Uncategorized
A CBS network shaped by Moonves is challenged without him
NEW YORK — For the past two decades, CBS may just as well have been called the Moonves Broadcasting System. Now it’s time to move on.
Moonves, who was ousted over the weekend as head of CBS Corp. amid a continuing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, began working as the network’s entertainment division president in 1995 and built it into the corporation’s profitable crown jewel.
CBS is a throwback at a time of rapid changes in how people consume television. Moonves believed in broadcasting as the word was conceived, trying to reach the broadest possible audience with a formula that emphasized mystery procedurals and classic sitcoms. CBS has been America’s most-watched television network for the past 10 seasons in a row, and 15 of the past 16, with Fox winning once at the height of “American Idol” mania.
“That’s one of the reasons CBS has been so successful — a singular vision coming from one person,” said Garth Ancier, former chief programming executive at NBC, Fox and the WB network, who also worked with Moonves at the Warner Brothers studio.
Now CBS is in a predicament similar to what Fox News Channel faced when Roger Ailes was forced out in 2006 following sexual misconduct charges, felled by #MeToo before it was a movement. In both cases, a creative enterprise thoroughly dominated by one person was suddenly left to fend for itself.
CBS under Moonves has always been television comfort food rather than fine dining.
He
He went for big laughs in relatable, traditional comedies, like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” ”The Big Bang Theory” and “Mom.” He trusted viewers would be curious to see well-known actors coming back for new roles, like Kevin James, Robin Williams, Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Matt LeBlanc
A former actor who loves the world of show biz, Moonves gave the green light in decisions large and small. He’d often decide which actors would guest star in series, and what castaways would go on “Survivor.” Even after he became a corporate chieftain, he loved to keep his hands in the mix, and he loved talking about it.
The decision to replace David Letterman with Stephen Colbert looked like a failure after one year. But Moonves sensed he needed help, and brought an executive from CBS News, Chris Licht, to run the show backstage and free Colbert to do what he did best. It was an offbeat choice that paid off: Colbert is now reigning ratings king of late-night television.
Similarly, he saw James Corden in a Broadway show and selected him to follow Colbert on the schedule.
“Had you ever heard of James Corden?” asked Bill Carter, CNN analyst and author of “The Late Shift” on late-night television. “I had been following the industry for a long time and I had never heard of him.”
These are instinctive decisions and not all succeed. But actors like Mark Harmon and Jim Parsons owe a debt to Moonves for unimagined wealth and success.
Such absolute power brings with it the possibility of abuse, however. Moonves’ second wife, Julie Chen, faced nepotism whispers as host of CBS’ “Big Brother” reality show and co-host on daytime TV’s “The Talk.” On Wednesday, “Designing Women” creator Linda Bloodworth Thomason wrote a scathing column in The Hollywood Reporter saying that Moonves had disliked her and essentially buried her network career. “Not all harassment is sexual,” she wrote.
There are uglier stories. Several women told the New Yorker magazine, which uncovered the misconduct charges against Moonves, that he had essentially ruined or derailed their show business careers. Moonves denies this.
With Moonves out of power and no longer a threat, the chance of more stories coming out increases exponentially.
What remains unclear is whether others at CBS will be tainted by their own
Moonves has had loyal lieutenants, like current entertainment president Kelly Kahl, who has worked with him since they were at the Warner Brothers studio in the early 1990s. But “he has never really put anyone in a succession position,” Carter said. “He never liked the idea.”
With the acrimonious exit, whoever eventually takes charge at CBS may not necessarily be interested in people with close ties to Moonves. Who knows how many people that “The Talk” co-host Sharon Osbourne was speaking for on Monday when she said on the air that “everyone here at CBS is nervous about their jobs.”
It’s always been something of a mystery in the industry how long CBS’ formula could continue, Ancier said. When would people become sick of the mystery procedurals? “I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think anyone knows.”
But it would be risky for someone to come in and dramatically change what CBS is doing, he said. While people close to Fox News see changes there since Ailes left, the network hasn’t changed its basic direction and remains successful.
CBS faces the same test.
“Basically, CBS was Les Moonves,” Carter said.
Not anymore.
David Bauder, The Associated Press
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
By Jason Hopkins
The Trump administration is creating a first-of-its-kind task force aimed at ushering in a new “Golden Age” of beautiful infrastructure across the U.S.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) will announce the establishment of the Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council (BTIC) on Thursday, the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively learned. The BTIC seeks to advise Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on design and policy ideas for key infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges and transit hubs.
“What happened to our country’s proud tradition of building great, big, beautiful things?” Duffy said in a statement shared with the DCNF. “It’s time the design for America’s latest infrastructure projects reflects our nation’s strength, pride, and promise.”
“We’re engaging the best and brightest minds in architectural design and engineering to make beautiful structures that move you and bring about a new Golden Age of Transportation,” Duffy continued.
Mini scoop – here is the DOT’s rollout of its Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council, which will be tasked with making our buildings beautiful again. pic.twitter.com/
9iV2xSxdJM — Jason Hopkins (@jasonhopkinsdc) October 23, 2025
The DOT is encouraging nominations of the country’s best architects, urban planners, artists and others to serve on the council, according to the department. While ensuring that efficiency and safety remain a top priority, the BTIC will provide guidance on projects that “enhance” public areas and develop aesthetic performance metrics.
The new council aligns with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in August 2025 regarding infrastructure. The “Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again” order calls for federal public buildings in the country to “respect regional architectural heritage” and aims to prevent federal construction projects from using modernist and brutalist architecture styles, instead returning to a classical style.
“The Founders, in line with great societies before them, attached great importance to Federal civic architecture,” Trump’s order stated. “They wanted America’s public buildings to inspire the American people and encourage civic virtue.”
“President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington, D.C., on the classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome,” the order continued. “Because of their proven ability to meet these requirements, classical and traditional architecture are preferred modes of architectural design.”
The DOT invested millions in major infrastructure projects since Trump’s return to the White House. Duffy announced in August a $43 million transformation initiative of the New York Penn Station in New York City and in September unveiledmajor progress in the rehabilitation and modernization of Washington Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The BTIC will comprise up to 11 members who will serve two-year terms, with the chance to be reappointed, according to the DOT. The task force will meet biannually. The deadline for nominations will end Nov. 21.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has released a new report titled Canada’s Surrender of Sovereignty: New WHO health regulations undermine Canadian democracy and Charter freedoms. Authored by Nigel Hannaford, a veteran journalist and researcher, the report warns that Canada’s acceptance of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) revised International Health Regulations (IHR) represents a serious erosion of national independence and democratic accountability.
The IHR amendments, which took effect on September 19, 2025, authorize the WHO Director-General to declare global “health emergencies” that could require Canada to follow directives from bureaucrats in Geneva, bypassing the House of Commons and the will of Canadian voters.
The WHO regards these regulations as “binding,” despite having no ability or legal authority to impose such regulations. Even so, Canada is opting to accept the regulations as binding.
By accepting the WHO’s revised IHR, the report explains, Canada has relinquished its own control over future health crises and instead has agreed to let the WHO determine when a “pandemic emergency” exists and what Canada must do to respond to it, after which Canada must report back to the WHO.
In fact, under these International Health Regulations, the WHO could demand countries like Canada impose stringent freedom-violating health policies, such as lockdowns, vaccine mandates, or travel restrictions without debate, evidence review, or public accountability, the report explains.
Once the WHO declares a “Pandemic Emergency,” member states are obligated to implement such emergency measures “without delay” for a minimum of three months.
Importantly, following these WHO directives would undermine government accountability as politicians may hide behind international “commitments” to justify their actions as “simply following international rules,” the report warns.
Canada should instead withdraw from the revised IHR, following the example of countries like Germany, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, and the United States. The report recommends continued international cooperation without surrendering control over domestic health policies.
Constitutional lawyer Allison Pejovic said, “[b]y treating WHO edicts as binding, the federal government has effectively placed Canadian sovereignty on loan to an unelected international body.”
“Such directives, if enforced, would likely violate Canadians’ Charter rights and freedoms,” she added.
Mr. Hannaford agreed, saying, “Canada’s health policies must be made in Canada. No free and democratic nation should outsource its emergency powers to unelected bureaucrats in Geneva.”
The Justice Centre urges Canadians to contact their Members of Parliament and demand they support withdrawing from the revised IHR to restore Canadian sovereignty and reject blind compliance with WHO directives.
Public Execution of Anti-Cartel Mayor in Michoacán Prompts U.S. Offer to Intervene Against Cartels
Senate Grills Meta and Google Over Biden Administration’s Role in COVID-Era Content Censorship
You Won’t Believe What Canada’s Embassy in Brazil Has Been Up To
Mystery cloaks Doug Ford’s funding of media through Ontario advertising subsidy
The era of Climate Change Alarmism is over
Alberta government’s plan will improve access to MRIs and CT scans
Carney’s Budget Risks Another Costly EV Bet
-
Business2 days agoCarney budget continues misguided ‘Build Canada Homes’ approach
-
Business2 days agoCarney budget doubles down on Trudeau-era policies
-
COVID-192 days agoCrown still working to put Lich and Barber in jail
-
Business1 day agoBill Gates Gets Mugged By Reality
-
armed forces1 day agoIt’s time for Canada to remember, the heroes of Kapyong
-
Censorship Industrial Complex23 hours agoSchool Cannot Force Students To Use Preferred Pronouns, US Federal Court Rules
-
Alberta22 hours agoAlberta Announces Members of Class Size and Complexity Committee
-
Alberta22 hours agoTell the Province what you think about 120 km/h speed limit on divided highways