Ex-60 Minutes boss pens tell-all ripping CBS, Paramount while collecting millions under separation deal: report
Former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens is preparing a scorched-earth memoir about CBS News even as parent company Paramount continues paying out the remaining years of his multimillion-dollar contract under a separation agreement that included a non-disparagement clause.The arrangement, which was reported by Puck News, has raised alarms inside Paramount and CBS, where executives and lawyers have discussed whether Owens’ book could violate the terms of his exit package.No formal legal action has been taken.A CBS News spokesperson declined to comment to The Post.Owens’ memoir will accuse former Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone of surrendering to political pressure, alleges that corporate executives systematically interfered with “60 Minutes” and charges that senior management put merger politics ahead of journalism, according to Breaker Media, which first obtained the book proposal.The former executive producer also targets Paramount Skydance boss David Ellison and CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, accusing them of politicizing the network.Owens described Weiss in the proposal as “an opinion writer who has made a name for herself by having a lot of opinions,” according to Breaker.Paramount agreed to honor the remaining years of Owens’ contract when he left the network, with the multimillion-dollar payments continuing annually, sources with knowledge of the arrangement told Puck.Owens was also required to sign a non-disparagement agreement.The apparent tension between those provisions and Owens’ public attacks has prompted scrutiny within the company.CBS television chief George Cheeks and network attorneys have at least considered taking legal action over the planned book, though Paramount and CBS declined to comment to Puck.
Owens also declined to comment on the record.He has already publicly attacked the company’s new leadership.While accepting an award from the New York Press Club last month, he called Weiss “a...