Plus Pages

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

CBS Looking To Trim $100M


CBS’ renewed call for $100 million in cuts has staffers of the broadcast company — which is still reeling from a series of sexual harassment scandals — in a tizzy over who’s in and who’s out, The NY Post is reporting.

“We are reorganizing and thinking about functions that go across multiple divisions,” interim CEO Joe Ianniello told analysts at Deutsche Bank Media and Telecom conference in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday. “We expect to … get $100 million in cost savings,” he said.

That had staffers of CBS’ news division questioning who might be on the chopping block, especially as ratings for its morning and nightly news shows fall — and as Gayle King of “CBS This Morning” is reported to be looking to at least double her $6 million salary.

Susan Zirinsky
“Gayle is looking for $10 million more? Bodies will have to roll,” one well-placed source told The Post.

“Their morning show hasn’t had an executive producer for two and half months,” this person said. “Meanwhile, the evening news team thinks they are all fired.”

Staffers were already jittery amid signs that newly promoted CBS News President Susan Zirinsky has been rethinking the anchor lineup. Zirinsky is toying with the idea of moving King’s co-host Norah O’Donnell to “CBS Evening News,” replacing anchor Jeff Glor, sources said.

If that happens, “Norah will want a new deal” — further bloating the budget, one source chided.

CBS is also rumored to be looking outside for talent, including former “Today” co-host Ann Curry, who left NBC in 2012 with an annual salary of about $10 million.

HLN anchor Ashleigh Banfield has also been said to be interviewing for the morning gig.

Reps for Curry and Banfield declined to comment. A CBS rep said, “CBS News declines to engage in speculation.”

No comments:

Post a Comment