CBS elevates Wendy McMahon to oversee news, stations & syndication

Wendy McMahon

Wendy McMahon has been elevated to sole president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, following the exit of Neeraj Khemlani from the Paramount-owned CBS network.

In the newly created position, McMahon will expand her role from co-president to take singular oversight of CBS News and Stations as well as leadership of CBS’ domestic syndication business.

Programming under McMahon’s expanded portfolio will span CBS News daily and weekly news broadcasts, including 60 Minutes, Face The Nation and 48 Hours, as well as first-run entertainment series like Jeopardy!, Wheel Of Fortune, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition and The Drew Barrymore Show. She will also oversee CBS Radio, CBS Newspath and CBS’ national and local streaming news services.

McMahon’s new remit will encompass all areas of oversight previously shared with Neeraj Khemlani, departing president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, and Steven LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures, as well as her continued leadership of CBS’ local businesses.

Khemlani is stepping down to begin a multiplatform first-look deal with CBS to develop content including documentaries, scripted series and books for Simon & Schuster. LoCascio, a 34-year veteran of CBS, has meanwhile announced plans to retire at the end of his current contract.

Reporting to CBS president and CEO, George Cheeks, McMahon will now lead all of CBS News’ broadcast and streaming operations, 27 local television stations in the US, 14 local news streaming channels and CBS Media Ventures’ first-run syndication programming, as well as its content licensing to television stations and the division’s national advertising sales business.

McMahon, who joined CBS in 2021 after heading up the ABC Owned Television Stations group, named Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews as president of CBS News, in her first appointment in the role.

“At every turn since joining CBS, Wendy has used her unique skill set as an innovator, business operator and people leader to energize operations, support our best-in-class journalism and position CBS for its multiplatform future,” said Cheeks.

“She is a dynamic leader with clear vision who generates forward momentum in every business she touches. I’m excited for the future of CBS News, our local stations and our valuable syndication franchises under her leadership.”