All About Wendy McMahon, Who Quit As CEO Of CBS News Amid US Admin Pressure
Wendy McMahon has stepped down as CBS News CEO, citing a "challenging" past few months, as the network faces mounting legal and political pressure from the Trump administration.
In a farewell note to the staff on Monday, Ms McMahon said, "It's become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It's time for me to move on and for this organisation to move forward with new leadership."
The resignation comes as CBS's parent company, Paramount, faces a $20 billion lawsuit from US President Donald Trump. The case is linked to a pre-election interview aired last year with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, which Mr Trump claims was damaging to him.
Legal experts say the lawsuit has no strong basis and is likely protected by free speech laws under the First Amendment. Still, Paramount has agreed to a mediation to calm the situation, especially as it tries to get government approval for its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Who Is Wendy McMahon?
Wendy McMahon is an American television executive. She graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and Broadcast Journalism.
Ms McMahon began her career in television as a promotions manager at WTOC-TV in Savannah, Georgia. She then worked as promotions director at KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas, and as creative services director at CBS-owned WCCO-TV in Minneapolis.
In 2006, she was promoted to creative services director at CBS-owned WBZ-TV in Boston. After working for seven years within the CBS stations group, Ms McMahon moved to KABC-TV in Los Angeles, where she became vice president for programming and creative services. She later became senior vice president responsible for digital content and technology across the eight ABC Owned Television Stations.
In December 2017, Wendy McMahon was named president of the ABC Owned Television Stations, as per her LinkedIn account.
In April 2021, Ms McMahon left ABC to become co-president of the newly merged CBS News and Stations division, which combined local and national news operations for the first time. She worked alongside Neeraj Khemlani.
On August 14, 2023, following the resignation of her co-president Neeraj Khemlani, Ms McMahon was named the sole president and CEO of CBS News and Stations. She also took leadership of CBS Media Ventures, which distributes popular shows like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. During her tenure, Ms McMahon increased local news production at CBS Stations from 26,000 hours in 2021 to more than 35,000 hours by 2023.
On May 19, Ms McMahon resigned as CBS News CEO amid tensions between CBS and President Donald Trump.
Ms McMahon has received many accolades, including the 2019 Digital Leader of the Year by the National Association of Broadcasters, the 2019 Young Alumna of the Year from Louisiana State University, and numerous Emmy, Promax, Telly, and Broadcast Design Awards.
Wendy McMahon is married to William Burton, and they have a son.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
14 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad stages protest against land transfer to Adani
Mumbai Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad led a protest on Sunday (June 8, 2025) against handing over the Mother Dairy land parcel in Mumbai's Kurla to the Adani group for Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL). She demanded to use the land for a botanical garden instead of a rehabilitation project, saying, 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi surrenders when American president Donald Trump calls, why CM Devender Fadnavis surrenders when Modi calls for Adani.' Former Minister Ms. Gaikwad alleged the BJP government is constantly ignoring the opposition of the locals and letting Adani swallow the whole of Mumbai during the protest. 'The Kurla Mother Dairyland is environmentally sensitive. Kurla Mother Dairy houses hundred-year-old trees, locals are demanding a botanical garden to protect them, yet it is transferred to Adani for infrastructure purposes at a nominal rate,' she added. Days ago, the Maharashtra Cabinet's decision to transfer an 8.05-hectare Mother Dairy land parcel to the DRPPL triggered opposition from locals and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders. Kurla Dairy is among the three dairies of Mumbai, where milk production stopped over the years, and the land was made available for other projects. Many Congress leaders and party functionaries, including MLA Jyoti Gaikwad, Congress spokesperson Suresh Chandra Rajhans, and Mumbai General Secretary Mahendra Mungekar, along with their supporters and activists, staged the peaceful protest in Kurla. Ms. Gaikwad said, 'While we were peacefully protesting, once again the Modani (Modi and Adani) government had sent a large police force to suppress the voice of the people. What justice is it that the police stopped the peaceful protest with the force of police force? The government is providing security to thieves, but we will not be swayed by this oppression. We will continue to fight against this Adani government for the rights of Mumbai.' She called the transfer of land a part of a 'conspiracy' wherein the plan is to destroy the lives of lakhs of Dharavikars and acquire 600 acres of land in Dharavi, along with Kurla Mother Dairy, saltpans, and Deonar dumping ground land. She alleged government will also seize land parcels in Air India Colony, Bandra Reclamation, Behrampada, and Motilal Nagar without taking the locals into confidence.
India.com
28 minutes ago
- India.com
Order Will Be Restored, Los Angeles Will Be Set Free: Donald Trump
United States President Donald Trump promised that "order will be restored" and "Los Angeles will be set free". He has directed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi to "take all action necessary" to "liberate Los Angeles from the migrant invasion" and end the "Migrant riots". The protests erupted after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted raids across the city, arresting dozens of undocumented immigrants. Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to restore order during the demonstrations. "A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. Now, violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations, but these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve," Trump wrote on his 'Truth Social' account. "I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots. Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!," he added. Earlier, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed confidence in the city's ability to manage ongoing protests without the need for President Donald Trump's National Guard troops, as per CNN. "I do not believe that is called for because I am confident that LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] and other law enforcement agencies like the sheriffs can handle things in Los Angeles," Bass said in response to a decision by President Donald Trump to send 2,000 National Guardsmen to the city. Since Bass made those comments, about 300 troops have arrived in three locations across the city, CNN reported, citing the Mayor's statement to ABC7. The Democratic mayor was also asked to respond to Trump's claim that he had to intervene because neither she nor Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was capable of stopping the protests on their own. "I certainly reject the notion that neither the governor or I can do our jobs -- we've been in close collaboration and having said that -- I've also been in close communication and collaboration with representatives in the White House so I reject that notion and feel that we can be in charge and deal with what has happened here," she said. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed the federal response, calling it "purposefully inflammatory" and warning that such deployments would erode public trust. "Donald Trump's chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America's economy," Newsom said.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump orders crackdown on ‘migrant invasion' as Los Angeles erupts in riots: ‘Illegals will be expelled…'
United States President Donald Trump has ordered federal crackdown on the 'migrant riots' as protests and riots over federal immigration raids enter Day 4. After ordering deployment of National Guard troops across the city, Donald Trump has warned of mass deportations by 'expelling' all illegal migrants. In a post on Truth Social early on Monday, June 9, Donald Trump said Los Angeles was being 'invaded and occupied' illegal 'aliens', announcing his latest move to put end to the riots and 'liberate' the city from 'migrant invasion'. He said, 'A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations.' 'I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots.' Donald trump said, 'Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' The US military said 300 Guardsmen from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team had been sent to three separate locations in the greater Los Angeles area, and were 'conducting safety and protection of federal property & personnel.' Pepper spray and tear gas were fired into a small crowd as forces moved protesters back to allow a convoy of vehicles to enter the detention center. Police later moved and pushed demonstrators away from the federal lines, using batons, flash-bang grenades and tear gas as they tried to disperse the crowd, some of whom spilled onto a major freeway, stopping traffic.
