GECs
Viacom merges CBS, Paramount world distribution
MUMBAI: Viacom is reorganising its international television distribution operations with the creation of CBS Paramount International Television – a new global television sales and distribution entity that will merge the significant resources of CBS Broadcast International and Paramount International Television. This was announced by Viacom co-president and co-chief operating officer Leslie Moonves.
Moonves was quoted in an official release as saying, “We are combining two outstanding operations to form one great entity that will make Viacom’s international television sales business even stronger. This restructuring will help maximise our programming resources, efficiently streamline our overseas distribution and establish a programming pipeline that can have a huge impact in the global marketplace.”
Moonves also announced that Armando Nunez Jr., formerly CBS Broadcast International president has been named president of the new combined organisation. Nunez will report to both CBS Enterprises and King World Productions CEO Roger King and Paramount Worldwide Television Distribution president Joel Berman.
Under King and Berman’s leadership, Viacom’s two domestic syndication companies — King World Productions and Paramount Domestic Television — collectively distribute six of the top 10 (and 10 of the top 20) shows in syndication. These domestic companies will continue to operate independently, Moonves stated.
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Armando the past five years and have known him even longer,” Moonves added. “He is quite simply one of the most skilled and respected executives in our business with an unmatched passion for and knowledge of the international arena. I look forward to working with Armando, Roger and Joel as we chart a global course that successfully exploits our programming assets, delivers tremendous benefits to our worldwide customers and creates value for Viacom.”
As part of the restructuring, international sales to free, over-the-air broadcast networks and those to pay cable and satellite services will be consolidated into the same management structure under Nunez. The newly formed international operation creates one of the most diverse and prolific pipelines of programming to the international television marketplace. The programming assets will include:
— Paramount network and syndicated programming such as the Star Trek franchise, the Emmy Award-winning Frasier and the hit CBS drama JAG,
— Feature films from Paramount Pictures including the recent releases The Manchurian Candidate and Collateral
— CBS News and Entertainment programming such as Survivor, Everybody Loves Raymond, Late Show with David Letterman and 60 Minutes
— King World syndicated programming Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil
— UPN’s America’s Next Top Model
— Spelling Television series such as Charmed
— The combined library of CBS and Paramount which features more than 60,000 hours of programming
In his new post, Nunez will assume oversight of all international distribution, sales and marketing for Viacom’s network and syndicated programming assets, as well as Paramount’s feature films and the CBS and Paramount television libraries. He will also direct their nine offices worldwide and manage the company’s interests in joint ventures for movie channels in Asia, Australia, Brazil, India, and Latin America, as well as TV1, a series programming channel in Australia.
King said, “Armando is one of international television’s most successful executives. He has been a key player in making CBS one of the top worldwide suppliers of US programming and sustaining King World International Productions position as a leader in international format sales and local productions. All of our programming assets will be served well with this new structure and Armando’s expertise.”
Berman on his part said, “This new structure gives added power to our already successful international operation. Paramount has always been a leading player in the global arena and this will position us to further expand a very important part of our business.”
In connection with the restructuring, Gary Marenzi, who has served as president of Paramount International Television since 1997, will be leaving the company. Most recently, Marenzi brought Sky Television into a co-production with Viacom Productions on USA Network’s summer hit -The 4400. Berman said, “Gary has been critical to the success of Paramount International Television. I consider him a true leader and a friend and have thoroughly enjoyed working with him since he joined Paramount in 1997. We are grateful for all of his contributions and wish him the best.”
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
