Former ’60 Minutes’ Executive Producer Bill Owens Praises Scott Pelley For Speaking Out, Blasts CBS News For Purge Of Top Staffers And Correspondents

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Scott Pelley, a longtime 60 Minutes correspondent, faced backlash from CBS News after publicly criticizing recent firings and staffing changes at the storied newsmagazine. Bill Owens, who formerly produced the program, praised Pelley's willingness to speak up, telling a New York Press Club event that the correspondent "can smell fraud a mile away." Owens accepted an award at the event and used the platform to challenge what he characterized as a damaging purge of top talent from the newsroom. The tension underscores broader questions about editorial independence and management decisions at one of television's most prominent news programs.