CBS News taps Tanya Simon as new '60 Minutes' executive producer following Trump-Paramount settlement

CBS News announced that Tanya Simon will serve as the new executive producer of "60 Minutes" after filling the role on an interim basis following the resignation of her predecessor.

Simon, a 25-year veteran of "60 Minutes" and daughter of the late famed CBS News correspondent Bob Simon, is only the show's fourth executive producer in its decades-long history and the first woman in the role.

"Tanya Simon understands what makes 60 MINUTES tick. She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer and someone who knows how to inspire people," CBS News President and executive editor Tom Cibrowski said in a press release on Thursday. "Tanya knows that the success of today’s 60 MINUTES depends on delivering a weekly mix of the most informative, impactful and entertaining stories and investigative journalism from around the world. This is the true essence and foundation of 60 MINUTES."

"It is a privilege to lead 60 MINUTES and its formidable team of journalists," Simon said. "60 is in a class of its own, upholding a legacy of extraordinary and thought-provoking journalism for more than half a century. I’m deeply committed to this level of excellence and I look forward to delivering an exciting season of signature 60 stories that cover a wide range of subjects for a broad audience and engage viewers with their world."

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CBS News named Tanya Simon as the new executive producer of "60 Minutes." (Courtesy of CBS News)

Simon's appointment was widely embraced within the network, sources within CBS News tell Fox News Digital. Cibrowski's announcement during Thursday's 9 a.m. editorial call sparked lots of claps and excitement, according to one CBS News staffer who attended.

A "60 Minutes" producer told Fox News Digital that Simon's appointment will lift clouds that have hovered over the newsroom in recent months. And while staffers still have their worries going forward, Simon serving as their leader in an official capacity is a "positive signal in terms of the future of ‘60 Minutes’ being able to stay true to its founding principles."

Simon was first tapped to lead "60 Minutes" in April following the resignation of Bill Owens, who claimed he could no longer maintain editorial independence from corporate honchos while CBS' parent company Paramount Global was in a months-long legal battle with President Donald Trump. 

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Former "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens resigned in April in protest over growing tensions with CBS News' parent company Paramount. (Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile for Collision via Getty Images)

It was previously reported that Shari Redstone, Paramount's controlling shareholder, wanted to keep tabs on "60 Minutes" stories pertaining to the Trump administration as she aimed to settle Trump's lawsuit against CBS News in order to pave the way for Paramount's $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, which needs FCC approval. Trump and Paramount settled the lawsuit earlier this month. 

Trump had accused CBS News of election interference over its handling of the "60 Minutes" interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the weeks leading up to the presidential election, specifically over how her comments to an answer were edited differently between the preview clip that aired on "Face the Nation," which was mocked on social media as "word salad," versus the cleaner portion of her response that aired during the primetime special. Owens stood by the edit and refused to offer an apology. 

‘60 MINUTES’ STAFF STAND BY KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP'S MAJOR PARAMOUNT LAWSUIT

President Trump’s lawsuit alleged CBS News deceitfully editing a "60 Minutes" interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in order to make her appear more articulate ahead of Election Day.  (Screenshots/CBS News; REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo)

While CBS News did not issue any statement of regret as part of Paramount's settlement with Trump, the network did adopt a new editorial policy that would require all raw transcripts of interviews with presidential candidates to be released. 

Regardless, Paramount's settlement sparked fierce condemnation among liberal critics who accuse the company of bending the knee to Trump. Tensions further escalated last week after CBS News announced it was canceling "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in May 2026, something the network insisted was purely a financial decision. 

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