Bob Bakish, a longtime international exec at Viacom who moved up to CEO in December 2016, made $20.3M in salary and bonus money in fiscal 2017, the company disclosed today in a proxy filing with the SEC. In a residue of the pre-Bakish era, when ousted CEO Philippe Dauman was among the highest-paid CEOs in America, the…

In his first appearance on a Viacom quarterly earnings call, soon-to-be acting CEO Bob Bakish says he’s optimistic about the company’s “very strong footing” even though it faces “challenges.” He vowed to “accelerate our evolution while building a long-term vision for our future,” even as directors weigh a merger with…

This is shaping up as a dreary morning for Viacom even though it just released fiscal Q4 financials that were not as terrible as it indicated in September when it took a $115 million writedown for the yet to be released Monster Trucks, and cut the dividend in half. Shares are down about 1% in pre-market trading as…

Viacom’s board just made it official: Viacom International Media Networks CEO Bob Bakish will become Acting CEO on November 15 when interim CEO Tom Dooley leaves. It’s widely believed that he will hold the job until Viacom and CBS figure out terms to re-merge, putting CBS chief Les Moonves in charge of the entities…

Barring a last minute change in sentiment — still a possibility — Viacom’s board seems poised to vote Monday to hand International Media Networks CEO Bob Bakish the company’s top job beginning November 15 when interim CEO Tom Dooley steps down. More than a month ago, when Dooley said he would not stay, Deadline identif…

Diversity is still the hot cause in Hollywood, but here's one side of the issue that's been under-reported: There's growing evidence that Hollywood is ignoring its “senior audience” in terms of marketing, casting and choice of subject matter. And new studies have dramatized the harmful impact. That's one reason why Cli…

Updated with compensation information: Tom Dooley’s tenure as Viacom’s interim CEO didn’t last long. He says this morning that he will leave on November 15 — as the company, following lengthy board meetings, said it has “ended the process of seeking a minority investor in Paramount Pictures at this time, in order to…

The dominoes are falling at Viacom. Days after CEO Philippe Daumon’s ouster, longtime head of corporate communications has resigned. Carl Folta had been at the company for more than two decades, having joined when Viacom acquired Gulf+Western parent Paramount Communications in 1994. “My long-time friend and colleague…

So what should Viacom do now? That’s the big question on Wall Street today as investors digest the agreement, completed over the weekend, that re-affirms Sumner and Shari Redstone’s power at the entertainment company. It ends two lawsuits challenging the competence of 93-year-old Sumner, with Philippe Dauman…

Lawyers are still working out details of the deal Viacom’s board approved last night making Tom Dooley the interim CEO while Philippe Dauman remains as Non-Executive Chairman to September 13. But Dooley, in a memo to staffers, just confirmed the main points reported last night. Here’s what he wrote: Good…

Viacom watchers have more questions than answers about the company’s fate following last night’s board vote for a deal that reaffirms the power of controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone — and his daughter, Shari. The stock rose 1.5% today as everyone waited for lawyers to nail down the fine points. But the main terms…

Philippe Dauman is still fighting back against attacks on his position at Viacom from Sunmer Redstone and his camp. But if the Chair and CEO has to go, he could be going with a more than $80 million payout. “In order to preserve his rights under the Employment Agreement, we hereby notify you on behalf of Mr. Dauman…