CBS News said Thursday it has selected Tanya Simon as the top producer at \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d elevating a respected insider in a closely-watched appointment given the turmoil that enveloped the newsmagazine with the settlement of President Donald Trump\u2019s lawsuit.<\/p>\n
Simon, daughter of the late \u201c60 Minutes\u201d correspondent Bob Simon, becomes only the fourth executive producer of the influential newsmagazine since it was invented by Don Hewitt in the late 1960s.<\/p>\n
Simon has worked there for 25 years and been interim executive producer since her predecessor Bill Owens quit in April<\/a>, saying he questioned whether he\u2019d be allowed to lead the program as he saw fit.<\/p>\n Owens had opposed settling Trump\u2019s lawsuit over the editing of last fall\u2019s interview with Kamala Harris. CBS News parent company Paramount Global agreed earlier this month<\/a> to pay Trump $16 million to end their dispute.<\/p>\n \u201cTanya Simon understands what makes \u201860 Minutes\u2019 tick,\u201d said Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News. \u201cShe is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer, and someone who knows how to inspire people.\u201d<\/p>\n Many at the famously insular broadcast supported Simon as a replacement for Owens. In May, seven of the show\u2019s correspondents signed a letter to Paramount Global management urging her appointment. \u201cAs much as we will miss Bill Owens, we believe \u2014 no, we know \u2014 that his long-term successor must come from within,\u201d the correspondents wrote.<\/p>\n Crucially, Simon\u2019s appointment came before the Trump administration\u2019s approval of Paramount Global\u2019s proposed merger with Skydance Media, a takeover that is expected to result in changes at CBS News, and could be a viewed as a way to calm nerves.<\/p>\n With its Sunday night time slot and a history that goes back to legendary correspondents Mike Wallace and Morley Safer, \u201c60 Minutes\u201d is often the most-watched broadcast news program.<\/p>\n Most journalists at CBS News considered Trump\u2019s argument that the Harris interview was intentionally edited to make her appear to be a stronger candidate to be baseless. Talk of the settlement, even a potential apology that wound up not being included, drained morale at the network this spring.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, management at Skydance Media told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing the merger plans, that it will carefully watch for any perceived biased at CBS News and hire an ombudsman to review any complaints about fairness.<\/p>\n \u201cIn all respects, Skydance will ensure that CBS\u2019s reporting is fair, unbiased and fact-based,\u201d the company\u2019s general counsel, Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, wrote Brendan Carr, FCC chairman.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http:\/\/x.com\/dbauder<\/a> and https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/dbauder.bsky.social<\/a>.<\/p>\n