Leslie Moonves: Success With CBS

Being number three in ranking is not so bad unless there are only three contestants. That’s the position CBS held for quite some time. It wasn’t exactly a very entertaining network mostly focused on its more mature TV reporting.

Then in 1995 Leslie Moonves joined CBS as president of entertainment. Together with his team he led CBS from perennial last to perennial first in ratings.  Among the hit shows under his watch include “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Survivor,” and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

In 1998 Moonves moved up the ladder becoming the president and CEO of CBS Television. In 2003 he was appointed chairman.  Changes in ownership structure only highlighted the management and leadership skills of Moonves. In 2004 he was appointed chairman of CBS and president and COO of Viacom.

Then in 2006 Viacom was split into two publically traded companies.  CBS Corporation was one of these companies and Moonves became president and CEO, positions he currently holds. CBS is one of the largest media outfit in the U.S. and the world. Businesses under the corporation include CBS Television Network, The CW (a CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment joint venture), CBS Television Stations, CBS Television, CBS Radio, CBS Sports Network, and other entities. 

Prior to joining CBS Moonves was the president of Warner Bros. Television and the TV hit shows “Friends” and “ER” were developed under his watch.  Moonves was born in New York City in 1946 and graduated from Bucknell University in 1971 majoring in Spanish.

Earlier in his career he worked for 20^th Century Fox Television and moved on to Lorimar Television. He served as president for Lorimar from 1989 to 1993. In 1993 he became president and CEO of Warner Bros. Television when Lorimar Television and Warner Bros. merged. Like later on at CBS, Moonves career would only improve with changes in corporate structure and ownership.

Moonves has shown that he is a top-notch executive valued for his management and leadership skills. In fact CBS has gone to the extent of offering him a production deal after his contract expires in 2015.