CBS president and COO Les Moonves |
HOLLYWOOD - Everybody Loves...Buffy?CBS announced on Monday that the network will be integrating UPN's operations under CBS management in January of 2002, though CBS and UPN will retain separate on-air identities and affiliates. Both networks are owned by parent company Viacom, and execs at CBS and UPN felt the merge was a natural move for the media conglomerate.
"Today’s announcement is the culmination of a process that began with the merger of Viacom and CBS and realizes an important opportunity to bring new efficiencies to the broadcast business, while maintaining the distinct voices of CBS and UPN as leaders in free, over-the-air broadcasting," said Mel Karmazin, president and COO of Viacom. "There is no better time to bring UPN together with CBS, which is enjoying one of the best years in its history."
As part of the overall plan, all UPN execs will now report to Les Moonves, president and COO of CBS. Moonves said in a CBS press release on Monday that the integration of both networks will help cut costs and increase ad revenue, which will hopefully attract Viacom investors.
Paramount Television Chairman Kerry McCluggage, the original architect of UPN, will leave at the end of January.
Details about the inevitable changes in both networks' programming will be released at a later date.