Deborah Barak, one of the most prominent, influential and beloved TV business executives of the past three decades, died today, Jan. 21, after a long battle with cancer. She was 65. Barak’s passing comes just two years after she left CBS at the end of 2020. During her 35 years at the company, rising to president of business operations, she created deal templates and introduced business models that have since become industry standards. A skilled negotiator who was highly respected by her peers, Barak — known to all as Debby — led the network’s and studio’s highest-profile negotiations. She brokered a slew of mega talent and show deals while always keeping her cool under pressure in the most chaotic situations.
The promotion expands CBS Entertainment veteran Deborah Barak’s oversight to include business operations for CBS News, in addition to the CBS Entertainment programming division and CBS Television Studios production arm.
