CBS News is currently facing high-profile departures, a potentially unconventional hiring move, and a controversy surrounding one of its former contributors, all at the same time.
At the center of the discussion is the network’s flagship newsmagazine, 60 Minutes, which is reportedly considering bringing in podcast giant Joe Rogan. According to sources, the idea has sparked debate within the organization.
Rogan’s show, The Joe Rogan Experience, draws roughly 11 million listeners per day. That audience recently expanded further after the podcast became available across Apple’s podcast ecosystem. For a traditional broadcast network grappling with a steadily shrinking television audience, that kind of reach is difficult to ignore.
Supporters of the potential move argue that bringing Rogan into the fold would not represent a stunt but rather a strategic recalibration.
“This isn’t stunt casting. It’s strategy,” one insider said. “Rogan opens a direct pipeline to the massive MAGA audience CBS has struggled to reach for years.”
A media executive echoed that view, framing the move as a way to reconnect with viewers who feel alienated by legacy media.
“You bring in Rogan and you immediately gain a core connection to over 50 percent of the country,” the executive said. “He speaks to viewers who feel ignored or mocked by legacy media. That could solve the ratings and credibility problems of CBS overnight.”
Not everyone in television circles is convinced. Critics inside the industry note that the qualities that built Rogan’s massive following, his free-flowing style, lack of scripting, and willingness to host controversial guests, may clash with the carefully structured format that has defined 60 Minutes for decades.
“It’s a gamble,” a veteran producer said. “Rogan isn’t traditional broadcast talent. He’s raw, unscripted, and polarizing. That could either electrify 60 Minutes or blow it up.”
The discussion around Rogan is unfolding at a time when 60 Minutes is already dealing with major internal change. Longtime journalist Anderson Cooper reportedly stepped away from the program after two decades, citing a desire to spend more time with his two young sons.
At the same time, CBS News is facing a separate and more troubling controversy involving former contributor Peter Attia.
Attia, a 52-year-old longevity specialist and prominent health figure, recently stepped down following renewed scrutiny over his documented connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to sources, the scrutiny intensified after documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act reportedly showed Attia’s name appearing in Department of Justice files more than 1,700 times.
The professional fallout has been swift. Several companies have reportedly distanced themselves from Attia, and he also stepped back from a significant investor role at David Protein, a protein bar startup currently facing legal questions over alleged labeling issues.
The most significant challenge to Attia’s reputation, however, has come from Oura Health Ltd., the company behind the popular Oura Ring biometric wearable. The device has become widely known in celebrity circles, with users including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston, and Prince Harry.
Attia and several other figures had previously filed a lawsuit claiming Oura promised them stock options in exchange for publicly promoting the product but later failed to follow through.
In response, the company filed a counterclaim in federal court in the Northern District of California alleging that Attia concealed his relationship with Epstein while presenting himself as a trusted public health authority connected to the brand.
According to the filing, Attia maintained regular contact with Epstein through the spring of 2019, shortly before Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges.
In a statement, an Oura spokesperson said: “The recent revelations regarding Peter Attia’s longstanding relationship with Jeffrey Epstein are deeply disturbing and were entirely unknown to us.”
The company added: “Epstein’s cri mes caused devastating harm to women and girls, and anyone who maintained a relationship with him, especially after those crim es became public, has serious questions to answer.”
Court documents claim the relationship between the two began through a mutual introduction.
“In 2015, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend introduced Attia and Epstein to one another because she thought they ‘would enjoy meeting each other,’” the filing states.
The counterclaim alleges that the relationship soon became more substantial, stating: “Attia started to help Epstein as a physician and nutritionist, and in exchange Epstein gave Attia career advice, emotional support, and a partner in degrading women.”
Emails released through the document disclosures appear to show how close the two had become.
Oura’s legal filing summarizes the dispute with a pointed line: “What Attia omits from his story is Epstein’s profound role in it.”
The company’s spokesperson concluded with a criticism of Attia’s conduct.
“Over the years, Attia has sought to extract unearned compensation tied to Oura’s success while concealing conduct that is fundamentally inconsistent with our values as a brand that champions women’s health and wellness,” the statement said. “We will act decisively to uphold our values and commitment to the women we serve.”
