Leslie Moonves
Leslie Moonves
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Leslie Roy Moonves was born on October 13, 1949.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: October 13, 1949
Passed away: December 7, 2022
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Moonves held American nationality and worked as a television executive and producer. His career spanned over four decades, with notable roles in the entertainment industry.
Early Life and Background
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Leslie Moonves was born to Joseph Silverman and Ruth Moonves. He grew up in a Jewish family in New York City. Moonves attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration.
Moonves began his career in television as an executive for Warner Bros. Television. In 1994, he joined CBS Corporation and held several key positions before becoming the president of CBS Television Studios in 2003.
Major Accomplishments
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During his tenure at CBS, Moonves oversaw numerous critically acclaimed shows, including:
The Sopranos, a groundbreaking drama series
Survivor, a reality television show that revolutionized the genre
* NCIS, a long-running crime drama
Moonves also played a significant role in developing and promoting other notable programs, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Two and a Half Men.
Notable Works or Actions
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In addition to his work on television shows, Moonves was involved in various philanthropic efforts. He served as the co-chair of the Board of Governors for the American Film Institute (AFI) and supported several charitable organizations, including the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).
Impact and Legacy
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Moonves' contributions to the entertainment industry have had a lasting impact on television programming. His strategic vision and leadership skills helped shape CBS into one of the largest media companies in the world.
His legacy extends beyond his professional achievements. Moonves was an influential figure in the development of reality television, which has become a staple of modern entertainment. His work also paved the way for future generations of television executives and producers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Leslie Moonves is widely remembered as a pioneering figure in the television industry. His influence can be seen in many aspects of modern entertainment, from reality TV to crime dramas. As a visionary executive and producer, he left an indelible mark on the world of television.
Quotes by Leslie Moonves
There are plenty of people who are willing to pay $2.6 million for 30 seconds on the Super Bowl and hundreds of thousands of dollars for ‘American Idol.’ There will be advertising dollars on the Internet. We’re there as well. We win either way.
Broadcasting for advertisers is still the best game in town, and they know it. Look, I admire a lot of the shows on cable. I think ‘Mad Men’ is wonderful. I think ‘Breaking Bad’ is wonderful. But let’s remember they’re about one-tenth the audience of NCIS.
I take great pride in all the tremendous success we’ve enjoyed at CBS. And the good news is that I feel even more enthusiastic about what my terrific team and I will accomplish going forward.
The reason I’ve been able to maintain my position of chairman of CBS in addition to all the Viacom stuff is my team.
I read the papers, I surf the Web. At the beginning of the year, I try to see at least two episodes of every show on our network. Am I surfing? All the time. I’m aware of the landscape. I’m a competitor, so I have to know whom I’m competing with.
News, by and large, has been the purest of all the television mediums, or at least we’ve tried to keep it that way, and there constantly is the argument about the separation between church and state.
We think wireless is going to grow tremendously. Do I think people are going to watch an episode of ‘Survivor’ on a 2-inch television set? I doubt it. But I do think somebody’s going to go to a grocery store in the middle of a football game and watch that game.
Rebuilding a network is a slow, brick-by-brick process. It’s not just creating a hit show – it’s building shows to back up that hit show; it’s creating an identity of success so that people want their shows on your network.
I am broadcaster’s biggest cheerleader because I genuinely believe in it. Where else can you get 20 million people a week watching ‘NCIS’ or ‘American Idol?’ Where else can you get 120 million watching the Super Bowl?