Profile: CBS CEO Mel Karmazin
CBS Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin joined the company in January 1997 as Chairman and CEO of CBS Radio after Westinghouse/CBS merged with Infinity Broadcasting, where Karmazin had served as President and CEO since 1981.
Known for his cost-cutting measures at Infinity, Karmazin had bought big-market stations and consolidated back-office functions.
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He was soon named Chairman and CEO of CBS Station Group (Radio and Television) in May 1997 and — within a year — became President and Chief Operating Officer of CBS Corporation.
In an effort to increase profits at the network, Karmazin eliminated the CBS sales team in favor of an outside sales firm, which resulted in savings of $8 million, according to The New York Times. That outside firm was Westwood One, in which Karmazin has a majority interest.
CBS executives told The Times that Karmazin had pressured former CBS chairman and chief executive Michael H. Jordan to give him control of the network's television stations.
By January 1, 1999, Karmazin assumed responsibility for the strategic direction of CBS as President and Chief Executive Officer. He also continues to oversee the full range of CBS operations, including CBS Television, CBS Cable and a regional sports business.
At the time of his ascension to the CEO post, Jordan told The Times, "First Mel got radio and outdoor advertising. Then he got the stations. Then he got the network. It was just a question of when the rest would fall into place."
The 55-year-old CEO serves on the Board of Directors of the CBS Corporation, the Board of Directors of Westwood One and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Television & Radio.
In 1996, he was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and in September 1997 received the National Association of Broadcasters' National Radio Award.