Paul Franklin has been named president of CBS Television Distribution, overseeing all operations for CBS’ domestic syndication company, said Leslie Moonves, chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation on Wednesday.
"Paul is one of the most accomplished and talented executives in the broadcast business," said Moonves in a statement. "He's highly respected as a relationship builder, dealmaker and strategist, with a track record for leading some of the most successful syndication sales campaigns of the past decade and for helping build a brand-new programming service and distribution system from the ground up. Paul knows the syndication world inside out and will be a tremendous asset in supporting our programming and serving this valuable client base."
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Armando Nuñez, who has led both CTD and CBS Studios International for the past four years, will now solely focus on CBS’ international efforts as president and CEO of CBS Studios International.
"Armando Nuñez is one of the most highly regarded executives in our Company," said Moonves. "Four years ago, we asked him to add domestic syndication to his plate and he has provided tremendous leadership, stability and success to this valuable division.
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“Now we're calling on him to dedicate 100% of his efforts to our expanding international business, where, thanks to his leadership, our revenue and new business opportunities continue to grow dramatically. We look forward to Armando and his outstanding global team taking us to even greater heights in this important area."
CTD hasn’t had an executive charged solely with overseeing domestic distribution since John Nogawski departed in 2012.
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In his new role, Franklin assumes oversight of CTD’s syndication division, which distributes such programs as Judge Judy, Hot Bench, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Dr. Phil, TheDoctors, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!.
Franklin comes to CBS from Twentieth Television and MyNetworkTV where he was executive VP and general sales manager. Franklin was among many executives who took the buyout at Twentieth Century Fox earlier this summer. Over his 28 years at the company, he has launched into syndication such series as Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, LastMan Standing and Family Guy and many more, as well as helping to establish MyNetworkTV and its programming strategy and brand identity for its 180 station affiliates.
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Nuñez has led CBS Studios International to become one of CBS’ biggest growth engines, tripling the company’s international revenues over the past eight years. He has built procedural dramas CSI and NCIS into global franchises, established local channel ventures with media companies around the world, expanded the reach of Showtime programming and its brand across the globe, and monetized CBS-owned content across a burgeoning international marketplace.
Nuñez joined CBS in July 1999 as president, CBS Broadcast International. In January 2000, following the merger of CBS Television and King World Productions, he assumed the role of president, CBS Broadcast International and executive VP, CBS Enterprises. He was named president, CBS Studios International (formerly CBS Paramount International Television), in August 2004, following the merger of CBS Broadcast International and Paramount International Television. Nuñez was appointed president and CEO of the CBS Global Distribution Group in 2012.
