2026 Honoree

Wendy McMahon

beehiiv
Formerly CBS News and Stations, ABC Owned Stations

Cause + Action

Recognized for championing journalistic integrity and leading network news forward by reinventing formats, supporting local reporting, and making space for more voices by shaping new citizen journalism models.

The Cause + Action Award celebrates a purpose-led champion of change for their social good impact. At a time when journalism is facing fundamental challenges, the need for trusted news has never been more critical, and Wendy McMahon’s record of championing journalism across her career has played a role in supporting, advancing and reinvigorating how trusted news is delivered.

As the President and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, McMahon led one of America's most influential media organizations, creating groundbreaking shifts in digital strategy, expanding local journalism, and building nationally recognized content brands. She orchestrated one of the most ambitious integrations in modern media, uniting national and local newsrooms into a 24/7 multi-platform powerhouse and launching streaming channels that reach billions of viewers. Under her direction and in just one year, CBS Stations skyrocketed from fourth to first in local news streaming, and CBS News became the national broadcast leader in streaming minutes consumed.

She has successfully built startups within legacy media, including the CBS News Confirmed unit – a team of forensic journalists using AI and data to combat misinformation – and established innovation labs that modernize storytelling through emerging technologies.

Her unified division encompassed Paramount's national broadcast news programs and operations, including 60 Minutes, Face the Nation, and CBS Sunday Morning, the #1 rated news programs on Sundays; 27 local television stations; 20 national and local news streaming channels, and CMV's top-rated syndication programming and content licensing business.

McMahon is also known for championing solutions-oriented community journalism and created the Super Desk – a technology-enabled central news operation that pairs innovation with journalistic excellence.

Previously, as President of ABC Owned Television Stations, McMahon led the strongest local station group in the country. As the head of digital, she created Localish, a mobile-first storytelling brand that scaled nationally, and launched local streaming channels that proved community connection could drive audience engagement at scale.

Throughout her career, she has repeatedly modernized products, united teams, and developed multi-platform strategies that engage audiences while strengthening trust and accuracy in journalism.

McMahon is a role model for standing up for journalistic integrity – and she continues to shape new models and push the industry forward through her current role as Senior Advisor at Beehiiv, supporting independent journalism and enabling more voices to be heard.