CBS News has named Wendy McMahon as its next chief executive, overseeing the news division, its network of stations and its TV syndication arm.
Ms. McMahon was previously president of CBS News and its stations, splitting duties with Neeraj Khemlani, who also held that title. Mr. Khemlani stepped down on Sunday, striking a multiyear deal to develop content for the company.
George Cheeks, the chief executive of CBS, said in a note to employees on Monday that Ms. McMahon’s appointment was part of a broader reorganization of the division’s national and local news businesses.
“I firmly believe that Wendy is the ideal leader for these groups at this critical juncture,” Mr. Cheeks wrote.
Ms. McMahon, 48, previously worked at Disney, as president of the company’s ABC-TV stations. At Disney, she oversaw eight broadcast stations, local newsrooms and their streaming assets. Earlier in her career, she worked at CBS-owned stations in Boston and Minneapolis.
CBS also announced that Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, a 30-year veteran of CBS News, would be president of the news division. Ms. Ciprian-Matthews, who most recently was executive vice president for news gathering, will oversee the news division and its marquee shows, including “60 Minutes,” “CBS Mornings” and “CBS Evening News.”
In addition, Ms. Ciprian-Matthews will take charge of the news division’s streaming, digital and radio operations. She will report to Ms. McMahon.
In a note to employees, Ms. McMahon cited Ms. Ciprian-Matthews’ three decades of experience in the news business, saying there is “no one with a stronger background than Ingrid to serve as president.”
“She is unwavering in her commitment to the highest standards in our journalism and in our culture and I’m so pleased that she has agreed to partner with me at this important time,” Ms. McMahon wrote.
By promoting Ms. Ciprian-Matthews on Monday, CBS News has picked an executive to steer the news division through the 2024 presidential campaign, a crucial period for the network because political advertisers spend big to reach voters in local markets.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nytimes.com
