Who would have thought during this year’s Upfronts that as CBS chief Leslie Moonves presented the company’s upcoming slate to a standing ovation, he would be the biggest cause for controversy in the company today?
The media giant has, after all, been a remarkably steady company partly due to the chairman and CEO supporting the company for near 30 years. It has had stable earnings year-after-year, while remaining one of the most-watched US networks despite increased competition.
But, with increased pressure to consolidate and keep up with major mergers, sexual harassment claims aimed at its popular leader, and an entire company culture coming into question in the context of the #MeToo movement, it’s safe to say that we’re seeing markers of change for this company too.
Here are some key markers we have seen so far:
The company has also been successful in many ways this year, from launching popular streaming titles such as Star Trek: Discovery, to rolling out its popular CBS All Access streaming service internationally. So while there may be great change to come, the person or team that ultimately controls the company will have a valuable asset in their hands.