Deals
CBS Chief Moonves Scouts for Options Amid Viacom Rerun
- Broadcaster is said to discuss deals with Verizon, Lions Gate
- Vice Chairman Redstone would have to sign off on any deal
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Leslie Moonves defied the odds a year ago by resisting the Redstone family’s plan to combine CBS Corp. with Viacom Inc., but now a rising tide of media consolidation is forcing the 68-year-old executive to reassess his options.
Shari Redstone, vice chairman of CBS, is pushing for Moonves, CEO of the broadcaster, to once again consider a merger with Viacom to combine the two companies her family controls. Moonves is open to exploring a Viacom deal, according to people familiar with the matter, but he has also talked to a range of potential suitors to identify alternatives. CBS shares surged to a four-month high on Bloomberg’s report.