Wendy McMahon has been named president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures. She was president and co-head of CBS News and Stations alongside Neeraj Khemlani, who stepped down August 13. She will report to George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS.
McMahon will lead all of CBS News’ broadcast and streaming operations, 27 television stations, 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.
Her purview will include all areas of oversight previously shared with Khemlani and Steven LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures. LoCascio, a 34-year veteran of CBS, will retire at the end of his contract.
McMahon became president and co-head in May 2021. She was president of ABC Owned Stations before coming to CBS.
“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,” Cheeks said. “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.”
McMahon has expanded local news coverage in several markets, including the seven-hour morning block in Los Angeles, and oversaw the launch of local news at WWJ Detroit. She also established the CBS Local News Innovation Lab in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“It’s an honor to be entrusted to lead as venerated an organization as CBS News, and I’m inspired to continue to support the world’s greatest journalists at this critical moment for our profession. I’m also excited to work with the No. 1 team in first-run syndication at CBS Media Ventures,” McMahon said. “I am fortunate to have thousands of talented, dedicated colleagues across these teams to continue the top-notch journalism and productions our viewers expect from CBS.”
