With the sale of global paramount stuck in front of the federal regulators and a potential settlement looming with President Trump in a dispute on the “60 minutes” of CBS News, George Cheeks, director of the Co-Chef de Paramount, sought on Wednesday to project a business sense as usual.
The president of Cheeks and CBS Entertainment, Amy Reisenbach, unveiled the new network of the network's first order for journalists in the offices of Paramount in Hollywood, trumped the privileged victories sequence of CBS of 17 consecutive seasons.
For the season that ends this month, CBS has eight of the 10 best programs at great listening hours in Network TV. The calendar of the original towers diffuser on the competitors ABC and NBC. Last year, the grades increased by 3% – a rare feat at a time of shrinking linear television audiences.
But this force was undermined by the company's high -level tangles with Trump, who brought a trial of $ 20 billion on the changes in a “60 -minute” interview last fall with the president of the time, Kamala Harris.
Experts from the first amendment described Trump's trial, which alleges that the episode “60 minutes” was fraudulent, as frivolous. But the president remained provocative, saying that CBS should be punished.
Trump and Paramount representatives met a mediator last week, but there was no immediate resolution of the trial. The control of the shareholder Shari Redstone the desire to end the argument with a regulation remains a suspended cloud on the company and its sale.
The cheeks recognized the turmoil on Wednesday.
“It is an unprecedented and difficult period for industry and for our company in particular,” said Cheeks about a dozen journalists gathered in a CBS conference room. “For me, what is most important as a leader is how you present yourself in a difficult period. …
“My biggest goal is to make sure the team feels supported and that we recognize that we have to focus on what we can control,” said Cheeks. “We are going to pass through it.”
When asked if CBS News and the group at “60 minutes” would continue to take advantage of his support, Cheeks said succinctly: “my whole team”.
George Cheeks the At Lincoln Center from New York in January.
(Kristina Bumphrey / Getty Images)
The difficulties with Trump have reverberated throughout the business and caused internal demonstrations. The executive producer of “60 minutes”, Bill Owens, resigned last month, invoking increased pressure from companies on media coverage.
The correspondent Scott Pelley told viewers “60 minutes” About Owens' resignation at the end of April, noting that journalists had faced increased businesses.
Since Trump's prosecution was deposited last fall, “60 minutes” has remained obsolete in his coverage of the Trump administration policies.
On Sunday, Pelley reported how Trump used decrees to target the law firms that he accuses of “arming” the judicial system against him.
Redstone expressed her frustration with “60 minutes” for months. She was not satisfied with the coverage by the War Program of Israel-Hamas and its effects on Gaza. She would have asked the cheeks if there were more stories “60 minutes” that could upset Trump.
A Redstone spokesperson refused to comment.
When asked how he would approach a potential uprising in CBS News if the company settles with Trump, Cheeks said: “I'm not going to answer this question.”
Redstone has agreed to sell Paramount for 10 months, which includes the historic film studio on avenue Melrose, Comedy Central, MTV and Paramount +, at Skydance Media by David Ellison, an agreement valued at $ 8 billion.
The agreement would see the Redstone family vacillating their perch in Hollywood after almost 40 years. Ellison and the leaders of Redbird Capital Partners would take control of the company. The cheeks should remain in a very publicized role, sources said.
But the Federal Communications Commission started only preliminary measures to examine the agreement, which the initiates had hoped would be finalized in early this spring.
The two parties face a deadline at the beginning of October to obtain approval and conclude the agreement. Paramount needs the FCC to consent to the transfer of CBS station licenses to the Ellison family.
If the agreement is not wrapped by mid-October, each side could back down. Paramount owes substantial rupture costs.
At the beginning of this year, the president of the FCC, Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, opened a public inquiry into the interview of Harris “60 minutes” to assess whether the modifications reached the level of distortion of the news.
The results of the survey are pending.
During the presentation, neither the cheeks nor Reisenbach approached the announcement of the Trump bomb on Sunday that he planned to impose 100% prices on films that are filmed in foreign countries, saying that it was premature to speculate.
The questions swirl on the feasibility of his proposal, and Trump did not say if the television programs would be included. CBS films several emissions in Canada.
Cheeks and Reisenbach told journalists that their team was trying to block the “noise” to focus on the development of the new fall calendar, a feeling of normality that was greeted in the ranks of CBS. Next week begins the annual initial sales season when advertisers place bets on the various network schedules.
“George really creates an environment where we almost have the impression of having space and room to operate in a noise bubble,” said Reisenbach.
CBS announced eight new series, including “Marshals”, a Western drama of the Hitmaker Taylor Sheridan. The other new shows include “CIA”, “Sheriff Country”, a comedy entitled “DMV” and a country talent research program, “The Road”, with Keith Urban and Blake Shelton.
Donnie Wahlberg, who will resume his role of CBS's “Blue Bloods” hit in the new “Boston Blue” show, made an appearance at the Camée during the presentation, with Sonequa Martin-Green, who co-star as a detective.
The Wahlberg Show resumes the original Tom Selleck beloved. “No” Blue Bloods “will be disappointed,” said Wahlberg.
Joining them will be a kitchen entitled “America's Culinary Cup” with Padma Lakshmi and “Final Twist by Harlan Coben”.
