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☆ What you need to know about Skydance's bid for Paramount, from financing a deal worth $32 billion to its plans for the media empire
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Skydance Media and its largest private-equity backer RedBird Capital Partners have been wooing Paramount for the better part of a year. The Skydance consortium, including fellow Skydance investor KKR, submitted a revised offer on Sunday. The deal would be worth roughly $32 billion, according to the source, with the value of Paramount and its $15 billion in debt making up the lion's share. Here's what we know about the deal, how much Redstone would get, and what a new Paramount would look like. Keeping Paramount public sets the Skydance bid apart from Apollo's potential offer, according to one of the sources.

Persons: Bob Bakish, Shari Redstone's, Tom Cruise, Mario Gabelli, Bakish, Getty, Redstone's, David Ellison, Larry Ellison, Ellison, RedBird, Gerry Cardinale, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Skydance, Jeff Shell, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon's, Axel Springer Organizations: Skydance Media, RedBird Capital Partners, Paramount, KKR, Business, Ex, CNBC, Apple, New York Yankees, NFL, Bakish, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, ' Equity, Amazon Studios, Sony, Apollo, Wall Street Locations: Santa Monica , California, New York City, Skydance, RedBird

☆ Meet the ex-Goldman Sachs partner behind the scenes of the Skydance-Paramount deal negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewParamount's CEO Bob Bakish was ousted on Monday night, putting the entertainment giant one step closer to accepting a merger deal. The would-be buyer, film studio Skydance Media, is owned by David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry. An investor in Skydance since 2020, RedBird is the media company's largest shareholder other than the Ellison family. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "I think it's my biggest competitive advantage that I don't get emotionally attached," Cardinale told Business Insider in 2022.

Persons: —, Bob Bakish, David Ellison, Larry, RedBird, Ellison, Gerry Cardinale, Goldman Sachs, Jeff Shell, Skydance, " Cardinale, Goldman, Jon Winkelried, Gerry, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, Skydance Media, RedBird Capital Partners, Business, New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, NFL, AC Milan, Paramount, KKR, Sony, TPG Locations: Skydance, RedBird

☆ Paramount Global ousts chief Bob Bakish as future of media conglomerate hangs in the balance
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Paramount Global on Monday parted ways with its chief executive, Bob Bakish, in a seismic move that sent reverberations through the media conglomerate as it actively engages in acquisition talks with Skydance Media. In place of Bakish, who led the company since controlling shareholder Shari Redstone reunited Viacom and CBS Corporation under one roof in 2019, will be a triumvirate of leaders: Brian Robbins, chief executive of Paramount Pictures; Chris McCarthy, chief executive of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios; and George Cheeks, chief executive of CBS. In an attempt to stave off declining cable revenues, Paramount has spent billions of dollars building its own streaming service, Paramount+. Supporters of the Skydance deal hope that merging Paramount with the Ellison-led company will change its fortunes. Those shareholders have argued the deal primarily benefits Redstone and they have encouraged Paramount’s board to evaluate other options.

Persons: Bob Bakish, Bakish, Shari Redstone, Brian Robbins, Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks, Bob, ” Redstone, David Ellison, Larry Ellison, Ellison, Skydance, Jeff Shell Organizations: New, New York CNN, Paramount Global, Skydance Media, Viacom, CBS Corporation, Paramount Pictures, Showtime, MTV Entertainment Studios, CBS, Paramount, Skydance, CNN, BET, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy, Netflix Locations: New York, Redstone, Skydance

☆ Paramount and Skydance inch closer to a merger as key hurdle looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Paramount Global and Skydance Media are making progress on a deal that would merge the media companies and buy out controlling shareholder Shari Redstone. The entertainment company will be valued at around $5 billion and merged with Paramount Global, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Three of the people said that Paramount Global was slow to open a data room to the Skydance consortium, which has slightly pushed back the timeline on a deal. Skydance plans to name Ellison as CEO of Paramount Global and former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell as the president, said two of the people. Spokespeople for Apollo, the Paramount Global special committee, Paramount Global, and Skydance's consortium declined to comment.

Persons: National Amusements Shari Redstone, Shari Redstone, David Ellison's Skydance, Ellison, Jeff Shell, Bob Bakish, hasn't, Spokespeople Organizations: National Amusements, Allen, Co, Sun, Paramount Global, Skydance, Paramount, KKR, RedBird Capital Partners, Sony, Apollo Locations: Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ There will be record CEO turnover this year, says top PwC boss
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Cadie Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Expect to see a record rate of CEO turnover this year, PwC's Tim Ryan said at Davos. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "We will see more turnover in the C-Suite in the next 12 months than we have ever," Tim Ryan, PwC senior partner, told Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland this week. CEO turnover is already high. AdvertisementCorrection: Thursday, January 18, 2024 — This article has been updated to reflect Tim Ryan's current title, which is senior partner at PwC.

Persons: PwC's Tim Ryan, —, Tim Ryan, PwC, Ryan, you've, You've, isn't, Gray, Chris Licht, GameStop's Matthew Furlong, Jeff Shell, Ron Shaich, Tim Ryan's Organizations: Davos, Service, Economic, NBC, Economic Policy Institute, East Locations: Davos, Switzerland, PwC

☆ Big M&A and Bob Iger's future: 13 media executives make their anonymous 2024 predictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Executive 2: Bob Iger will, again, extend his contract as Disney CEO Earlier this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger renewed his contract through 2026. This executive predicted "fool me five times, shame on me." This executive predicted Peltz and Rasulo will win their campaign and both join the board. This person predicted Disney would purchase privately held Candle Media to acquire Moonbug Entertainment, the owner of CoComelon. This executive predicted Yaccarino would either lose patience or find her job increasingly pointless and leave the company in 2024.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, Michael M, David Zaslav, Slaven Vlasic, NBCUniversal, Brian Roberts, Roberts, Donna Langley, Bob Iger, Iger, Nelson Peltz, Jay Rasulo, Marco Bello, Peltz, Rasulo, Disney's, Dana Walden, Dana Walden Jason Laveris, Disney Entertainment Dana Walden, Walden, Bob Chapek, Andrew Wilson, Wilson, Chris Licht wouldn't, McCarthy, Andrew Wilson Michael Newberg, Kevin Mayer, Mayer, Bryan van der Beek, Tom Staggs, Staggs, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Terada, NBCUniversal's Peacock, Alec Martinez, Gray, Discovery's Max, Jeff Zucker, Lady Michelle Obama's, Michelle Obamas, Cheriss, Gerry Cardinale, Jeff Shell, RedBird, Shari Redstone's, David Ellison, Byron Trott, Zucker, Mark Thompson, Linda Yaccarino, X Linda Yaccarino, Vox, Jerod Harris, Yaccarino, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, Boorstin, Elon Musk's, Jason LaVeris, Barbie, Mario, Oppenheimer, LightShed's Greenfield Organizations: Walt Disney Company, New York Times, Santiago, Getty, Jazz, Lincoln Center, Warner Bros ., Comcast, Warner Bros, Discovery, Disney, Trian Fund Management, Future Investment Initiative, Summit, Bloomberg, Filmmagic, Disney Entertainment, Electronic Arts, CNBC, Candle Media, Iger, Media, Moonbug Entertainment, Apple Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, USA, National Basketball Association, NBA, Apple, The College, ESPN, College, NHL, MLB, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Mobile, National Hockey League, Diamond Sports Group, Scripps, Gray Television, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix Suns, Street Journal, Netflix, Hulu, Max, Paramount, RedBird, Paramount Global, CNN Worldwide, CNN, NurPhoto, BDT, The Ritz, Carlton, FilmMagic, Mario Bros Locations: New York City, Disney, Miami , Florida, Las Vegas , Nevada, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point , California

☆ Former NBCUniversal Chief in Talks to Join Private-Equity Firm RedBird Capital Partners
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An announcement about former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell’s appointment to RedBird is expected in the first quarter. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesFormer NBCUniversal Chief Executive Jeff Shell is in advanced talks to join private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, leading its sports and entertainment investment business. A formal announcement about Shell’s appointment is expected in the first quarter of next year. A spokesperson for RedBird confirmed the negotiations.

Persons: Jeff Shell’s, RedBird, Kevin Dietsch, Jeff Shell Organizations: RedBird Capital Partners

LONDON (AP) — Global energy giant BP, one of Britain’s biggest and most recognizable companies, is scurrying to find a new chief executive after CEO Bernard Looney became the latest corporate leader to step down amid questions about his personal conduct. BP conducted an internal review last year after receiving allegations about personal relationships between Looney and other company employees. “The company has strong values and the board expects everyone at the company to behave in accordance with those values,” BP said. Looney had spent his entire career at BP after joining the company as an engineer in 1991. Soon after becoming CEO, Looney set a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 — in line with goals then adopted by the U.K. government.

Persons: Bernard Looney, Looney, Murray Auchincloss, ”, “, Bob Dudley, Harvey Weinstein, Jess Staley, Jeffrey Epstein, Jeff Shell Organizations: —, BP, London Stock Exchange, Greenpeace, Barclays, . Locations: Ukraine

Other executives who will remain on Mr. Cavanagh’s leadership team include Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, who will gain oversight of Telemundo and NBC’s local stations, and Mark Woodbury, the company’s parks chief. Mr. Cavanagh is essentially winnowing the number of executives who report directly to him, streamlining the company’s leadership ranks. He will also continue to work directly with Adam Miller, an executive vice president overseeing operations and technology as well as communications, human resources and corporate social responsibility; Kim Harris, the company’s general counsel; Anand Kini, NBCUniversal’s chief financial officer; and Craig Robinson, executive vice president and chief diversity officer. The promotions were the first major step taken by Mr. Cavanagh since he took over leadership of the company. Its previous chief executive, Jeff Shell, stepped down after an investigation into sexual harassment.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Cavanagh, Donna Langley, Mark Lazarus, Cavanagh’s, Cesar Conde, Mark Woodbury, Adam Miller, Kim Harris, Anand Kini, Craig Robinson, Jeff Shell Organizations: NBCUniversal News, Telemundo

☆ Comcast president Cavanagh shakes up NBCUniversal leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Cavanagh, who has been running NBCUniversal since April, said he would continue to lead the division as president of Comcast and not name a new CEO. In his first major action since taking the helm of the unit, Cavanagh also named Mark Lazarus as chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group while Cesar Conde will expand his role as head of the news division to oversee NBCUniversal Local and Telemundo Enterprises Group. Pearlena Igbokwe will continue to lead the four TV studios under the Universal Studio Group umbrella. Cavanagh took charge after Jeff Shell left following the acknowledgment of an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company. Before his role as president, Cavanagh had served as the finance chief.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Donna Langley, Cavanagh, Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde, Pearlena Igbokwe, Jeff Shell, Akash Sriram, Tanya Jain, Dawn Chmielewski, Sriraj Organizations: NBCUniversal, Group, Reuters, Comcast, NBCUniversal Media, NBCUniversal Local, Telemundo Enterprises Group, Universal Studio Group, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles

☆ Who wants to be a CEO right now?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Let's be real: Being a CEO sucks right now. But 2023 has brought a level of scrutiny that makes being a CEO today a nightmare for even the toughest leader. CNN's former chief Chris Licht stepped down on Wednesday after less than a year, following intense criticism from inside and outside his newsroom. Meme stock company GameStop fired its CEO Matthew Furlong on the same day as Licht, also after a short tenure. At the low point of a boom-and-bust cycle where high interest rates and high expectations reign supreme, being a CEO sucks.

Persons: Let's, CNN's Chris Licht, —, Jack Welch, CNN's, Chris Licht, Licht, Matthew Furlong, Jeff Shell, Jack Bowles, Patience, Matt Turner, Raul Vargas Organizations: Corporate, Service, General Electric, Observers, GameStop, Google, Farmers Group Locations: freefall, British

☆ NBCUniversal’s New Leader, a Hollywood Outsider, Steps Into the Spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jeff Shell, who oversaw the media company before him, was fired after an investigation into sexual harassment. Linda Yaccarino, who ran the company’s multibillion-dollar ad business, left abruptly this month to become the chief executive of Twitter. NBCUniversal is losing billions on its streaming service, Peacock, while viewership of its traditional TV networks continues to fade. In 2008, when the U.S. financial system was on the brink of failure, Mr. Cavanagh was a senior executive at JPMorgan Chase, one of the few major banks that was not at risk of collapse. He spent time alongside Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s chief executive, and other executives during all-nighters to work out the details of acquiring Bear Stearns, a rival on the verge of bankruptcy.

Fox Corp. , Disney , Warner Bros. Media executives' messaging to advertisers could center around value this year, particularly as companies continue to offer more content on their streaming services. Cost cuttingWhile media executives will try to convince advertisers to maximize their spending, they'll be pushing that narrative while making fewer shows. The logo of the streaming service Paramount+ on a logo wall at the Paramount+ launch event. Jörg Carstensen | Picture Alliance | Getty ImagesParamount, in particular, has seen a big reliance on franchises, especially for its Paramount+ streaming service.

May 12 (Reuters) - Elon Musk has named former NBCUniversal advertising chief Linda Yaccarino as Twitter's new CEO, as the company tries to reverse a plunge in ad revenue. "I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!" Last month, NBC parent Comcast said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell was leaving after acknowledging an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, following a complaint that prompted an investigation. Musk, the CEO of electric-vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), completed his purchase of Twitter in October for $44 billion. On Thursday, Musk tweeted that he had found a CEO without identifying Yaccarino.

The departure of ads chief Linda Yaccarino to Twitter has thrown NBCU into chaos. The exit comes on the heels of the departure of NBCU CEO Jeff Shell after sexual harassment allegations. One advertising executive who works closely with NBCUniversal described the situation inside the company as a "Cuban missile crisis." NBCU does have a deep bench of ad executive talent that's highly regarded in the ad industry. Although Yaccarino's departure from NBCUniversal to Twitter was a surprise, she had been close with the company and its billionaire owner.

☆ CNBC’s Hadley Gamble, Who Alleged Former NBCUniversal CEO Sexually Harassed Her, Is Leaving Network
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Joseph De Avila | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NBCUniversal’s CEO Jeff Shell is leaving the company effective immediately after an investigation into a complaint of inappropriate conduct, parent company Comcast Corp. said on Sunday. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg NewsCNBC International anchor Hadley Gamble , who accused former NBCUniversal Chief Executive Jeff Shell of sexual harassment and sex discrimination, is leaving the network, CNBC said. “Gamble has been a distinguished journalist for more than a decade for CNBC, undertaking highly visible and challenging assignments, and developing deep expertise in the Middle East and beyond,” a CNBC spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday. “We wish her every success in her future endeavors.”

DreamWorks Animation has laid off 33 staffers, or around 2%, in recent days. DreamWorks' parent company, NBCUniversal, has been laying off staff across divisions in recent months. The cuts were confirmed by a spokesperson from DreamWorks Animation, whose parent company, Comcast's NBCUniversal, has eliminated roles across the organization over the past six months. DreamWorks Animation said in a statement that the layoffs were part of an overall cost reduction and that a majority of those affected were in support functions. This person said staffers laid off in this round learned the news several weeks ago, giving those affected some time to prepare.

☆ CNBC Anchor Complained NBCUniversal C.E.O. Pressured Her for Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A CNBC journalist accused Jeff Shell, the former chief executive of NBCUniversal, of pressuring her for sex over a period of years during her career at the business news network, according to a copy of her complaint reviewed by The New York Times. The complaint, lodged in late March by Hadley Gamble, an anchor and senior international correspondent, kicked off an investigation that led to Mr. Shell’s dismissal last week, sending shock waves across a far-flung media empire that includes NBC News, the Universal movie studio and DreamWorks Animation. Less than a page of Ms. Gamble’s complaint, which is more than a dozen pages, focused on allegations of sexual harassment by Mr. Much of the complaint raised accusations of bullying and discrimination at CNBC, saying women at the network’s international division were harassed by their male colleagues on several different occasions. Comcast, NBCUniversal’s parent company, hired the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to investigate the complaint after it was sent to the company’s executives in New York and London.

☆ Inside NBCUniversal, female execs are eyeing leadership's next moves after CEO Jeff Shell's ouster over 'inappropriate relationship': 'We're watching'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NBCUniversal insiders are reeling after chief Jeff Shell's stunning departure and asking questions about what's next for the Comcast division. News of Shell's hasty exit dropped April 23 after an investigation into what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a company employee. "It's shocking," said one employee, wondering how an executive at Shell's level would take such a risk with his career. Two staffers also grumbled that the company hasn't widely addressed the matter internally since its terse statement announcing Shell's exit. Keeping Cavanagh atop NBCU could serve another purpose — to help bring about a merger of Comcast with Warner Bros.

☆ Biden set to address White House Correspondents Dinner
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Maegan Vazquez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But undoubtedly, a White House official told CNN, his speech will address the issue of wrongfully detained Americans abroad. US President George W. Bush, left, waves with impressionist Steve Bridges at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2006. Roger L. Wollenberg/Pool/Getty Images The White House Correspondents' Dinner is held in 1923. It was started two years earlier by the White House Correspondents' Association, the organization of journalists who cover the president. Roosevelt was congratulating Brandt for winning the first Raymond Clapper Memorial Award, which was given by the White House Correspondents' Association for distinguished reporting.

☆ Ousted NBC Executive Jeff Shell Loses $43.3 Million After For-Cause Firing
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Dean Seal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jeff Shell acknowledged that he had an inappropriate relationship with a company employee. Photo: Javier Rojas/Zuma PressFormer NBCUniversal Chief Executive Jeff Shell will lose out on more than $40 million in compensation after being terminated for cause earlier this week because of inappropriate conduct. NBCUniversal parent Comcast Corp. disclosed Friday that Mr. Shell’s stock options and grants, which were valued at $43.3 million when he was fired on Sunday, have been forfeited and canceled.

☆ Comcast beats estimates despite slowing broadband growth, higher Peacock losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Comcast topped analyst expectations with its first quarter earnings report Thursday, despite the cable and media giant's residential broadband business's slowing growth and mounting Peacock losses. Still, it was a sign that Comcast, like its peers, continue to face slowing growth in the broadband business. Cable TV customers continued their exodus from the traditional bundle, with Comcast losing 614,000 subscribers during the quarter. Comcast said Peacock subscribers grew more than 60% year-over-year to 22 million, and revenue was up 45% to $685 million. Peacock had $704 million in losses, up from losses of $456 million in the same period last year.

The company's total revenue fell 4.3% to $29.69 billion in the quarter, but beat analysts' average estimate of $29.30 billion, according to Refinitiv data. However, adjusted losses from the ad-reliant platform widened to $704 million from $456 million a year-ago as Comcast continues to invest heavily in content. Theme parks revenue climbed nearly 25%, thanks to a rebound in attendance at its parks overseas and the lifting of COVID curbs in China. Comcast gained 5,000 broadband customers in the March quarter, while Factset had estimated a loss of 20,000 users. Overall, net income attributable to Comcast rose 8% to $3.83 billion in the quarter.

☆ NBCUniversal insiders are asking what's next after CEO Jeff Shell's 'shocking' exit, and female execs are watching leadership closely after a string of high-profile sexual allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They're asking what Comcast exec Mike Cavanagh's elevation to handle Shell's remit means for NBCU's future. NBCUniversal insiders are reeling after chief Jeff Shell's stunning departure and asking questions about what's next for the Comcast division. News of Shell's hasty exit dropped Sunday after an investigation into what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a company employee. "It's shocking," said one employee, wondering how an executive at Shell's level would take such a risk with his career. Keeping Cavanagh atop NBCU could serve another purpose — to help bring about a merger of Comcast with Warner Bros.

☆ CNN fires anchor Don Lemon in the wake of sexist comments, reported mistreatment of colleagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

CNN on Monday fired anchor Don Lemon in the wake of sexist on-air comments and reports that he mistreated female coworkers during his 17 years at the network. Lemon, who had hosted "CNN This Morning" as scheduled, said his agent informed him about his termination Monday morning. Shortly after Lemon first tweeted that he was fired, the network's CEO, Chris Licht, said the anchor and CNN "parted ways." The report was based on more than a dozen former and current colleagues of Lemon, Variety said. He has served as the prime-time anchor of CNN's "Don Lemon Tonight" for more than eight years, the network's website says.

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