CBS acquired in early with its 2024/25 schedule and has been stocking up on new reveals comparable to NCIS: Origins, Watson and Sheriff’s Nation however isn’t planning on slowing down quickly.
Amy Reisenbach, President of CBS Leisure, stated throughout a Deadline-moderated panel session on the Banff World Media Pageant that she was already planning forward for the 2026-27 broadcast season.
This may occasionally embody some new comedies and probably cooking reveals as Reisenbach defined her new programming technique.
“What’s nice as we’re speaking about 2025-26, in some instances, we’ve even pinpointed locations the place we wish to be creating for 2026-27 already,” she stated. “That’s the enjoyment of working at CBS, and with the schedule and the soundness that now we have on the schedule, we will suppose that far upfront. We’re loopy if we’re not benefiting from that.”
Reisenbach, who was promoted in November 2022, opened the panel by saying that she wasn’t in a position to talk about the approaching sale of guardian firm Paramount. “I can’t touch upon something relating to M&A. It’s very a lot above my head however what I can say is that it’s clearly extremely comforting to know that George Cheeks is a part of the co-CEO workplace. It provides us the chance at CBS to really feel actually safe, secure and targeted on what we’re doing, which is the enterprise of CBS.”
Much like what she advised Deadline earlier this 12 months in a wide-ranging interview, she stated that she nonetheless expects to select up some growth rooms and “probably even a comedy pilot or two”.
This comes as for the primary time in its historical past, CBS didn’t order any pilots from the normal pilot course of. “I wish to say that we’re simply not being beholden to a sure calendar. However when it comes to pilots or going straight-to-series, or possibly selecting up growth rooms and all of that. We wish to be bespoke in the way in which that we do our R&D on reveals. So yeah, we’re not going to essentially be caught in that calendar 12 months. To me, it’s pilot season is now on a regular basis,” she stated.
On the unscripted facet, Reisenbach highlighted its new journey competitors sequence The Summit and stated that she’s already planning a big 50th season anniversary for Survivor.
She’s additionally eager to search out CBS’ personal Gordon Ramsay. “We now have undoubtedly talked about looking for our model of a cooking present. I’m personally a giant fan of them.”
A variety of CBS reveals have come or are coming to an finish on the community together with Blue Bloods, Younger Sheldon, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS: Hawai’I, CSI: Vegas and So Assist Me Todd.
Reisenbach stated that these are “extraordinarily powerful calls to make”. “I’m a giant fan of TV first and I sympathize and relate to all the followers on the market who’re dissatisfied in the truth that these reveals are ending. However on the finish of the day, our job at CBS is to make these actually powerful calls. We toss and switch and have sleepless nights and have limitless discussions however we take a look at all the numbers. We take a look at what our projections are for the long run, we take a look at the place we see alternatives to probably have even larger success on the schedule.”
Concerning comparable themes to Fox CEO Rob Wade and Warner Bros. Television Chairman and CEO Channing Dungey, Reisenbach stated that it’s a “tumultuous” time within the enterprise, however she’s “bullish” in regards to the future.
“I couldn’t really feel extra bullish and excited. We now have a extremely nice crew again within the halls of CBS. I do know I couldn’t be up right here as we speak, I wouldn’t be up right here as we speak with out them,” she stated. “Sure, it’s a difficult and tumultuous time in enterprise. However we’ll rise to that problem, simply as we’ve all the time accomplished and proceed to make prime quality reveals which have a broad attain.”
