For weeks now, speculation has swirled in New York media circles that Strauss Zelnick was angling for the CEO’s job at CBS. The current head of Take-Two Interactive used an appearance at the 2018 Paley International Council Summit in London to tamp down any such speculation.
Strauss Zelnick would be the $120 million man if he ends up running a combined CBS and Viacom. He is a leading contender in the mix to run the media colossus — partially due to his close relationship with mogul Shari Redstone. Zelnick, the current head of Take-Two Interactive and CBS chairman, would cost the merged entity plenty in employment guarantee payouts.
CBS named Parsons interim chairman in September as it tried to reshape itself following the ouster of its longtime chief Les Moonves. He’s stepping doen, the company says, because of illness. The media company named Strauss Zelnick, another media industry leader, as his replacement.
