Tensions are rising at CBS News as staff members express growing discontent toward Gayle King following her notable participation in a space mission. Concurrently, the network is engaged in contract renewal discussions with the television personality amidst significant internal disruptions.
The network is contending with difficulties as ratings decline, and employees are concerned about job stability amid an $8 billion merger between parent company Paramount Global and Skydance Media, alongside a $20 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris conducted in fall 2024. The situation intensified with the resignation of CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon on May 19, 2025, as Paramount Global considers settling with the president.
In her farewell email to staff, McMahon, who managed both the news division and local stations’ newscasts, wrote “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward.” The proposed merger between Paramount and Skydance Media requires Federal Communications Commission approval for transferring CBS’ broadcast licenses, and although legal experts consider the lawsuit baseless, its outcome may influence the deal’s progress.
Staff members at the prominent news organization have communicated their distress to various publications, describing emotional breakdowns in office corridors, disagreements over story coverage and airtime allocation, and preemptive resume updates as job security fears intensify. They indicated that the recent debate surrounding an all-female Blue Origin spaceflight, which included King as a participant, significantly impacted team morale, with some harboring resentment against the 70-year-old journalist.
A “60 Minutes” insider commented on the effect of high-profile personalities causing workplace disruption, telling sources that marquee names have created challenges within the organization. The source noted that King’s participation in the space mission created negative perception issues for the brand.
The atmosphere at “60 Minutes” appears equally strained, with staff comparing the situation to a sinking vessel. One employee described the current environment as a bloodbath, noting that terminations are occurring, people are leaving, and uncertainty pervades the workplace as colleagues update their resumes.
Reports indicate that conflicts have erupted in the office, with staff arguing over various matters, including story coverage decisions and conference room seating arrangements. The tension reportedly intensified in April 2025 following the resignation of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who departed citing concerns about editorial independence and his inability to make decisions based on audience interests.
Following McMahon’s unexpected departure, veteran correspondents Lesley Stahl and Scott Pelley are rumored to be considering leaving “60 Minutes” next. King, who has been a “CBS Mornings” staple for nearly 15 years, currently finds herself in contract renewal negotiations.
Industry insiders point out that King’s substantial $10 million annual salary has become increasingly difficult to justify given her show’s declining ratings performance. The Post reported that King had already accepted a pay reduction from $13 million to $10 million in September 2024 when she agreed to a new one-year contract. Sources suggest this could potentially be King’s final year with the network.
King participated in Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission on April 14, 2025, joining an all-female crew that included pop star Katy Perry, journalist Lauren Sánchez, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The approximately 10-minute spaceflight reached an altitude of 113,737 feet, marking the first all-female crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 solo mission.
With McMahon’s departure, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski now works to maintain network stability, but King’s potential exit could create additional challenges. Sources described Cibrowski as lacking sufficient resources to address the mounting problems facing the organization, suggesting that King’s departure would add another significant challenge for the long-running morning program.
Paramount Global prepares for another round of substantial budget reductions as early as June 2025, aiming to cut $500 million in expenses. Should the Skydance-Paramount merger proceed successfully, industry insiders speculate that Skydance’s new leadership might implement additional budget cuts. Sources suggest that the merger’s first year will focus primarily on consolidation efforts.
The Trump lawsuit stems from CBS’s editing of Harris’s October 2024 interview, with the president alleging the network engaged in election interference through deceptive editing practices. CBS has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that standard editorial practices were employed. McMahon and Owens had both strongly opposed any settlement with the administration.
The network’s struggles extend beyond internal personnel issues to broader competitive challenges. “CBS Mornings” currently ranks third in morning show ratings behind ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today,” though recent months have shown some improvement in the critical 25-54 demographic that advertisers value most for news programming.