Les Moonves

Leslie Roy Moonves (born October 6, 1949) is a former American media executive who served as chairman of the board, president, and CEO of CBS Corporation from 2006 until his resignation in September 2018 following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault. During his tenure, he transformed CBS from a struggling broadcast network into the most-watched network in America and one of the most profitable media companies in the world.

Moonves resigned from CBS in September 2018 after at least 12 women accused him of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliatory behavior spanning decades. An independent investigation by CBS found evidence supporting the allegations, and the company subsequently denied Moonves his $120 million severance package. His downfall became one of the most prominent cases of the #MeToo movement in the corporate media industry.

Early life and education

Leslie Roy Moonves was born on October 6, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, to Josephine and Herman Moonves. His father was a gas station owner. The family was Jewish, and Moonves was raised in Valley Stream, New York, on Long Island.

Moonves attended Valley Stream Central High School, where he was an active participant in school theater and student government. He graduated from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania in 1971 with a degree in Spanish. At Bucknell, he continued his interest in theater and considered pursuing an acting career.

After college, Moonves moved to Manhattan to pursue acting, studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He appeared in small stage roles and commercials but found limited success as a performer. This experience led him to transition into the business side of entertainment.

Career

Early career (1971–1995)

After deciding not to pursue acting full-time, Moonves worked in various entertainment industry positions:

Casting director for soap operas
Development executive at Columbia Pictures Television
Senior vice president at Lorimar Television

At Lorimar, Moonves oversaw the development of several successful television series. His ability to identify programming concepts with broad appeal caught the attention of industry executives.

In 1995, Moonves was recruited to Warner Bros. Television, where he served as president of entertainment. During his tenure, he was responsible for developing:

ER
Friends
The Drew Carey Show
Various other NBC programming (produced by Warner Bros.)

His track record of hit programming established him as one of the most sought-after executives in television.

CBS Entertainment (1995–2003)

In 1995, Moonves joined CBS as president of CBS Entertainment, the network's programming division. At the time, CBS was the lowest-rated major broadcast network, with an aging audience and declining relevance.

Moonves immediately set about revamping CBS's programming:

Programming strategy

Rather than competing directly with NBC and Fox for younger audiences, Moonves pursued a strategy of targeting older, more affluent viewers who advertisers valued:

Introduced successful procedural dramas including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), which spawned a franchise
Developed NCIS (2003), which became one of the most-watched series in television history
Acquired Survivor (2000), launching CBS's reality television dominance
Brought The Amazing Race (2001)
Continued successful comedies including Everybody Loves Raymond

Ratings turnaround

By 2001, CBS had risen from last place to become the most-watched network in America, a position it would hold for most of Moonves's tenure. The network's programming strategy of procedural dramas and reality competitions proved enormously successful both in ratings and advertising revenue.

CBS Television President (2003–2006)

Moonves was promoted to chairman of CBS Television in 2003, overseeing not just the entertainment division but all of CBS's television operations. He continued expanding the network's hit programming:

CSI: Miami (2002) and CSI: NY (2004)
Two and a Half Men (2003)
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
Criminal Minds (2005)
The Big Bang Theory (2007)

CBS Corporation CEO (2006–2018)

In January 2006, following Viacom's split into two companies (Viacom and CBS Corporation), Moonves became president and CEO of the newly independent CBS Corporation. He was later named chairman of the board.

Expansion and diversification

Under Moonves's leadership, CBS Corporation expanded beyond broadcast television:

Built CBS Interactive, including acquisitions like CNET and GameSpot
Expanded Showtime premium cable network
Launched CBS All Access streaming service (2014), one of the first broadcast network streaming platforms
Developed CBS Sports and CBS News as profit centers
Grew CBS's owned-and-operated television stations group

Financial performance

Moonves was widely credited with maximizing CBS's profitability:

Negotiated aggressive retransmission fees from cable and satellite providers
Maintained CBS as the most-watched network for most of his tenure
Grew advertising rates based on strong ratings
Stock price increased significantly during his tenure

Compensation

Moonves was one of the highest-paid executives in media:

2017 compensation: approximately $69.3 million
Lifetime CBS compensation exceeded $1 billion
Negotiated contracts that made him one of the highest-paid non-founder CEOs in any industry

Downfall and resignation (2018)

#MeToo allegations

On July 27, 2018, The New Yorker published an investigative report by Ronan Farrow detailing allegations from six women who accused Moonves of sexual harassment and sexual assault dating back to the 1980s. The allegations included:

Forcible kissing and touching
Demanding sexual favors in exchange for career advancement
Retaliating against women who rebuffed his advances

Moonves initially denied the allegations, stating: "I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely."

Second wave of allegations

On September 9, 2018, The New Yorker published a second report with additional allegations from six more women, bringing the total to at least 12 accusers. The new allegations included claims of assault and more recent misconduct, undermining Moonves's characterization of his behavior as historical.

Resignation

Later on September 9, 2018, Moonves resigned from CBS Corporation. The company initially announced that his departure was subject to a determination regarding $120 million in severance pay.

Investigation findings

CBS retained two law firms, Debevoise & Plimpton and Covington & Burling, to conduct an independent investigation. The investigation found:

Evidence that Moonves had violated company policies
Evidence that Moonves had been untruthful with investigators
Evidence of attempts to interfere with the investigation, including by deleting text messages
Corroboration of numerous allegations

In December 2018, the CBS board voted to deny Moonves his $120 million severance package based on the investigation's findings.

Subsequent developments

Moonves filed for arbitration to recover his severance, a process that continued for several years
Multiple women filed lawsuits related to Moonves's conduct
Criminal investigations were reportedly conducted but did not result in charges due to statute of limitations issues
Moonves has largely remained out of public view since his resignation

Personal life

First marriage

Moonves married Nancy Wiesenfeld in 1978. They had three children together:

Sara Moonves
Michael Moonves
Adam Moonves

The marriage ended in divorce in 2004 after 26 years. Reports indicated the divorce was contentious.

Marriage to Julie Chen

Moonves began dating CBS personality Julie Chen while still married to his first wife. Chen was host of The Early Show and later became moderator of The Talk.

They married on December 23, 2004, shortly after his divorce was finalized. The relationship drew scrutiny due to the power imbalance—Moonves was Chen's boss—though both have maintained the relationship was appropriate.

The couple has one son together:

Charlie Moonves (b. 2009)

Chen stood by her husband following the allegations, announcing on The Talk that she supported him. She subsequently left the program but continued hosting Big Brother, which airs on CBS. She began signing off the show as "Julie Chen Moonves" in a show of support for her husband.

Religious faith

Moonves is Jewish. His wife Julie Chen has stated she is Christian. They have raised their son with exposure to both faiths.

Controversies

Sexual misconduct allegations

The allegations against Moonves spanned from the 1980s through the 2000s:

Actress Illeana Douglas - alleged forced kissing and touching during a 1997 meeting, followed by retaliatory career damage
Writer/producer Janet Jones - alleged forced kissing and touching in 1985
Multiple other women - various allegations of unwanted advances and retaliation

The pattern described by accusers suggested predatory behavior that lasted decades and was enabled by Moonves's power within the industry.

Charlie Rose

Moonves faced criticism for the company's handling of allegations against CBS This Morning host Charlie Rose, who was fired in November 2017 after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment. Questions were raised about what CBS management, including Moonves, knew about Rose's behavior before the public allegations.

60 Minutes culture

The 60 Minutes news program faced scrutiny over its workplace culture during and after Moonves's tenure, including allegations that longtime producer Jeff Fager (who was also dismissed) created a hostile environment for women.

Corporate governance

Moonves's relationship with Shari Redstone, daughter of Viacom and CBS controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone, was contentious. Moonves reportedly opposed the potential re-merger of CBS and Viacom that Shari Redstone favored, leading to legal battles over corporate control.

Legacy

Les Moonves's legacy is deeply complicated:

Business achievements

Transformed CBS from last place to first in ratings
Built CBS Corporation into a highly profitable media company
Pioneered retransmission fee strategies that changed broadcast television economics
Successfully launched early streaming initiatives

Cultural impact

Shaped American television for two decades
Launched numerous hit programs that defined their eras
Mentored many executives who went on to lead other media companies

#MeToo implications

His downfall became a defining case of the #MeToo movement in corporate America
Demonstrated that even the most powerful executives could be held accountable
Raised questions about corporate governance and board oversight of executive behavior
His case influenced how companies handle harassment allegations

References

<ref>"Les Moonves Coverage".Forbes.Retrieved December 8, 2024.</ref>
<ref>"Ronan Farrow Investigation".The New Yorker.Retrieved December 8, 2024.</ref>
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<ref>"CBS Investigation Coverage".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 8, 2024.</ref>
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