George Cheeks Sets Skydance TV Leadership Structure After Merger
WHO:
Variety - George Cheeks is Skydance TV’s co-chair and chief content officer.
Deadline - George Cheeks named ten top executives across Skydance TV’s studios, entertainment, sports and news businesses.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cheeks announced the leadership team in a memo addressed to all Skydance TV employees.
The Hollywood Reporter - Channing Dungey will lead Warner Bros. Television Group and its scripted, unscripted and animation studios.
The Hollywood Reporter - David Stapf will continue to lead CBS Studios; See It Now Studios will operate as a CBS Studios label.
The Hollywood Reporter - Matt Thunell oversees Paramount Television Studios.
The Hollywood Reporter - David Berson leads Skydance’s Global Sports Group.
The Hollywood Reporter - Amy Reisenbach leads CBS Entertainment.
The Hollywood Reporter - Tom Cibrowski will continue overseeing operations across CBS News’ broadcast, streaming and digital businesses.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bryon Rubin will serve as chief operating officer, retain leadership of CBS domestic syndication and oversee CBS Television Stations, working with division president Jennifer Mitchell.
The Hollywood Reporter - Laurel Weir will oversee research and programming insights across Skydance TV broadcast, cable and studios.
The Hollywood Reporter - Mike Benson will lead portfolio marketing; he will have a dotted reporting line to Skydance Chief Marketing Officer Rebecca Mall.
The Hollywood Reporter - Chris Ender will oversee communications and publicity and serve as Skydance TV spokesperson; he will have a dotted reporting line to Skydance Chief Communications Officer Melissa Zukerman.
WHAT:
Variety - Cheeks formalized the division’s executive structure and specified the titles of his direct reports in a staff memo.
Deadline - The announced structure creates Skydance TV Studios, which will house Warner Bros. Television Group and CBS Studios.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dungey will also oversee a combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery cable roster of more than 50 brands, including HGTV, Food Network, TNT, BET and MTV.
The Hollywood Reporter - Warner Bros. Television Group is home to Emmy Award-winning series *The Pitt*.
The Hollywood Reporter - CBS Studios produces *NCIS*, *NCIS: New York*, *Sheriff Country*, *Little House on the Prairie* and *Murderbot*. Cheeks’s memo describes *NCIS* as the world’s No. 1 television franchise and *NCIS: New York* as the No. 1 new series of the broadcast season.
The Hollywood Reporter - Paramount Television Studios’ franchises include *Reacher*, its spin-off *Neagley*, and Taylor Sheridan titles *Dutton Ranch*, *Landman*, *Lioness* and *Marshals*.
The Hollywood Reporter - Skydance Sports Entertainment will be part of the Skydance TV Studios Group; further details were not provided.
The Hollywood Reporter - Skydance’s combined sports rights include the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NHL, MLB, March Madness, PGA Tour, The Masters, WNBA, NASCAR and college football.
The Hollywood Reporter - CBS Entertainment has the most-watched primetime schedule on television, according to Cheeks’s memo, and includes the drama *Cupertino*.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cheeks said the team’s priorities are to “deliver great storytelling, maximize the value of our programming, franchises and brands and strengthen our connection with audiences.”
The Hollywood Reporter - Weir will continue overseeing content strategy, scheduling and content acquisitions teams for Paramount cable networks during integration planning.
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - Dungey will report to Cheeks on programming and JB Perrette on operations for cable channels outside the U.S.
The Hollywood Reporter - Berson’s sports remit covers platforms and includes partnership with JB Perrette and the international team outside the U.S.
WHY:
The Hollywood Reporter - Cheeks said the leadership team would advance the division’s strategy and help shape its next chapter; he cited collaboration and combining organizational expertise as important to business and creative results.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Rubin will work with divisional leaders on strategic and operational matters.
The Hollywood Reporter - Benson’s marketing remit includes uniting teams, strengthening brands, improving audience discovery, and promoting programming launches through traditional and emerging media.
The Hollywood Reporter - Ender will lead communications teams in each division and support JB Perrette on Skydance TV business and operations matters.
(UPDATED October 29, 2026 08:05 UTC)
George Cheeks has formalized Skydance TV’s leadership structure, naming executives to oversee its television studios, entertainment, sports and news operations. Channing Dungey will lead Warner Bros. Television Group and a cable roster of more than 50 brands, while David Stapf continues to head CBS Studios and Matt Thunell leads Paramount Television Studios.