Jim Lanzone will step down as CEO of CBS Interactive, which runs the company’s streaming service CBS All Access, at the end of the year. Marc DeBevoise, who has served as president and COO, will take over as CEO. Lanzone is leaving to become Executive-in-Residence at Benchmark Capital.
“Jim has led CBS Interactive through a tremendous growth period, both as an operator and as someone who had the foresight to place CBS on the cutting edge of the digital media landscape. CBS All Access and our other streaming services have proven to be game-changing opportunities for the company,” said Joe Ianniello, President and Acting Chief Executive Officer of CBS. “Jim and Marc’s partnership has been instrumental in our digital transformation, and I’m pleased we will have a natural transition with Marc leading CBS Interactive going forward.”
DeBevoise takes over CBS Interactive a month before CBS and Viacom are prepared to close their merger, which will be led by Viacom CEO Bob Bakish. Unlike most other media companies, ViacomCBS will go with a multi-pronged streaming strategy. The streaming world is prepared to get a massive influx of newcomers. Apple TV+ became first last Friday, with Disney+ set for its highly-anticipated debut next week. Next spring, both HBO Max and Peacock will launch.
DeBevoise was previously executive vice president and GM of CBS Digital Media and senior vice president and GM of CBS Entertainment Digital. Under Lanzone, CBS All Access was launched, along with CBSN, CBS Sports HQ and ET Live.
“It’s been an honor to lead the CBS Interactive team for nearly nine years, and I’m thrilled that Marc will seamlessly continue the great work we’ve done together,” said Lanzone. “Marc was one of the first executives I hired back in 2011, and he has been central to our digital transformation of CBS ever since. We’ve been planning this transition together since early in the year, and I know our team is in great hands going forward.”
Added DeBevoise: “Jim’s vision charted the path for CBS Interactive to become the leading, multiplatform premium content provider we are today. We’ve built an incredibly valuable and high-growth digital media portfolio by developing new audiences, platforms, services and original content. We have a world-class team to carry us into the future, and I’m excited to take on this role and continue to build on our vision.”