Commentary

Another CBS News Executive Departs: Are TV News Brands Staying?

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 20, 2025

If you are a core, average TV news viewer -- or even maybe an average TV news advertiser (brand or media-buying executive), what do you make of the departure of two senior CBS executives in recent weeks, over differences with senior management?

Wendy McMahon is exiting CBS as president and CEO of CBS News and Stations/CBS Media Ventures. Why?

“The past few months have been challenging,” she wrote in a company memo. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership."

This follows the exit of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who resigned earlier this month, citing a similar disagreement.

All this comes as corporate owner Paramount Global has been in talks with President Donald Trump about resolving a lawsuit in connection with an CBS News “60 Minutes” interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was running for President against Trump.

The Trump lawsuit complains about the "editing" of the interview -- something all journalists regularly do as part of TV or video or print or radio or online duties, as part of putting together their reports and stories. It is something that has been done since the beginning of journalism.

Reading between the lines, it seems, McMahon was very likely responding to knowledge of those talks and did not like the corporate management strategy -- or a decision -- in the dealings with President Trump.

And a louder outcry has come from media publications over this kind of specific political messaging (see ABC News settlement with Trump) now that Trump has returned for a second term as President. He keeps threatening lawsuits far and wide, which many believe will lead to financial harm and downward business trends.

In the case of Paramount Global there is a bigger fish to fry -- a lucrative $28 billion dollar acquisition by the on-the-Paramount-lot film/TV producer Skydance Media that still needs regulatory approval.

One wonders where core TV advertisers stand. Many news TV advertisers typically only look at TV in a narrow context: Key viewership; online return on investment engagement; or perhaps overall brand awareness -- especially where big TV news audiences still gather.

Over the past 12-month period, it was estimated that “CBS Evening News” took in $79 million in advertising revenue, with "CBS News Morning” estimated at $30.4 million and “CBS News Sunday” at $39.8 million, according to EDO Ad EnGage -- with "60 Minutes” coming in at $71.7 million, down 10% year-over-year.

What is the political overhang on all of this for marketers? For some it is all about "content" -- as many would still like to call fact-based, truth-seeking news journalism -- and viewer engagement.

Is that a good thing -- or something else?

advertising, journalism, legal, management, media buying, news, paramount, politics, television, viacomcbs

4 comments about "Another CBS News Executive Departs: Are TV News Brands Staying?".

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Dan C. from MS Entertainment, May 20, 2025 at 12:10 p.m.
The vast majority of 18-49 year olds are getting their news from social media platforms. It is odd that MP does not spend more time understanding and evaluating the shift of the audience and how TV news outlets continue to bleed audience (and TV in general outside of live sports).

50+ TV is good.

18-49 and nobody cares about "CBS News." It's just news from a social media feed or influencer post and nobody is really attributing where the information is coming from. Unfortunately, but true.
Reply

Paul Evans from ChartLocal, May 20, 2025 at 3:50 p.m.

The core issue here is not whether an interview or content was edited for time, as is standard practice, but whether the piece was actually edited to make Harris look smarter and more confident with the goal of impacting voter opinion. Has that been determined?

Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, May 20, 2025 at 4:34 p.m.

Dan most people get news from a variety of sources. As it happens--despite the very low average commercial minute ratings of most news shows among the 18-29s, that a considwrable pecentage of this segment Is exposed to TV news--but they watch it very sparingly--hence the low average minute ratings. The older you go on the age scale the greater the frequency of TV news viewing, and it culminates with people aged 65+ devoting a huge share of their time to this form of TV content. But it's not true that TV news is only for folks aged 50+ --or that social media is only for teens and young adults---though they are, by far, its most frequent users.

Ben B from Retired, May 20, 2025 at 8:45 p.m.

CBS higher ups just want the $$$ to get that merger with Skydance done which is sad they shouldn't cave to Trump just like ABC both could've won and gotten those lawsuits tossed by the courts in my opinion. I don't blame Wendy & Bill Owens resigning they aren't going to change the minds at CBS very sad what is happening.