CBS News Standards Departs Amid Scrutiny and Executive Shakeup

More problems at CBS News….

Claudia Milne, who has served as the head of standards and practices at CBS News since 2021, announced her resignation Thursday morning. Her departure is the first high-level executive exit since the Paramount Skydance unit came under intense scrutiny following the arrival of digital opinion entrepreneur Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief and the appointment of a former Trump adviser as an ombudsman.

Milne’s exit follows a period of significant upheaval and internal conflict at CBS News. The controversy began with Paramount’s decision to place the direction of newsgathering under the purview of Weiss, a figure known for her work with The Free Press and popular among conservatives, but who lacks experience running a mainstream news organization. Weiss reports directly to Paramount's new CEO, David Ellison, with CBS News President Tom Cibrowski supporting the implementation of her initiatives.

The news division has been dealing with months of chaos and internal discord. Several senior figures, including former 60 Minutes Executive Producer Bill Owens and former CBS News and local stations head Wendy McMahon, previously left the company, citing disagreements over Paramount's handling of specific issues.

Tensions escalated after Paramount managers approved a $16 million settlement to President Donald Trump over a lawsuit tied to a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris—a decision many experts deemed an undermining of the programs’ authority, given the perceived flimsy nature of the lawsuit. More recently, CBS News agreed to a change for "Face the Nation," limiting the show to only live interviews, thereby giving up the ability to edit out guest falsehoods or stonewalling.

The appointment of Kenneth Weinstein, a former Trump adviser, as an ombudsman to monitor reporting and adjudicate bias claims drew further attention and is seen by some as potentially undercutting the standards department's authority.

In her farewell message to colleagues, Milne emphasized the critical role of journalism during "complicated times," saying: “I believe our role as journalists is to hold the powerful to account. We are here to question and challenge our political leaders... we must interrogate the social media companies... the businesses that manage our healthcare and the institutions that shape our education system.”

She ended her note by encouraging the staff to "keep asking those tough questions, challenge those in authority and keep informing the audience... in the fair, balanced and unbiased way that this organization always has."