Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of popular American television and radio network CBS News, resigned on Monday amid escalating tensions between the network and US President Donald Trump, CNN reported.
McMahon cited irreconcilable differences with the company’s direction, particularly concerning journalistic independence and corporate influence. Citing a “challenging” last few months, she, in a farewell memo to employees, wrote, “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.”
McMahon’s exit comes after Trump filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS, claiming the channel edited an interview last year with Kamala Harris on the show 60 Minutes. 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned on April 22 after facing pressure to apologise for the interview, NPR reported. Owens expressed concerns about losing editorial autonomy, a sentiment echoed by CBS correspondent Scott Pelley, who criticised increased corporate oversight during a broadcast segment.
The resignations occur as CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, seeks to settle the lawsuit to facilitate a merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from the Trump administration, The Guardian reported. Guardian cited legal experts as viewing Trump’s lawsuit as lacking merit, but noting that the potential settlement raises concerns about media independence and corporate capitulation to political pressure.
According to Business Insider, Senator Bernie Sanders has publicly urged Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, not to yield to Trump's demands, emphasising the importance of upholding press freedom.
Just over the weekend, John Oliver on his show Last Week Tonight highlighted how Trump's administration has been systematically undermining journalistic independence through legal threats, regulatory pressure, and manipulation of media ownership.
In the episode on May 18, Oliver highlighted how Trump employs “frivolous” lawsuits and leverages the US media regulatory body Federal Communications Commission to intimidate media outlets. The episode criticised media moguls like Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong for allegedly softening their outlets’ coverage of Trump.
Oliver further condemned the White House’s selective treatment of journalists, including banning the Associated Press over minor disagreements. He also highlighted the FCC’s investigation into radio station KCBS for straightforward reporting, alluding to localised threats to journalism.
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