Ex-‘60 Minutes’ boss Bill Owens wants to launch rival news show with Scott Pelley, other fired staffers: sources

Key Points:

• Bill Owens, former executive producer of "60 Minutes," is reportedly seeking $50 million to launch a rival investigative news series featuring recently departed correspondents like Scott Pelley, though insiders doubt its feasibility due to high costs and funding challenges.
• Owens aims to recreate a "60 Minutes"-style program for streaming and digital platforms, potentially involving other ex-staffers such as Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, but would likely require significant pay cuts for participants.
• The project faces hurdles in securing backing from major streaming services like Netflix or traditional networks, with industry insiders noting limited appetite for expensive, in-depth news shows despite some support for a tightly produced format.
• The initiative emerges amid turmoil at "60 Minutes," including staff shakeups under CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and executive producer Nick Bilton's struggles with hiring and internal conflicts following Scott Pelley's controversial exit.
• Past attempts by CBS to launch competing investigative sports news shows have failed, underscoring the risks Owens' venture faces in attracting and sustaining a sizable audience in a competitive media landscape.