CBS' Chief Programmer Sidelined By Heart Attack

Glenn Geller

CBS disclosed Wednesday that its head of entertainment, Glenn Geller, will take a medical leave of at least two months to recover after suffering a mild heart attack this month. according to The LA Times.

Geller, 45, has been CBS’ chief programmer since September 2015. His health scare occurred March 17, in the midst of a one of the busiest times of the year in network television, when programming executives put together their new fall schedules.

Networks evaluate pilot projects and then pick their new shows in early May. The networks then take turns unveiling their prime-time lineups to advertisers in New York during a week of presentations known in the industry as “the upfront.”

CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and other senior network executives are expected to become more involved in the programming decisions. On Wednesday, Moonves asked his team in Studio City to pitch in while Geller is recovering.

“Fortunately, Glenn’s medical prognosis is good and he is recovering nicely,” Moonves said in an email to his staff. “We are fully supportive of Glenn focusing on restoring himself to 100%. At the same time, it’s clear that we must now adjust ourselves to a new situation as we finish our pilots and head into the upfront.”

Last week, CBS announced that the network had given early renewals to more than a dozen shows. CBS is the most-watched TV network in America and executives have been working to improve the prime-time ratings among the key demographic of viewers ages 18 to 49. The final push could improve the network’s competitive standing as it seeks higher rates from advertisers for its commercial time.