EXCLUSIVE: ANDERSON COOPER NEXT TO GO? 60 MINUTES BLOODBATH LOOMS AFTER PRODUCER FORCED OUT IN TEARS

INSIDERS SAY COOPER’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED AS CBS BRACES FOR MAJOR TALENT PURGE

Despite the network’s carefully worded announcement calling it a “resignation,” multiple sources tell #ShuterScoop that longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens was pushed out — not walked out.

“He didn’t resign. He was fired,” one well-placed insider confirms. “He was told to keep it clean and gracious, but make no mistake — the network wanted him gone.”

Owens’ emotional exit — which left veteran correspondents like Lesley Stahl and Scott Pelley visibly shaken — is just the beginning. Sources say CBS has launched a sweeping cost-cutting campaign that will target several marquee names, with Anderson Cooper likely next on the chopping block.

“Anderson should be worried,” a senior CBS insider tells #ShuterScoop. “Owens fought like hell to protect the high-profile talent. Now that he’s out, the new regime wants cheaper faces, fresher blood — and fewer egos.”

Cooper, who dialed into the surprise meeting remotely from Rome, was described as “stunned” as Owens choked up.

Behind the scenes, the mood is bordering on mutiny.

“The new boss doesn’t care about legacy or star power,” says a longtime staffer. “They want to slash salaries and bring in new names who cost a fraction of what Anderson or Lesley command. It’s about trimming fat — and nothing is sacred.”

Owens, insiders say, was the last line of defense for CBS News’ old guard. With him gone, one source warns: “They’re all on borrowed time.”

Expect more exits. More firings. And a very different 60 Minutes by year’s end.

#ShuterScoop