CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon is set to depart the news organization, exiting after just over four years leading the outlet.
McMahon — who also has oversight of CBS Stations and CBS Media Ventures — informed employees that she was departing and shared that it is in part because of her disagreement with how the company should operate.
“Championing and supporting the journalism produced by the most amazing stations and bureaus in the world, celebrating the successes of our shows and our brands, elevating our stories and our people … It has been a privilege and joy.
“At the same time, the past few months have been challenging. It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership, and it’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” McMahon said in a memo.
She added that it was “time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership. I have spent the last few months shoring up our businesses and making sure the right leaders are in place, and I have no doubt they will continue to set the standard.”
The departure of McMahon is the latest in a long line of executives to depart the network. Originally, McMahon joined CBS News to serve as co-CEO alongside Neeraj Khemlani. However, he resigned in August 2023 amid an investigation into his conduct. She was then named the sole president and CEO of CBS News and Stations as well as CBS Media Ventures, which distributes shows like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
Additionally, Bill Owens, Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, made a high-profile exit last month as the network considered settling a lawsuit from President Donald Trump, which some experts have labeled as “frivolous.” Owens received high praise from his colleagues for his stance.
The potential settlement of the lawsuit comes as Shari Redstone — who holds the majority voting power of parent company Paramount Global — is looking to merge the company with Skydance Media. That merger, however, would need approval from the Trump administration.
In a statement, the network has shared that CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, who joined the outlet in February, and CBS Stations President Jennifer Mitchell will now each report directly to Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks in the wake of McMahon’s exit.
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