Moonves served as co-president and co-chief operating officer of Viacom, Inc., the predecessor to CBS Corporation, from 2004 until the company split on December 31, 2005. Prior to that he had been in a series of executive positions for CBS since July 1995. Moonves has also been a Director at ZeniMax Media since 1999.
He became chairman of CBS in February 2016.
Early life
Moonves was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the son of Josephine (Schleifer) and Herman Moonves, and grew up in Valley Stream, New York. He attended Valley Stream Central High School and went to Bucknell University, graduating in 1971. In his sophomore year he switched his major from pre-med to Spanish and acted in a few plays; following graduation in 1971 he moved to Manhattan to pursue a career as an actor, but after he played a few "forgettable" TV roles he decided to pursue the business side of television instead.
"There's good news about being in third place. We can try stuff. We can take risks."
"I expect to rely on him broadly to help me strategize, operate and drive results at the various business units which will make up the new CBS Corporation. He was absolutely instrumental in the formation of the new enterprise."
"His biggest sin was to trust a producer whom he'd worked with very successfully in the past,"
"It was clearly a natural thing for him to do,"
"We'll replace (Stern's show) with programming we think can be more profitable in the future."
"There is a genuine question whether people are going to want to pay $12 a month for (Howard Stern)."
"This is a proud moment for all of us who love the CBS name, and who know the storied history of CBS Radio."
"This is a truly historical meeting of the established and new media."
"I knew Jim and ESPN were talking, but I always felt that deep in my soul, he was a CBS guy, the face and voice of CBS Sports,"
Parsons later came out of retirement to briefly serve as CBS' chairman ... He later came out of retirement to briefly serve as CBS chairman in the wake of Les Moonves' ouster following sexual harassment and assault allegations during the #MeToo movement.
He’s the man who arguably turned Donald Trump into a household name and paved his path to the Presidency ... Wills ... Les Moonves, then the chairman of CBS, showed his appreciation for the British producer by delivering Burnett a champagne-colored Mercedes.
So much for American democracy and the concept that “no man is above the law.” ... All the billionaire oligarchs and social media trolls had to do was amplify that message (which they did, as CBS’ CEO Les Moonves bragged), and it became widely believed.
So much for American democracy and the concept that “no man is above the law.” ... All the billionaire oligarchs and social media trolls had to do was amplify that message (which they did, as CBS’ CEO Les Moonves bragged), and it became widely believed.
The FamilyMatters legend speaks to VF about the hard lessons, difficult relationships—with figures from Les Moonves to Bill Cosby—and silver linings of being a young icon ....
Julie Chen Moonves revealed the keys to maintaining a strong marriage six years after her husband, Leslie “Les” Moonves, was accused of sexual misconduct ... Julie Chen Moonves revealed the ...
Julie Chen Moonves ... Les Moonves' wife Julie Chen releases new memoir five years after he was fired from CBS for sexual misconduct - and refuses to answer questions about the scandal ... Les Moonves.
Chen Moonves and Moonves, the ex-chairman and chief executive officer of CBS Corporation, tied the knot in December 2004, and are parents to a 15-year-old son named Charlie together.
Eleven years before the CBS chair and CEO Les Moonves would be brought down for sexual harassment and sexual assault, Curling sought to depose him over his own "conduct, which constitutes sexual harassment and creates a hostile working environment."
report ...Along with Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Kevin Spacey and CBS boss Les Moonves, Lauer was among the powerful men in the media to face career death in the #MeToo era’s reckoning with sexual assault and harassment in American workplaces ... .
"When did I say that?" she asks ...And I was terribly lucky ... OK ... They’re both fabulous.” Former CBS head Les Moonves, who convinced you that starring in the 2000 sitcom Bette, based on your life, was a fantastic idea? Don't listen to him.
