Bill Owens has been named the new executive producer of “60 Minutes,” CBS said Wednesday.
Owens, the executive editor of “60 Minutes” since 2008, has been leading the show’s team since previous executive producer Jeff Fager was ousted amid a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations last fall.
“Bill Owens is steeped in the storytelling style audiences have come to expect from ’60 Minutes,’” CBS News boss Susan Zirinsky said in a statement announcing Owens’ promotion. “He has led the broadcast to some of its most important and timely journalism these past few months, during one of its most crucial periods. We are fortunate to be able to put such a talented veteran in charge of this iconic program. I am confident that with Bill and the seasoned team of journalists involved in this broadcast you will see more of the kind of work that’s made ’60 Minutes’ the most-watched news program in America.”
Per the network, in his capacity as executive editor, Owens has shaped and oversaw the production of nearly 1,000 “60 Minutes” segments from conception through broadcast. He has also held a variety of other roles on the show, serving as part of the its senior staff since 2007.
Said Owens, “To be named the Executive Producer of ’60 Minutes’ is an inspiring responsibility and a privilege. I am honored to work alongside the best journalists in the business who cover the most important stories from around the world. I promise that will never change.”
Owens’ previous roles at at CBS News include senior broadcast producer for “CBS Evening News,” senior White House producer, anchor producer for “CBS This Morning” and a number of others since beginning his journalism career in 1988 as a CBS News summer intern working at the national political conventions in Atlanta and New Orleans.
Fager, the last “60 Minutes” executive producer of nearly 15 seasons, was forced out amid a slew of sexual misconduct accusations. Prior to his exit, Fager was publicly accused of misconduct by multiple women and became subject to a larger investigation into the workplace culture at CBS and its news division. Revelations from the investigation spurred the departure of CBS News president David Rhodes and the appointment of “48 Hours” alum Susan Zirinsky, last month.
Fager’s departure was announced in September, three days after the forced resignation of CBS CEO Leslie Moonves.