In apparent damage control, CBS has combined news and TV stations, with Neeraj Khemlani Wendy McMahon to lead a new division.
Khemlani served as a top executive for Hearst Newspapers, Cable, plus Digital Media, and McMahon is the former president of ABC Owned TV Stations. The two will report to George Cheeks, president, and CEO of CBS Entertainment Group. Some see it as the end of a great network news division. Those who worked there or anyone still does, see it as a death knell for independent news divisions. Integrated into the entertainment side? Terribly, terribly sad for real journalism. And for so many top-notch journalists. And so so it goes.
The question now is did #SueZ quit, or did she walk away and talk herself into a sweet CBS production deal? As we previously reported, in our 4/8 Blog post, CBS is dealing with the fallout of losing Stations and News executives.
Former CBS News president Susan Zirinsky recently stepped down from her role at CBS after getting so fed up that she reportedly wrote “I hate my job” on a piece of paper and held it above her head “in protest” during a corporate budget meeting.
Susan Zirinsky is an American journalist and television news producer who has served as President of CBS News since 1/19. She previously served as executive producer of 48 Hours from 1996 to 2019.
“I’m excited to return home to CBS and work with George and Neeraj to build out a unique and inspired structure that brings together the best in journalism, digital innovation, and collaboration, to serve audiences at a time when trusted news and information – the hallmark of CBS – has never been more needed,” said McMahon. “Driven by the ingenuity, experience, and dedication of the storytellers and teams at CBS News and our local stations, we are committed to reflecting the communities where we operate while cultivating a culture grounded in trust.”
Another network news division has also made history. ABC News is celebrating the HISTORY MADE: @KimGodwinTV
✅ First Black President and First Black Woman to Head ABC News!
✅ First Black Executive and Black Woman to Head a Broadcast Network News Operation!
Interestingly, "Susie Q" is a song by musician Dale Hawkins recorded late in the rockabilly era in 1957. He wrote it with bandmate Robert Chaisson, but when released, Stan Lewis, the owner of Jewel/Paula Records and whose daughter Susan was the inspiration for the song, and Eleanor Broadwater, the wife of Nashville DJ Gene Nobles, were credited as co-writers to give them shares of the royalties.
However, Hawkins cut "Susie Q" at the KWKH Radio station in Shreveport, Louisiana. "Susie Q" was a late rockabilly song that captured the spirit of Louisiana and featured guitar work by James Burton, who also worked with Ricky Nelson and later with Elvis Presley, among others. There is some dispute as to whether the Hawkins rendition of the song was a remake of a 1939 release of a song of the same title, "Susie-Q", by Sonny Boy Williamson. Listen and decide for yourself.