NEW YORK, USA – CBS News president and CEO Wendy McMahon announced her resignation on Monday, May 19, 2025, becoming the second top executive to leave the embattled organisation in less than a month.
Her departure comes as the network navigates both a high-stakes $20 billion lawsuit from former President Donald Trump and a complex $8 billion merger involving its parent company.
In a memo sent to staff, McMahon described her tenure as “a privilege and joy,” but acknowledged growing tensions over the future of CBS News.
“It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” she wrote. “It’s time for me to move on and for this organisation to move forward with new leadership.”
McMahon, who assumed leadership of CBS News in 2023, oversaw a period of strategic realignment marked by digital expansion and renewed focus on local journalism.
However, her final months were marred by internal conflict, legal challenges, and uncertainty surrounding the future direction of the news division.
George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS, issued a separate memo thanking McMahon for her contributions but did not directly respond to her comments on internal disagreements.
“On a personal note, I want to thank Wendy for her partnership over the past four years,” Cheeks wrote.
“Under her leadership, the competitive position and culture at our television stations have improved dramatically, and we’ve expanded local news significantly.
Our streaming news platforms — national and local — are stronger and growing, with digital extensions now in place for several of our flagship CBS News broadcasts.”
McMahon’s exit follows the recent resignation of Bill Owens, the longtime executive producer of “60 Minutes,” who stepped down after voicing concerns about editorial interference.
“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,” Owens said in an internal note that was later circulated widely in the media.
CBS News and its parent company, Paramount Global, are currently attempting to resolve a $20 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Trump.
The suit alleges that “60 Minutes” misrepresented an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, claims that legal experts have widely dismissed as meritless.
The network is also in the process of securing federal approval for Paramount’s proposed merger with Skydance Media, a deal that has triggered further instability within the organisation.
As Paramount works to navigate both legal and regulatory hurdles, industry observers say the leadership vacuum at CBS News raises fresh questions about the network’s editorial direction and institutional independence.
