News
Les Moonves Named CBS Chairman Replacing Ailing Sumner Redstone
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
On Wednesday, developments behind the scenes at CBS began to take shape when it was announced that ailing 92-year-old CBS Corporation chairman Sumner Redstone was stepping down from this position due to health concerns. His replacement is CBS Chief executive, Les Moonves, who will assume the role of chairman.
According to the New York Times: “a lawsuit challenging Mr. Redstone’s mental competance raised questions among analysts and investors about whether Mr. Redstone should continue as executive chairman of CBS and Viacom. Mr. Redstone controls about 80 percent of the voting stock in the two companies.”
The shift at CBS came after Mr. Redstone sent a letter Tuesday to Mr. Moonves and CBS directors announcing his resignation, according to one person briefed on the developments who requested anonymity because they were private.
The board subsequently met Wednesday and first offered the chairman position to Mr. Redstone’s daughter, Shari. Ms. Redstone, who now is vice chairwoman of CBS and Viacom, declined and nominated Mr. Moonves for chairman of CBS corporation.. The board voted unanimously for the appointment.
“I have been fortunate to work with Les and he has clearly established himself as a creative and effective leader who understands both the challenges and the opportunities that are shaping today’s media landscape,” Ms. Redstone said in a statement. “I am sure he will make a great chair and I look forward to working with him for many years to come.”
Mr. Moonves, one of the most highly regarded TV executives, has been president and chief executive of CBS since 2006. He will continue in those positions. “I want to thank Sumner for his guidance and strong support over all these years,” Mr. Moonves said in a statement.
Mr. Redstone controls the voting stock in Viacom and CBS through his private holding company, National Amusements. If Mr. Redstone dies or is found to be incapacitated, his stake in National Amusements is to be held by a trust. Voting control will go to seven trustees. Those trustees include Ms. Redstone and Philippe P. Dauman, chief executive of Viacom.
In a separate statement, Ms. Redstone confirmed that the terms of her father’s trust state that she succeed him as nonexecutive chairwoman at both CBS and Viacom. Separately, Ms. Redstone had made a deal with Mr. Moonves for him to take on the chairmanship at CBS, according to people briefed on the discussions.
Moonves is one of the nation’s highest paid executives. He saw $57.2 million in compensation in 2014, CBS reported in its proxy. His packages averaged $62.8 million a year in the five years that ended in 2014. In late 2014, the company extended Moonves’ contract by two years to mid-2019. The agreement included incentives to keep him on board as a “Senior Advisor and/or Producer” for an additional five years after the term ended.
The new CBS chairman is married to The Talk and Big Brother host, Julie Chen.
So, what do you think about Les Moonves position with CBS? With this shift in power at the corporation of CBS, Moonves becomes even more powerful within the industry and more.
Breaking News
‘Neighbours’ EP Jason Herbison on Series Daytime Emmy Nomination: “It’s a Huge Honour to be Nominated Alongside Such Iconic US Daytime Dramas”
When the 51st annual Daytime Emmy nominations were revealed last Friday, the iconic Australian soap opera, Neighbours, made the grade as one of the nominees for this year’s Outstanding Daytime Drama Series going up against U.S. titans such as General Hospital, The Young and the Restless et al.
That is because the revival of Neighbours, which is now seen in the United States streaming on Amazon Freevee, is now eligible under the rules from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).
Not only did Neighbours receive its first Daytime Emmy nomination for Drama Series, but also for one of its legendary stars, Guy Pearce, who returned for a stint in the revival as Mike Young. Pearce is nominated for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series.
Photo: Freemantle
Throughout its run, Neighbours has received several nominations and wins in Australian and the UK, with this being its first nomination in the U.S.
Neighbours Executive Producer Jason Herbison shared on this momentous moment for the series: ‘Neighbours has been on an incredible journey these past few years and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination is the icing on the cake! It’s a huge honour to be nominated alongside such iconic US daytime dramas. This news is an exciting moment for our hard working cast and crew and a wonderful recognition of the new chapter of the show on Amazon Freevee.”
Photo: Freemantle
For those who need a bit of a refresher on the revival of Neighbours. The series streams exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the UK and U.S. and on Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. New episodes air daily Monday-Thursday on Amazon. The new series launched on 18 September, 2023, and picks up two years after the finale left off. In Australia, Network 10 retains first-run rights in Australia for the new chapter of the series.
Photo: Freemantle/AmazonFreevee
The series is known as the longest running local drama of all time in Australia and has launched the careers of so many celebrities including: Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, the aforementioned Guy Pearce, and Liam and Chris Hemsworth, to name but a few.
Long running series star Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodbridge shared their many thanks on Neighbours Daytime Emmy nominations in a video message below.
So, what do you think of ‘Neighbours’ being nominated for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Could they be the spoiler in the category? Weigh-in below.
Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne would like to share a special message regarding our incredible #Neighbours Daytime Emmy Award nominations 💛 @DaytimeEmmys pic.twitter.com/wWWo5PxmfD
— Neighbours (@neighbours) April 23, 2024
Days Of Our Lives
Lisa Rinna Would Be Down to Reprise Her Role of Taylor McBride in ‘Melrose Place’ Reboot
When Lisa Rinna departed her popular role of Billie Reed on Days of our Lives back in 1995, her next major role would be a jump to primetime and the soapy Melrose Place.
In 1996, Lisa was introduced as new character Taylor McBride and stayed with the Fox young adult sudser for three seasons. Now in 2024, with the recent reveal that a Melrose Place revival is the works with Heather Locklear, Daphne Zuniga and Laura Leighton all on board to reprise their signature roles, would Rinna board the project should it come to fruition?
Speaking with PEOPLE, Rinna expressed, “Well, gosh, I’ve heard about it. I haven’t been approached or anything, but I would love to see what Taylor McBride is up to 25 years later. Wouldn’t that be something?”
Photo: FOX
OG Melrose Place fans know that in story, Taylor moved to the Melrose Place apartment building with her husband Kyle played by Rob Estes. However, Taylor had her eye on Dr. Peter Burns played by former GH star Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco). But, by the time she had moved to the apartment complex, Peter had married tough as nails ad executive, Amanda Woodward, played by Heather Locklear.
Recalling her time on Melrose Place, Rinna added that it, “was one of my greatest and most fun acting experiences, playing Taylor and working with Heather and the whole crew.” Rinna also noted, “So if they need a Taylor McBride appearance, they know who to call. I’m around.”
Photo: JPI
The new Melrose Place is in development at CBS Studios. In the premise of the reboot, the Melrose Place residents reunite after the death of one of their friends, “but the pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets… throwing our characters into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.”
So, would you want to see Lisa Rinna reprise her Melrose Place role as Taylor McBride? Comment below.
News
Sean Kanan’s Stepdaughter, Juliet Vega, to Appear on The Bold and the Beautiful
Coming up on this Friday’s April 26th episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, Juliet Vega, the stepdaughter to Sean Kanan will make an appearance on the CBS daytime drama series in the role of Michele.
Keeping it “All in the Family”, the character is named after Juliet’s real-life mother, and Kanan’s wife, writer and producer, Michele Kanan.
Back in 2012, Sean married Michele Vega and thus began their blended family which included his daughter, Simone, and Michelle’s children, Peter, Gigi, and her twins, Annie and Juliet.
Photo: JPI
According to a B&B show spokesperson, Juliet’s B&B character is intentionally named Michele in honor of her mother and Sean’s wife.
While we don’t know how “Michele” shows up in story, it is the same episode that Clint Howard makes an appearance as well seemingly tied to the case of where in the world is Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown)?
Photo: CBS
We can’t imagine that Juliet wouldn’t get the opportunity to mix it up on-screen with her stepdad, Sean Kanan. Previously, the two acted together in Sean’s streaming series Studio City, where she played the role of Delilah and he played soap actor, Sam Stevens. In it, Delilah is the bio-daughter Sam never knew he had.
So, looking forward to seeing Juliet on B&B and how ‘Michele’ turns up in the story? Comment below.
‘Neighbours’ EP Jason Herbison on Series Daytime Emmy Nomination: “It’s a Huge Honour to be Nominated Alongside Such Iconic US Daytime Dramas”
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Sean Kanan’s Stepdaughter, Juliet Vega, to Appear on The Bold and the Beautiful
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Corporate politics as I see it.
Without Corporate politics we wouldn’t have Y&R..
It’s the way the game is played, and looks like CBS knows how to play it..
80% of the voting block for viacom & cbs – now that is powerful!
One of the reasons networks do not have the budget for daytime is because they are paying these over the top salaries to their executives– I”m sorry unless you can cough up golden eggs or your tears are diamonds I just don’t see how one person warrants the kind of money corporations shell out to the few people on the top of their food chain
Here Here I completely and wholeheartedly agree ~
That’s why the soaps die, Mary. A small fraction less pay to the big shots would be enough for the soaps to live long after all of us are dead and gone!
He and the rest of them should choke on their filet mignon!!!
Looks like The Talk is safe anyway, sigh……
Hey Y&R and B&B viewers, that’s the man who killed GL and ATWT in favor of ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ and his wife’s ‘The Talk.’
Keep watching those replacement shows and soon there will be no more Y&R or B&B.
The head honchos want more money and killing the soaps do the trick unless the alternative programs crumble!
I agree. I lost GL and ATWT so no matter what That is one channel I avoid. I wouldn’t watch the view if it was the only show on all of TV. Plus paying him all that money means the fans can’t have what they want. PBS does the same over pays the top women in their case, so they can cry We need sponser’s. When hell freezes over and the devil wears ice skates.
4ever DAYS…as far as I’m concerned, the ‘head honchos’ on A-L-L 3 of the networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) don’t care about us soap viewers…or what we want!!!!! I feel that they only care about their own $$$ pockets. BEYOND SAD AND EVEN MORE DISGUSTING!!!!!
Wow, what an inflated salary! I agree w/other comments in feeling that NOBODY deserves that type of salary when the network is floundering on money for the programs. Hopefully he gets rid of Jill! Faren Phillips and Angela McDonald!