Sumner Redstone

Two Years On, Dan Rather Case Back in Court Today - Posted September 21, 2009
Dan Rather's case against CBS Corp. is back in court this afternoon. We're told the 4pmET hearing is a status conference, so Judge Gammerman may not rule on anything. However, some of the issues still outstanding: the deposition from Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone and a motion to dismiss the case. The... [TVNewser]

Redstone Out At Midway Games -- Dad Is Happy? - Posted November 10, 2008
While blood may be thicker than water in some cases, in the Redstone family, it's as slippery as oil. Midway Games chairman Shari Redstone sacrificed herself by resigning to help buck up and restructure the debt for the sagging parent company National Amusements, Variety reports. Papa Sumner Redstone was nonplused by the resignation.... [FishBowlLA]

Viacom Having Issues -- No Party, Fire Sale - Posted November 4, 2008
Viacom domo Sumner Redstone hates to admit it, but he's having some troubles with his flagship National Amusements Inc. Not only is he canceling the Christmas party, but he's also looking to sell some theaters to make up for National Amusements debt. Next thing to go might be Paramount, which has had its... [FishBowlLA]

Redstone Stands Firm: I Ain't Selling CBS Or Viacom - Posted October 23, 2008
Viacom major domo Sumner Redstone, responding to all the gossip about how much he's struggling to keep his loans paid off, flat out told the Wall Street Journal: "Not a chance" that I'm sellin'. And he means his most lucrative properties: CBS network and Viacom Inc. Unclear whether he'll have to anyway.... [FishBowlLA]

Sumner Redstone: From Bad to Worse - Posted October 22, 2008
Sumner Redstone is arguably having a worse month than John McCain. First he was forced to sell off $233 million worth of CBS and Viacom shares earlier this month during Wall St.'s catastrophic week — a move which apparently caused an even further rift in the already tenuous relationship Redstone... [FishBowlNY]

Morning Reading List, 10.21.08 - Posted October 21, 2008
Good morning Washington. Got a blind item, interesting link, funny note, comment, birthday, anniversary or anything of the sort for Morning Reading List? Drop us a line or let us know in the tips box below. We've got your morning mix of media Muesli after the jump...... [FishBowlDC]

Heyward, Moonves To Be Deposed in Rather Suit - Posted July 17, 2008
The judge in Dan Rather's case against his former employer has ordered CBS to produce several witnesses for depositions including former CBS News president Andrew Heyward and CBS CEO Les Moonves. The court ruled Wednesday that the depositions would go forward, with Heyward's scheduled for the end of this month and... [TVNewser]

Heyward, Moonves To Be Deposed in Rather Suit - Posted July 17, 2008
The judge in Dan Rather's case against his former employer has ordered CBS to produce several witnesses for depositions including former CBS News president Andrew Heyward and CBS CEO Les Moonves. The court ruled Wednesday that the depositions would go forward, with Heyward's scheduled for the end of this month and... [TVNewser]

Cooking Up Media Deals With Rachael Ray, and a Murdoch Scion Sighting - Posted July 9, 2008
Dan Cox, on special assignment for FishbowlLA, covering the 2008 Sun Valley Media Conference.Ken Lowe, President and CEO of the Scripps company (formerly Scripps Howard) was morose at the bar in Sun Valley Lodge late last night. He was lamenting the foreboding loss of the printed written word in media. What... [FishBowlLA]

Breaking: Dan Rather Ruling: Let the Spin Begin! - Posted April 10, 2008
A judge has issued a ruling on CBS's motion to dismiss Dan Rather's $70 million lawsuit. In short, some aspects (and defendants) of the suit were thrown out, but the suit will proceed. Sounds like, in essence, not a lot has changed -- but that hasn't stopped both sides from proclaiming victory: "We... [FishBowlLA]

Morning Reading List, 11.19.07 - Posted November 19, 2007
Good morning Washington. National Journal reports, "Average time spent consuming news on a typical workday," broken down by type of Washingtonian. The Pew Talk Show Index for November 4-9 shows, "Dennis Kucinich's call to impeach Vice President Cheney made nary a blip with the general media last week but it was a... [FishBowlDC]

WGA Strike 07: What You Need to Know - Posted November 8, 2007
So, is the picket line where the cool kids hang? Nina Bargiel walked the walk and got a history lesson for her pains. Bryan Burrough writes about the school yard fight between Sumner Redstone and David Geffen in the December Vanity Fair. You can see the level of people the WGA... [FishBowlLA]

Morning Reading List, 10.10.07 - Posted October 9, 2007
Good morning Washington. Overwhelmingly, Joe Biden is your Democratic candidate of choice. An ABC release announced, "For the week of October 1-5, 'World News with Charles Gibson' was the most-watched evening newscast among Total Viewers, Households, and Adults 25-54. Averaging 7.57 million Total Viewers and a 1.9/8 among Adults 25-54, the ABC broadcast... [FishBowlDC]

CBS Has Eye For CNN - Posted June 4, 2007
There are only so many budding media mergers we can follow at this point, but it appears CBS chief Sumner Redstone is sweet on CNN, should Time Warner decide to sell. Viva Variety: CBS chairman Sumner Redstone and CEO Leslie Moonves reignited the prospect of a merger between CBS News and CNN at... [FishBowlNY]

Jann Wenner Wishes He Sold Rolling Stone To MTV When He Had The Chance - Posted April 19, 2007
Wenner [left] at the National Magazine Awards in May 2006 As Rolling Stone preps its New Yorker-style DVD archive project and 40th anniversary issue, founder Jann Wenner has had some time to reflect on his professional regrets. AP [via Jossip]: There are few professional regrets. A Frank Sinatra interview was dangled in front of... [FishBowlNY]

Daily Show Addresses Viacom-YouTube Suit - Posted March 23, 2007
Replete with Sumner Redstone and Google executive stick figures.... [FishBowlNY]

Air America | Sumner Redstone | Graydon Carter | TMZ | Today | Reader's Digest Raids Condé Nast | Bids Due For Dennis - Posted March 14, 2007
Why Graydon Carter: Wants a celebrity clubhouse on Waverly. [NYO] Inside Air America's: Money troubles. [Village Voice] Reader's Digest's Mary Berner: Poaches Grimes from Condé Nast. [WWD] TMZ: Coming to D.C. [WaPo] Sumner Redstone: To take pay cut. [Bloomberg via LAT] Today: Still on top without Katie. [Page Six] Bids... [FishBowlNY]

Reviewing Good's Media Issue Like A Rock Record - Posted February 23, 2007
Good, the Los Angeles-based startup for "people who give a damn," has made it to its 3rd issue, and already has the gumption (nay, balls) to put out a "media issue." They seem to have a fan in Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter, who contributes a foreword-style essay on his favorite... [FishBowlNY]

Agreement Fizzles, Viacom Threatens Legal Action Against YouTube - Posted February 2, 2007
We all knew $1.65 billion would buy someone's ire Viacom is demanding YouTube and Google to pull over 100,000 clips of its content — which it estimates as "$1.2 billion video streams on YouTube" — after trying for months to come to an agreement, stating that YouTube is unwilling to "come to... [FishBowlNY]