With Glenn Geller stepping down as CBS entertainment president, Kelly Kahl, senior executive VP of CBS primetime, moves into the entertainment president position. Thom Sherman, executive VP at The CW, has been named CBS senior executive VP of programming.
With Geller out on medical leave, Kahl helped present CBS’ new shows during its upfront presentation. He starts in the new role immediately and reports to Leslie Moonves, chairman and CEO, CBS Corporation. Kahl will also oversee entertainment matters in the marketing and promotion, digital/interactive, diversity, publicity, research and scheduling divisions.
“Kelly has been part of my team since he was an intern at Lorimar 27 years ago,” said Moonves. “He has a brilliant programming mind, sharp business acumen and great analytical skills for our evolving television audience. He is also highly respected by his colleagues at CBS and our key external stakeholders, and he knows how to make all parts of the network work together to form a winning team.”
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Sherman joins CBS later this week. He will oversee creative departments such as comedy, drama, alternative, daytime, late night and specials, as well as current programming and casting. He will also manage creative affairs for entertainment programming in all dayparts and genres, and will report to Kahl.
CBS is a partner in The CW.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to see Thom’s outstanding creative instincts and programming vision in action,” continued Moonves. “He has developed and nurtured an incredible roster of critically acclaimed, commercially successful and fan favorite shows for The CW and other companies. He also has strong relationships across the community, a deft creative touch and a desire for making shows that create a passionate bond with the audience.”
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CBS is in discussions with Geller for a production deal with CBS Television Studios.
“We have great respect for Glenn’s many accomplishments and his tireless efforts over 16 years at CBS–both at the network and our studio,” said Moonves. “He’s a smart programmer and loves the creative process, and we look forward to working with him in his new role.”
For the last 21 years, Kahl has helped build CBS’ scheduling framework, which helped the network be No. 1 in total viewers for 14 of the last 15 seasons.Kahl also has scheduling oversight for The CW.
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Kahl had been senior executive VP, CBS primetime, since 2005. He joined CBS in January 1996 as VP of scheduling, after three years as director, network research at Warner Bros. Television. He joined Lorimar Television in 1990 as a research intern and rose to research analyst and then manager, before assuming responsibility for the research department in 1993.
During his tenure at The CW, Sherman developed and supervised series such as Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, The Flash, Jane the Virgin and Gossip Girl.
From 2004-2006, Sherman was president of Bad Robot Productions, where he helped oversee the first two seasons of hit show Lost and the last two seasons of the cult favorite Alias.
From 1996-2004, Sherman worked in drama series development at ABC.
“This is a dynamic, talented and very experienced executive team to lead a division that will create the next generation of hits for CBS,” said Moonves.
