Showtime Executive Transition Plan Is Announced

NEW YORK, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Matthew C. Blank, who has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Showtime Networks since 1995, will pass his title and duties as CEO to a key lieutenant on Jan. 1, 2016. Blank will continue on in his role as Chairman of the division after the transition.

"Matt Blank has led Showtime as its Chairman and CEO through two decades of dramatic change and evolution in the industry," said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation. "At each and every turn, he has shown terrific instincts and knowledge of the business. His patience, energy and dedication were central to building Showtime into the powerhouse it is today. He is passing the CEO torch at a terrific time, with Showtime now poised for significant new growth over the Internet."

David Nevins, the current President of Showtime, will become the President and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks Inc. In his new role, Nevins will be responsible for all aspects of the daily and strategic management of the division. In addition to his current role, which includes all creative development and acquisition of premium programming, marketing, and other duties as noted below, his new role will add responsibility for all of the other business functions at Showtime. 

In connection with his appointment to CEO, Nevins' term of employment is extended through calendar year 2018.

"One of the key attributes I look for in my leadership team is the capacity and willingness to bring up the next generation of management," Moonves added. "Matt has been an eager partner and invaluable contributor to the succession planning process at Showtime. It is a credit to Matt that we are now prepared to add the CEO duties to a talented executive like David Nevins, who is more than ready to take on this important role."

On Nevins' promotion, Moonves stated: "David is quite simply one of the most brilliant creative minds in our business today, and a great business manager as well, a combination that is both rare and incredibly valuable. In this world that is flooding with content, he is a peerless programmer whose work immediately rises to the top, be it in entertainment, in documentaries or in sports, all of which have blossomed under his leadership at Showtime. We couldn't be more excited about the great skills that he brings to the job, and the incredible potential that he will be sure to realize." 

Blank added: "I'm so proud of all the success at Showtime over the past few years. One of the great joys of my career has been working with David Nevins. I know he'll bring his great programming, business and leadership skills, as well as his passion for Showtime, to his new responsibilities. This is a time of great opportunity for the company, and we are delighted David will be at the helm."

"This transition comes at a time of truly exciting growth for Showtime," said Nevins. "I feel fortunate to be handed the reins by Leslie and Matt, who have been the kind of mentors you can only hope to find once in a lifetime. Looking forward, all of us at Showtime will benefit immeasurably from Matt's ongoing guidance and counsel as Chairman." 

As President of Showtime Networks Inc., David Nevins has been responsible for developing, acquiring and supervising all aspects of programming for all of the Showtime Networks channels across all genres including comedy, drama, reality, specials, documentaries and films. Nevins also manages SHOWTIME Sports®, and the Company's marketing, creative, digital media, scheduling, research, acquisitions, home entertainment, business affairs and corporate communications teams. He also serves as the liaison to CBS Corporation's international and domestic distribution groups. Under his tenure, SHOWTIME launched eight consecutive hit series, including the record-breaking, critically acclaimed series THE AFFAIR and RAY DONOVAN, MASTERS OF SEX, as well as HOMELAND, SHAMELESS, PENNY DREADFUL, EPISODES, HOUSE OF LIES, all of which rank among the network's top-rated shows. The first project greenlit by Nevins at the network, HOMELAND, was the recipient of Golden Globe^® and Emmy^® Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, as well as a prestigious Peabody Award.

Before joining Showtime, Nevins was an Emmy Award-winning producer and network programming executive. He served as President of Imagine Television from 2002-2010, where he oversaw development, production and was an executive producer on all Imagine Television shows. Under his leadership, Imagine produced "Arrested Development," which won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and "24", which won for Outstanding Drama Series. He also developed and executive produced "Parenthood," "Lie to Me," "Shark" and the critically acclaimed series "Friday Night Lights," which received honors from the American Film Institute (AFI) for Television Program of the Year and the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. Nevins also received an Emmy Award nomination for his work as an executive producer on the final season of "Friday Night Lights."

Prior to joining Imagine, Nevins served as Executive Vice President of Programming at Fox Broadcasting Company. He oversaw all development and current programming for such series as "The Bernie Mac Show," "Malcolm in the Middle," as well as the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning first season of "24." Previously, Nevins served as Senior Vice President, Primetime Series at NBC, where he was responsible for the development and creative supervision of such renowned dramas and comedies as "ER," "The West Wing," "Will & Grace," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Law & Order: SVU."

In 2014 Nevins was awarded the prestigious Vanguard Award for Programmers, the NCTA's top honor. He serves on various industry boards, including the HRTS Board of Directors, the George Foster Peabody Awards Board of Advisors, the Paley Center Los Angeles Board of Governors, and is on the ATAS Executive Committee. Nevins currently serves as the Vice President and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Saban Community Clinic.

Nevins graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College in Amherst, Mass. He and his wife, Andrea, live in Los Angeles with their daughter and two sons.

Matt Blank has made a significant and indelible mark on the cable television industry in a career spanning over three decades. Blank has been with Showtime Networks Inc. since 1988, assuming the position of President and Chief Operating Officer in 1991, followed by President and CEO, and then Chairman and CEO in 1995. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President, Marketing, where he oversaw all of the networks' consumer marketing, creative services and public relations functions. Before joining Showtime Networks, Blank worked for Home Box Office Inc. for 12 years, departing as Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing.

Under Blank's leadership, Showtime Networks has grown from three premium networks – SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX – to 27 digital channels. SNI has also been a champion and early adopter of the latest technologies, such as high definition and subscription video on demand (SVOD), providing subscribers with an enhanced viewing experience, along with more choice, convenience and value. During his tenure, Blank has helped transform Showtime into one of the most successful networks in the TV industry.

Blank is active in numerous industry organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) and the Cable Center. In 2013, he was honored by the Center for Communication with the Dr. Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communications. He was inducted into Broadcasting and Cable magazine's Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Cable Center Hall of Fame in 2009. He has garnered numerous industry awards, including the NCTA's top honor, the Vanguard Award for Leadership in 2008. In 2003, Blank received the Grand TAM Award, the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing's (CTAM) highest honor. In March 2004, he was honored by Cable Positive with the Joel A. Berger Award for his contribution to the fight against AIDS.

Blank has also been honored by a number of other nonprofit organizations. In 2001, he was the recipient of People for the American Way Foundation's prestigious "Spirit of Liberty" award at its 17^th annual gala. In 2003, he was honored with the UJA-Federation of NY's Entertainment Media & Communications Division Award, and in 2004 he was presented with the Lifetime Visionary Award by the Israel Film Festival. In 2006, the T. Howard Foundation honored him for his and Showtime Networks' efforts in support of diversity. In 2007, Blank was honored by the Innocence Project for the SHOWTIME production of the award-winning documentary AFTER INNOCENCE, which made a significant contribution to advancing an understanding of the plight of the wrongfully convicted.

Blank has been a Trustee of the Harlem Children's Zone for almost 20 years. He also serves as a Trustee of the Museum of the Moving Image, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Manhattan Theatre Club. 

Blank is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and holds an M.B.A. from Baruch College. He resides in New York City with his wife, Susan McGuirk.

About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX^®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND^®, and the network's authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME^®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company that creates and distributes industry-leading content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date back to the dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures that operate on the leading edge of media. CBS owns the most-watched television network in the U.S. and one of the world's largest libraries of entertainment content, making its brand — "the Eye" — one of the most recognized in business. The Company's operations span virtually every field of media and entertainment, including cable, publishing, radio, local TV, film, and interactive and socially responsible media. CBS's businesses include CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Studios, CBS Global Distribution Group (CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution), CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Interactive, CBS Films, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, Pop (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate), Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television Stations, CBS Radio and CBS EcoMedia. For more information, go to www.cbscorporation.com. 

SOURCE CBS Corporation

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