The judge presiding over a case that could decide Viacom’s future wants more information about Sumner Redstone’s mental health before making a ruling.
Andre Bouchard, the Delaware judge assigned to hear Fred Salerno’s lawsuit over his removal from the media giant’s board, told attorneys on Wednesday that he wants to hold off making any big decisions in the case until the issue of Redstone’s capacity is clarified.
Redstone, the driving force behind the company whose brands include MTV and Comedy Central, is 93 and in frail health. His mental competency has been at issue in separate court cases in Massachusetts and California.
“There are questions of human dignity to a very elderly person,” Bouchard said in court. “That’s treacherous ground to dive into too quickly.”
Bouchard told attorneys for Salerno and Redstone that he wanted to be notified immediately of any developments in the other cases involving Redstone and Viacom.
“There will be no further proceedings scheduled, but I want to be kept abreast of developments in the other proceedings” in other courts, Bouchard said.
Earlier this week, Redstone’s attorneys filed a motion for dismissal in the Massachusetts case, where Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and director George Abrams are suing Redstone after being booted from a trust that could control Viacom.
10 Potential Replacements for Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman
A shortlist of possible new top bosses for media giant now that Sumner Redstone has apparently succeeded in removing CEO Philippe Dauman
Thomas Dooley
Viacom’s current COO survived the June 16 cuts to the board of directors and is rooted in the company’s practical operations and investor relations. He will take over as interim CEO once the agreed-upon settlement with Dauman is finalized, which may give him the inside track on the full-time position.
Getty Images
Steve Mosko
The soon-departing Chairman of Sony Pictures Television leaves behind a 24-year career at the studio. A hard-charging executive with the exuberance of salesman, Mosko’s on the job hunt. He’s also a likable guy with a formidable roster of hits including “The Blacklist,” “The Goldbergs,” “Better Call Saul,” “Masters of Sex,” “Outlander” and “Bloodline.”
Getty Images
Peter Chernin
He served as NewsCorp’s President and COO for 13 years, from 1996-2009, and is one of a small club of American businesspeople who understand the diverse and demanding landscape of a media giant like Viacom.
Getty Images
Nicole Seligman
She was president of both Sony Entertainment and Sony Corporation of America for 15 years before she left her post in March. She’s one of the newly named members of the Viacom board, if Redstone can get his new choices approved by the courts, and she comes with a sterling reputation in the industry. While she’s never directly worked in programming or creative, Seligman is known to be decisive and whip smart.
Now that NBCUniversal has swooped up his baby, DreamWorks Animation, the notorious workaholic and longtime Hollywood figure Katzenberg has an open calendar. He’s said to be taking an advisory role at AwesomenessTV, but a position such as Viacom would be a natural fit for the longtime exec. Problem: Katzenberg is not widely liked, though he’s certainly respected, and is known as a big spender.
Getty Images
Tom Freston
He was famously ousted as the CEO of Viacom in 2006, and individuals inside Viacom described him as “persona non grata." But Freston would only need to impress Shari Redstone — and he seemed to soften the ground this week when he openly criticized Dauman as “elitist.”
Getty Images
Les Moonves
Sure, Moonves is the Chairman and CEO of CBS, which split from Viacom in 2006. But some can envision a world where that network (in which Redstone’s privately held National Amusements also maintains an 80 percent stake) might rejoin Viacom and leave Moonves the presumptive leader. He’s certainly got opinions on how his business works.
CBS
Anne Sweeney
Her surprise exit from the Disney/ABC TV group in 2014 was said to be motivated by a desire to step behind the camera and direct for television. But given her decades-long experience managing over two dozen channels and Disney’s interests in venture like Hulu, she’s an easy target for headhunters.
Getty Images
Doug Herzog
As president of the Viacom Music & Entertainment Group, he oversees brands like MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Spike and Logo. Herzog is synonymous with the TV group and a fixture at live events. He’s well received by talent and creatives alike. Herzog ran the USA Network, and came back to Viacom in 2004 where he started his career.
Getty Images
Shari Redstone
Despite numerous statements to the contrary, Sumner’s daughter Shari could easily step in if things go south with Dooley.
Getty Images
1 of 11
A shortlist of possible new top bosses for media giant once the deal to remove its current leader is final
A shortlist of possible new top bosses for media giant now that Sumner Redstone has apparently succeeded in removing CEO Philippe Dauman
Getty Images
