Paramount’s Shari Redstone Says Freedom of the Press Means ‘Giving the Facts, Not Opinions’

Just hours after the surprise resignation of “60 Minutes” boss Bill Owens, Paramount Global non-executive chairwoman Shari Redstone described her views on the role of media in the current era, and what freedom of speech means.

Speaking to TheWrap after the premiere of the documentary “Children of October 7,” Redstone said, “there is nothing controversial about telling the truth. There’s nothing controversial about getting the real story out there. And I think companies have not only an opportunity, but a tremendous responsibility, to use the resources that they have to tell these stories and to get them to as many audiences, let people decide how they feel about something and how they react to something, but give them the facts.”

Asked how she balances press freedom with the financial demands of media companies, Redstone said, “I don’t think there’s ever a time you have to compromise what it is that you say and do, but freedom of the press involves telling both sides of the story, giving the facts, not giving opinions. And I think that’s our responsibility as a media company.”

“The days of Walter Cronkite, where, whatever it is, people believed in the truth, people really crave the information they need to be independent and make their own judgments. That’s what freedom of speech is,” Redstone added.

Redstone however declined to talk about “60 Minutes” or Owens’ resignation.

Owens, a 37-year CBS News employee, 24 of those years at “60 Minutes,” announced his resignation Tuesday morning. In a staff meeting, he said part that the show’s independence had been effectively revoked due to CBS parent company Paramount’s $20 billion lawsuit with President Donald Trump.

Oliver Darcy later reported in his Status newsletter that Owens also told staff “I am the corporation’s problem.” And Semafor reported Tuesday night that his resignation followed recent heightened scrutiny from Redstone herself, who “sought to know which upcoming ’60 Minutes’ stories were about President Donald Trump.”

An insider with knowledge of the matter told TheWrap, however, that Redstone had no role in CBS or “60 Minutes” newsroom matters. The insider also said such matters were under the purview of Susan Zirinsky, the interim executive editor who previously served as president of CBS News.

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