CBS chief George Cheeks pledges to support team amid chaos and Trump threats
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- Cheeks and CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach unveiled the network’s new primetime schedule for reporters at Paramount’s Hollywood offices, trumpeting CBS’ primetime winning streak of 17 consecutive seasons.
- First Amendment experts have described Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount, which alleges that a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris was fraudulent, as frivolous. But the president has remained defiant, saying CBS should be punished.
- When asked whether CBS News and the group at “60 Minutes” would continue to enjoy his support, Cheeks said succinctly: “My entire team.”
With Paramount Global’s sale stuck before federal regulators and a potential settlement looming with President Trump in a dispute over CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” Paramount co-Chief Executive George Cheeks on Wednesday sought to project a sense of business as usual.
Cheeks and CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach unveiled the network’s new prime-time schedule for reporters at Paramount’s Hollywood offices, trumpeting CBS’ prime-time winning streak of 17 consecutive seasons.
For the season that ends this month, CBS boasts eight of the top 10 prime-time shows in network TV. The broadcaster’s schedule of originals towers over competitors ABC and NBC. This past year, ratings grew 3% — a rare feat in an era of shrinking linear TV audiences.
But that strength has been undermined by the company’s high-profile tangles with Trump, who brought a $20-billion lawsuit over edits of a “60 Minutes” interview last fall with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
First Amendment experts have described Trump’s lawsuit, which alleges the “60 Minutes” episode was fraudulent, as frivolous. But the president has remained defiant, saying CBS should be punished.
Representatives of Trump and Paramount met with a mediator last week, but there was no immediate resolution of the lawsuit. Controlling shareholder Shari Redstone’s desire to end the wrangling with a settlement remains a cloud hanging over the company and its sale.
Cheeks acknowledged the turmoil Wednesday.
“This is an unprecedented, challenging time for the industry and for our company in particular,” Cheeks told about a dozen reporters gathered in a CBS conference room. “For me, what’s most important as a leader is how you show up in a difficult time. ...
“My biggest goal is to make sure that the team feels supported and that we recognize that we have to focus on what we can control,” Cheeks said. “We’re going to get through this.”
When asked whether CBS News and the group at “60 Minutes” would continue to enjoy his support, Cheeks said succinctly: “My entire team.”
The newsmagazine continues to do tough coverage of the White House while Paramount Global considers a settlement to clear a path for its sale to Skydance.
The struggles with Trump have reverberated throughout the company and prompted internal protests. The executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Bill Owens, resigned last month, citing increased corporate pressure over news coverage.
Correspondent Scott Pelley told “60 Minutes” viewers about Owens’ resignation in late April, noting that journalists had been facing increased corporate oversight.
Since Trump’s suit was filed last fall, “60 Minutes” has remained dogged in its coverage of the Trump administration’s policies.
On Sunday, Pelley reported on how Trump has used executive orders to target law firms that he accuses of “weaponizing” the justice system against him.
Redstone has expressed frustration with “60 Minutes” for months. She was unhappy with the program’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and its effects on Gaza. She reportedly has asked Cheeks whether there were more “60 Minutes” stories coming that could antagonize Trump.
A Redstone spokesperson declined to comment.
When asked how he would approach a potential uprising within CBS News should the company settle with Trump, Cheeks said, “I’m not going to answer that question.”
It’s been 10 months since Redstone agreed to sell Paramount, which includes the historic Melrose Avenue movie studio, Comedy Central, MTV and Paramount+, to David Ellison’s Skydance Media, a deal valued at $8 billion.
The deal would see the Redstone family vacating its perch in Hollywood after nearly 40 years. Ellison and executives with RedBird Capital Partners would take over control of the company. Cheeks is expected to stay on in a high-profile role, sources have said.
But the Federal Communications Commission has only begun preliminary steps to review the deal, which insiders had hoped would be finalized by early this spring.
The two sides face an early October deadline to gain approval and close the deal. Paramount needs the FCC to consent to the transfer of CBS station licenses to the Ellison family.
If the deal isn’t wrapped by mid-October, either side could back out. Paramount would owe a substantial breakup fee.
Early this year, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, opened a public inquiry into the “60 Minutes” Harris interview to gauge whether the edits rose to the level of news distortion.
The results of the inquiry are pending.
‘They have to get [the deal] approved,’ said Mario Gabelli, a longtime Paramount shareholder. Gabelli and others are eager for a new chapter, but the Skydance deal has turned into a fitful slog.
During the presentation, neither Cheeks or Reisenbach addressed Trump’s bombshell announcement Sunday that he planned to impose 100% tariffs on movies that are filmed in foreign countries, saying it was premature to speculate.
Questions swirl about the feasibility of his proposal, and Trump did not say whether television shows would be included. CBS films several shows in Canada.
Cheeks and Reisenbach told reporters their team was trying to block out the “noise” to focus on developing the new fall schedule, a sense of normalcy that was welcomed within CBS’ ranks. Next week begins the annual upfront sales season when advertisers place bets on the various network schedules.
“George really creates an environment where we almost feel like we have the space and room to operate in a noise bubble,” Reisenbach said.
CBS announced eight new series, including “Marshals,” a western drama from hitmaker Taylor Sheridan. Other new shows include “CIA,” “Sheriff Country,” a comedy called “DMV” and a country music talent search show, “The Road,” with Keith Urban and Blake Shelton.
Donnie Wahlberg, who will reprise his role from the CBS hit “Blue Bloods” in the new show “Boston Blue,” made a cameo appearance at the presentation, along with Sonequa Martin-Green, who will co-star as a detective.
The Wahlberg show picks up from the beloved Tom Selleck original. “No ‘Blue Bloods’ fans will be disappointed,” Wahlberg said.
Joining them will be a cook-off called “America’s Culinary Cup” with Padma Lakshmi and “Harlan Coben’s Final Twist.”
Since taking over as chairman of the communications agency, Carr has revived news bias complaints and launched probes into diversity initiatives at Comcast and Disney. This month, he blasted NBC’s coverage of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia controversy.
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