According to network insiders, CBS news staff have been on the “edge” since the sudden departure of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens.
"Everyone is talking about it," CBS employees told Fox News Digital on Monday nearly a week after Owens announced his departure.
In a memo sent to colleagues, Owens suggested that his decision was over-proposed by the company, which he said affected the ability to maintain independent newsrooms.
"In the past few months, it's clear that I'm not going to allow me to perform on the show. To make independent decisions based on the right decision of 60 minutes," Owens wrote in the memo. "So after defending this show and everything we represent, from every angle, over time, I can step on the side so that the show can move forward."
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"60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens suddenly left the long-running magazine program, claiming he can no longer make independent decisions at CBS. (Piarasómídheach/Sportsfile collision via Getty Images)
Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, is currently in a legal battle with President Donald Trump, who filed a $20 billion lawsuit last year (or initially $10 billion) accusing the network of electoral interventions in an "60-minute" interview with then Vice President Kamala Harris.
Paramount hopes to settle the lawsuit before it merges with Skydance Media in a bid to prevent potential retribution from the FCC, and the company has the right to stop billions of dollars in deals. Both sides agreed to mediation, indicating that their court hatred would lead to a settlement.
However, before Owens' exit, Paramount was reportedly reported "Reserved Labels" The upcoming "60 Minutes" part is related to Trump.
CBS' anchoring toward the '60-minute producer says struggles to resolve Trump lawsuits related to the company's merger
Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount, a parent of CBS News, reportedly wants to settle Trump's lawsuit so the company can merge with Skydance Media to move forward. (Left: (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images), versus: Al Drago/Bloomberg by Getty Images)
The reporter confirmed the speculation on "CBS Evening News" and "60 Minutes" as they paid tribute to their beloved web producers while addressing Trump's imminent lawsuit.
"Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to finish the merger," senior CBS news correspondent Scott Pelley told the "60 Minutes" audience on Sunday. "Paramount is starting to oversee our content in new ways. None of our stories were stopped, but Bill felt he had lost the independence that honest journalism needed. ”
According to network insiders, "CBS Evening News" executive producer Guy Campanile is so upset that he urged his staff to watch Pelley's live comments. Campanile previously served as the "60 Minutes" producer under Owens, and then he began to spearhead the Night News broadcast last fall.
"No one knows the next shoe will fall off," they told Fox News Digital. "And inside, it's just very confusing because everyone doesn't know what's going to happen next."
When the Internet is fighting Trump lawsuit
A network insider told Fox News Digital that "CBS Evening News" executive producer Guy Campanile was very upset about Owens' departure, urging his staff to watch "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Scott Pelley's comments on the company's drama. (Screen shot/CBS)
Insiders say cyber anxiety caused by Trump’s lawsuit and the pending merger “has everyone wear it on a pin.”
"I'm ready to go back to work," CBS staff said in frustration.
CBS staff believe Trump's lawsuit is "BS" and no one wants to see Paramount settle. Some people are even "feared" by the prospects of solutions, believing that it would "harm the news department and the perception of it".
"I hope they won't be doing anything wrong because of hinting that we're doing something wrong," an insider told Fox News Digital. "If we weren't in the merger, we wouldn't, and we would defend ourselves more."
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While speaking on behalf of CBS News colleagues, the staff had a simple message about Redstone.
"Go out of your way and let's keep working hard," an insider told Paramount Honor.
CBS News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.