CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler departing in December
It is not often that we report much on behind-the-scenes industry changes here at CarterMatt, but this one is significant enough that everyone should take note. Today, CBS announced that Nina Tassler, who has been in charge of the entertainment division for over ten years (her current title is Chairman), is set to depart at the end of the year. She will remain as an adviser until 2017, with Deadline reporting that she wants to get back to doing work in the theater.
One thing that is clear to us is that this is not a job that Tassler needed to vacate. In her reign CBS has remained the most-watched network on TV. Could you make a criticism that they have not launched a mega-hit in some time? Sure, given that the big selling points now (“NCIS,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Survivor,” “Big Brother,” “Criminal Minds”) were all big selling points five years ago. However, she did still preserve these hits, and the network does have a promising hit now and “Scorpion” and a few solid fall entries. We’d say as a whole she’s done an incredible job, and has made sure that in an age of chaos at some other networks, CBS has been the pinnacle of professionalism and stability. Judging from how long people tend to work there, the network ensures that people enjoy their jobs.
In a statement confirming Tassler’s departure, President and CEO Les Moonves said the following:
“Nina and I have been colleagues and friends for 25 years … It is one of the proudest partnerships of my professional life. We’ve enjoyed amazing success together, both here and at Warner Bros., and it’s been a privilege to watch her talents and accomplishments grow. Nina is a creative executive with the instincts of an artist, so it came as no surprise that she would eventually want to express those talents beyond television. All of us here are grateful and proud of CBS’s success with Nina leading our entertainment programming, and we will be the biggest fans for all her future endeavors.”
Glenn Geller, the head of Current Programming for CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Studios, is set to replace Tassler in the role. A toast to her for her achievements, and we’ll see what lies ahead.
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