Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl is sounding the alarm over what she sees as mounting threats to editorial independence inside one of America’s most iconic news programs.
Speaking on The New Yorker Radio Hour on May 30, Stahl expressed deep frustration with how corporate leadership at CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, have handled the ongoing legal battle with President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit, which Stahl called “frivolous,” centers on Trump’s accusation that 60 Minutes intentionally edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to mislead voters during the 2024 presidential race.
The President claims the segment was biased against him. The case comes at a delicate moment for the network, as Paramount pursues a planned merger with Skydance Media — a deal that could require approval from federal regulators under Trump’s administration.
Resignations and newsroom unrest
The controversy has already shaken the 60 Minutes newsroom. In April, longtime executive producer Bill Owens stepped down, citing an inability to make decisions free from corporate influence. His departure was soon followed by CBS News president Wendy McMahon’s resignation.
Stahl revealed there were even quiet discussions among staff about staging a mass walkout in solidarity with Owens, though he personally asked his colleagues not to quit on his behalf.
Stahl’s concern runs deeper than personnel changes. She criticized Paramount chairwoman Shari Redstone’s reported approach to the lawsuit, saying it reflected troubling corporate interference.
“When a corporation tells a newsroom to alter or drop a story, it cuts into the very foundation of the First Amendment,” she said, adding that such pressure “makes me question whether any corporation should own a news operation.”
Fear for the future of 60 Minutes
For Stahl, the stakes are about more than one lawsuit. She lamented that the public no longer fully values the role of a strong press in a healthy democracy. “Even the Founding Fathers knew we needed a fearless fourth estate to hold leaders accountable,” she said. “That seems to be slipping away.”
While Stahl believes the network may ultimately settle with Trump — noting reports of a rejected $15 million offer — she admitted she’s already bracing for what might come next. “I’m beginning to think about mourning, grieving, for what the future might hold for 60 Minutes,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll turn the page and keep telling important stories, but that page might look very different.”