Elaine Bauer Brooks, executive vice president, development and multiplatform content, is departing CBS Media Ventures (CMV) after four years leading development for CBS’s syndication division.
During her time at CMV, Bauer Brooks developed The Drew Barrymore Show and other projects. She was at CMV for a total of nine years.
“This is a special place with one of the most creative and innovative teams in the business, so this was not an easy decision, but it is the right one for me,” Bauer Brooks wrote in an email to staff. “I’m so proud of everything we have accomplished together, and my time at CMV has included some of the highlights of my career, including the launch of The Drew Barrymore Show. Nothing was more fulfilling than launching Drew at the height of the pandemic and then watching it grow into the daytime force that it is today.”
Brooks’ announcement comes on the heels of the retirement of CMV President Steve LoCascio. LoCascio’s duties have been absorbed by Wendy McMahon, who became the sole president of the CBS TV Stations, CBS News and CMV earlier this month. McMahon previously shared duties with Neeraj Khemlani, who stepped down August 13.
While this is a time of change at CMV, which has produced and distributed many of syndication’s top-rated programs for decades, McMahon assured staff that the company remains committed to first-run syndication.
“Developing new shows and franchises is a top priority, and we will begin actively recruiting a new head of development and brand extensions,” McMahon wrote in an email to staff. “This role will continue to be responsible for first-run development, and will also work more closely with our shows and producers to extend our current brands across all platforms and into the larger Paramount ecosystem.”
Over the past three years, CMV has seen several of its shows end, including daytime leader Judge Judy, which now airs on stations in repeats; frequent talk leader Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray; and The Doctors. It still produces and distributes such shows as Drew Barrymore, Hot Bench, Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition.
CMV also handles national advertising sales for many syndicated shows, including ones that are produced and distributed by other companies, and it worked in partnership with Fox to produce and distribute Pictionary, hosted by Jerry O’Connell.
This fall, CMV — with a big assist from CBS News — is launching into syndication a repackaged version of 48 Hours. NBCUniversal has had success airing a retooled version of Dateline for six seasons, heading into the show’s seventh as a strip and weekly program.
Bauer Brooks will remain with CMV through the end of November to assist with the transition.
Deadline first reported this story.
