Shari Redstone asked CBS to ‘delay sensitive stories about Trump’: source

Paramount Global boss Shari Redstone asked CBS brass to delay airing sensitive stories about President Trump and his policies until after she closes the deal to merge with Skydance Media, The Post has learned.

According to a source with knowledge, Redstone had become increasingly concerned over a handful of “60 Minutes” stories that drew criticism from the president and the Federal Communications Commission.

The media heiress called CBS CEO George Cheeks in April to express her concerns about critical Trump stories on Ukraine and Greenland that caused the president to urge FCC chair Brendan Carr in a Truth Social Post to “impose the maximum fines and punishment,” the source said.

Puck News, which was first to report Redstone’s request to Cheeks, said she asked the exec what else she could expect from the program and wanted to know if it would be possible to delay sensitive stories about Trump and his policies until after she closed the Skydance deal.

The outlet added that there’s no evidence of Redstone’s increased oversight of “60 Minutes” that has caused the show to change its programming, nor has Cheeks ever tried to execute her request.

CBS declined to comment. A rep for Redstone did not immediately return requests for comment.

A CBS insider told The Post that Redstone’s request isn’t necessarily out of the ordinary; sometimes execs make it clear to network brass that there are sensitive times to hold off on running certain stories.

But in this case, the situation is different; there is a spotlight on “60 Minutes,” which is in the crosshairs of President Trump over alleged bias.

Currently Paramount is in mediation with lawyers for Trump, after he filed a $20 billion lawsuit against “60 Minutes,” in which he alleged the show “deceptively edited” its sitdown with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was running for president at the time, to make her look better

Carr, who is charged with greenlighting Paramount’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance, has also launched a probe into the interview over claims of “news distortion.”

“60 Minutes” has claimed no wrongdoing and released the unedited interview and transcript of the sitdown, but the episode has rankled journalists inside of the network.

Last week, Bill Owens, the head of the show, stepped down, citing concerns about a lack of editorial independence.

In recent months, Owens bumped heads with higher ups at the company, notably Redstone.

Redstone, whose family stands to pocket about $1.75 billion if the $8 billion merger with Skydance Media goes through, allegedly pressed CBS News president Wendy McMahon to fire Owens for airing of a one-sided January report on the Gaza War. 

Following the episode, Redstone insisted that Susan Zirinsky, a legendary CBS producer who also served as the news division’s president from 2019 to 2021, oversee the Standards & Practices of “60 Minutes” and other CBS News programs.

Owens privately bristled at the appointment of Zirinsky, who had once been in a bake-off with him for his job at the show. Zirinsky later brought in CBS News veteran Al Ortiz to help her with oversight of “60 Minutes,” which was much more palatable to Owens.

Owens’ concerns of editorial interference were echoed by “60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley, who launched into a shocking on-air attack of Paramount on Sunday, in which he accused top brass of interfering with the program’s coverage.

In a tribute to “60 Minutes” Owens, Pelley went off on Paramount’s heavy handed-interference, which caused his boss to resign.

Although Pelley said “none of our stories have been blocked,” he noted that Owens “felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”