Amy Reisenbach Set as New CBS Entertainment President

CBS has a new entertainment president.

Former head of current Amy Reisenbach has been tapped to replace Kelly Kahl atop the broadcast network. As part of the changes at the broadcast network, senior vp programming Thom Sherman — who many expected to take over for Kahl and run CBS — is stepping down from his role and has signed a sizable producing deal with the network’s studio counterpart, CBS Studios.

The changes come as part of what CBS CEO George Cheeks described as part of a “restructuring and streamlining of leadership” at CBS Entertainment. The executive changes will go into effect in January, when Kahl’s 26-year CBS tenure concludes. Cheeks and Sherman both addressed the changes via internal memos to staff (read both, below).

Reisenbach joined CBS in 2005 as a manager in the current programming department. In her most recent role, Reisenbach reported to both CBS Studios president David Stapf as well as to Sherman. She comes to the entertainment president gig with experience in daytime, game shows as well as scripted. She previously served as senior vp current from late 2015 to June 2017 and oversaw all scripted series for CBS Studios for The CW while also steering several of the studio’s shows for CBS. Like Kahl before her, she previously had roles at Warner Bros. Television, working in the drama and current departments at the studio that along with CBS Studios, formerly co-owned The CW.

All told, this is the most notable restructuring at CBS since Cheeks joined the company from NBC following the Les Moonves scandal. The decision to part ways with Kahl comes a month after David Nevins announced he would be leaving CBS parent Paramount Global at year’s end following a 12-year run in which he oversaw Showtime and other divisions at the re-merged ViacomCBS. With Nevins’ surprise departure, Paramount divided his responsibilities to between Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Tom Ryan. McCarthy, who already oversaw linear networks including MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, added responsibility for Showtime. Cheeks added Paramount TV Studios and BET to his purview, and streaming chief Ryan added Showtime’s streaming operations.

For his part, Sherman was promoted from his role under The CW’s Mark Pedowitz in 2017 when he was brought in to CBS to work alongside Kahl and give the scheduling exec support on the creative side. He’s helped deliver series including the FBI franchise and comedies like last season’s breakout, Ghosts. During his time at The CW, he helped launch the Arrow-verse, The Vampire Diaries and the original Gossip Girl, among others.

In yet another sign of how little broadcast networks matter to their parent companies in the streaming era, Kahl becomes the third network chief to depart this year. The CW CEO Mark Pedowitz, who had been broadcast’s longest-tenured topper, was pushed out earlier this year after the network was sold to station group Nexstar; and Fox CEO Charlie Collier shocked his colleagues with his move to run originals at Roku.

Here’s Sherman’s memo:

Team,

This morning’s news was a shock, and I know you’re all as saddened by it as I am.  Kelly is the brother I never had, my friend, and the best work-partner I could ever have imagined.  I am beyond thankful for his resolute leadership, guidance, collaboration, and humor, and it’s hard to fathom that he and I won’t be doing this together anymore.

And, alas, I too will be moving on to a new phase of my career next year.

It has been my distinct privilege to have worked with all of you these past 5 1/2 years.  You are a remarkable group of immensely talented people, the best in the business at what you do, and I am extremely honored to have stood with you as season-after-season together we programmed America’s #1 Network.

Look at just a few of the many things we accomplished:  

–We put together a slate of shows that is the envy of the Business with the #1 new drama on Broadcast 5 years running, and this year the top 3 new shows.  We also launched the #1 new comedy 4 straight seasons, and now last year’s #1 hit, “Ghosts,” is fighting it out with one of our other great hits, “Young Sheldon,” for the #1 OVERALL Broadcast comedy slot.  Powerful.

–CBS is now recognized for its diversity in front of, and behind, the camera; an incredible turnaround of which we should all be very proud.

–We worked hard to change the culture inside CBS to be more inclusive, welcoming, warm, fun, and (relatively!) stress-free.  Tremendous progress achieved.

But more importantly than the above successes we shared, your talents are only outweighed by your KINDNESS.  I am blessed to have worked with all of you really super exceptionally extraordinarily NICE and CARING people.  I thank you all for helping create an inspiring and nurturing environment and for the dedication and brilliance with which you all do your jobs.  I will carry you all in my heart as we continue our journeys, and I look forward to furthering our friendships.

Now go throw a Thom’s Tear up on the board.

And play well.

Thom

And here’s the one from Cheeks regarding Sherman:

Team – As I wrote to you earlier, we are restructuring and streamlining the leadership team at CBS Entertainment. As part of this, our colleague Thom Sherman will be transitioning out of his role as Senior Executive Vice President, Programming by the end of this year. Below please see the note Thom sent to his team earlier today.

At the same time, I’m happy to share that Thom will remain connected to CBS. We are entering into an overall producing deal spanning CBS Entertainment and CBS Studios with Thom continuing to develop and produce programming for the Network and other parts of Paramount Global. Thom’s creative instincts about what kinds of shows CBS viewers love are clear to all of us. I’m glad that we’ll continue to draw upon those instincts and his programming talents in both a producing and advisory capacity.

Thom has been a highly respected creative executive at CBS, The CW and as President of J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company. His relationships, skillsets and experience offer great value as a producer in this new capacity.

Please join me in thanking Thom for all his contributions to the Network and wishing him well in his new CBS role.

George