• by Wayne Friedman , August 14, 2023

Combining all its TV stations, local news operations, and U.S. syndication business under single leadership, CBS has promoted Wendy McMahon to president and chief executive officer of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures.

McMahon will oversee all CBS 27 local TV stations as well as CBS News broadcast/streaming operations, 14 local news streaming channels -- as well as overseeing CBS' first-run syndication business.

With regard to the syndication business, those shows include “Jeopardy!”, “Wheel Of Fortune,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “Inside Edition” and “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

She will also oversee content licensing to TV stations and the national spot advertising-sales business.

McMahon's promotion to the top post comes after Neeraj Khemlani, president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, would be departing from the post.

Earlier, he announced that he was transitioning to a multiplatform first-look deal with CBS to develop non-fictional programming content.

McMahon had previously been co-head of CBS News and Stations with Khemlani. She also shared oversight with Steven LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures.

McMahon has been credited with expanding local news coverage in many markets.

BIA Advisory Services estimated that in 2022, CBS TV stations posted $1.61 billion in local TV/streaming advertising revenue and $994 million in retransmission revenues.