New York executives
CBS
Sumner M. Redstone
Chairman
Viacom Inc.
Age: 76
Time Spent in New York: 75%
Tough deal maker, an entrepreneur, highly competitive Tight-fisted, brought lavish spending to a halt at Viacom’s film arm, Paramount Pictures Empire builder who likes the limelight and doesn’t want to give it up. “I am in control! Remember, I am in control,” he gushed at news conference after Viacom and CBS announced their merger Loves attending lavish Hollywood premieres, award shows and MTV events filled with stars.
Son of a Boston nightclub owner who changed the family name from Rothstein Father bought New York’s Latin Quarter nightclub from Lou Walters, Barbara Walters’ father A Harvard-educated lawyer Parlayed family-owned theater chain into control of Viacom in 1987 and then outbid Barry Diller for Paramount Pictures in 1993 Biggest deal in Hollywood was paying $65 million for a chunk of “Titanic,” which became biggest money-making film of all time Survived a hotel fire by hanging onto a window ledge Likes to sell off non-core assets, like Madison Square Garden Known for firing executives, including Martin Davis and Frank Biondi from Paramount and Viacom, respectively.
Mel Karmazin
President
Age: 56
Time Spent in New York: 95%
Consummate salesman, tight-fisted, known for putting sales staff on straight commission No-frills guy prefers to eat pizza at home, would rather fly on commercial airliners than corporate jets Avoids limelight… Credited with seducing Sumner Redstone into merging CBS and Viacom… No. 2 man at the new company, but would rise to top slot upon departure of Redstone Will run day-to-day operation of new company Can’t be ousted unless 14 members of the 18-member Viacom board vote for his dismissal.
Son of Queens, N.Y. cab driver Mother made curtain rods Raised in a housing project Graduate of Pace University in Manhattan… Got into radio advertising after graduation, where his sales skills were noticed by Metromedia radio mogul John Kluge Ran two of Kluge’s radio stations in New York Founded Infinity Broadcasting in 1981.
Became a player at CBS in 1997 when the broadcasting company bought Infinity, which had become one of the most powerful radio chains in the country Headed CBS TV stations division, where he was known for cutting costs Named president and CEO of CBS Corp. in January 1999 Trimmed CBS News’ budget by 10 percent as part of his aggressive campaign to save money Questions items on executives’ expense accounts Credited with more than doubling CBS stock price during the past year.
Andrew Heyward
CBS News
Age: 49
Time Spent in New York: 100%
A producer first and an executive second… Proponent of hard news coverage, shuns soft features News president since 1996 Developed “48 Hours” and added “60 Minutes II” to prime time Launched “The Early Show,” the retooled morning newscast, against NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America” in November Expanded news division’s crisis and special-event coverage.
Harvard College graduate Joined CBS-owned New York station WCBS in 1976 as a news writer Promoted to executive producer of the 6 p.m. news two years later at WCBS… Joined “CBS Evening News” in 1981 as a field producer Moved up the ladder as senior producer and later senior broadcast producer Executive producer of “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” from 1994 through 1996.
Knowledgeable, sound journalist, knows what makes a good story and, as one competitor said, “Can go into an editing room and turn out a polished report.”
