lost our boss because of it. It’s just crushing," she said.

Bill Owens says '60 Minutes' independence was compromised

After spending 37 years with CBS News, Owens stepped down from his position. He mentioned on Tuesday in a note, "Over the past months, it has also become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it. To make independent decisions based on what was right for 60 Minutes, right for the audience."

He added, "So, having defended this show and what we stand for – from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward."

Two attendees from Tuesday's meeting claimed that Owens said he had "lost independence from corporate," per NPR.

Moreover, Scott Pelley, a longtime collaborator and friend of Owens, told colleagues, "This isn't something Bill is doing of his own volition: There was no choice in any of this."