Award-winning journalist Tanya Simon has been named the new executive producer of CBS News’ 60 Minutes, making her the fourth person and first woman to hold the position in the show’s 57-year history.
The change comes after long-time exec producer Bill Owens resigned earlier this year amid President Donald Trump‘s lawsuit against CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, which has since been settled for $16 million. In a memo to staff, Owens cited corporate interference, saying, “I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it.”
Simon had been serving as interim EP since Owens’ exit and had been a producer on the show for 25 years. She was considered a favorite among the program’s staff for the job, with CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski saying, “Tanya Simon understands what makes 60 Minutes tick. She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer and someone who knows how to inspire people.”
He continued, “Tanya knows that the success of today’s 60 Minutes depends on delivering a weekly mix of the most informative, impactful and entertaining stories and investigative journalism from around the world. This is the true essence and foundation of 60 Minutes.”
Simon also shared a statement, saying, “It is a privilege to lead 60 Minutes and its formidable team of journalists. 60 is in a class of its own, upholding a legacy of extraordinary and thought-provoking journalism for more than half a century.”
She added, “I’m deeply committed to this level of excellence and I look forward to delivering an exciting season of signature 60 stories that cover a wide range of subjects for a broad audience and engage viewers with their world.”
Simon began her career at CBS News in 1996 as a researcher for 48 Hours, before moving up to become an associate producer and then a producer. She joined 60 Minutes in 2000, working with correspondent Ed Bradley on a variety of reports, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Duke University lacrosse rape case, and a rare interview with Bob Dylan.
She produced for nearly all the 60 Minutes correspondents over the next decade, including Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, and her father, Bob Simon.
Simon would go on to serve as a senior producer whose responsibilities included overseeing digital content for 60MinutesOvertime.com and supervising production of 60 Minutes Sports, a monthly sports-focused edition of 60 Minutes on Showtime. She then became executive editor, overseeing the program’s editorial process for six seasons.
Her work has earned her multiple Emmy Awards, the Peabody, and the DuPont-Columbia Award.
60 Minutes, Sundays, 7/6 c, CBS