Moonves: Nixing Sheen Show Saves Money

LOS ANGELES (AP) — CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves is shrugging off the effect of cancelling Charlie Sheen’s popular sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” In fact, he says the move is saving money.

Moonves told an investors conference in San Francisco on Tuesday that stopping production on the final eight episodes of this season is “financially a gainer.”

He says reruns take in less advertising revenue, but not making new episodes saves CBS Corp. a lot of money, at least in the short term. Monday night’s repeat was still popular – it was the top-watched show of the night.

As for Sheen’s public pronouncements, Moonves said, “I wish he would have worked this hard to promote himself for an Emmy.”

He said, “I hope it’s back. We’ll see.”