Former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens publicly praises correspondent Scott Pelley shortly after Pelley drew attention for speaking out about changes at the program. Owens said Pelley has a strong sense for wrongdoing, describing him as someone who “can smell fraud a mile away,” remarks he made at a New York Press Club event, according to multiple outlets. Owens also criticized CBS News leadership, accusing executives of running the division without understanding its work or priorities. Several reports connect Owens’s comments to a recent tense exchange involving Pelley and senior management over reported firings and other changes affecting staffers and correspondents. One outlet says the timing follows a headline-grabbing meeting involving Pelley and new “60 Minutes” executive producer Nick Bilton, while other coverage frames Owens’s remarks as direct support for Pelley’s decision to challenge network leaders. Across the reports, Owens’s position is consistent: he praises Pelley’s conduct and judgment while expressing frustration with CBS News management’s approach to personnel decisions and the direction of the show.