CBS is shuffling its leadership ranks, installing a tag team with veteran scheduling chief Kelly Kahl and longtime network programmer Thom Sherman that will be taking over the day-to-day operations of America's most popular television network, according to a person familiar with the moves.
The two are expected to replace CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller, who had a heart attack in mid-March as CBS was preparing its slate of pilots. CBS on Tuesday announced that Geller, who has since been on medical leave, was stepping down. He served as entertainment president for about 18 months.
The move was telegraphed earlier this month as Kahl, 50, took a turn on the stage at Carnegie Hall in New York to promote CBS' new fall schedule to advertisers. Kahl has been in CBS Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves' inner circle for more than two decades, and has been instrumental in the network's success.
Sherman, 52, has been the executive vice president in charge of programming at the small CW network, a joint venture of CBS and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Despite its success, CBS has struggled to launch a breakthrough hit in the last few seasons. Its popular shows, such as "Bull" and "Life in Pieces," have generated large audiences, but not the buzz of NBC's breakout hit "This is Us" or ABC's "black-ish" that also do well among younger viewers.
Sherman has shepherded such notable shows as "The Flash," "Arrow," "Jane the Virgin," "The Vampire Diaries" and "Gossip Girl." He joined the CW in 2006 after working two years at J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot production company. Before that, he was a development executive at ABC for about 8 years.
The shake-up was first reported by Variety.
