Paramount Global Ex-CEO Bob Bakish Walks Away With Almost $87M; George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy And Brian Robbins Each Net Between $19.5M And $22.2M In 2024
The three occupants of Paramount Global's Office of the CEO did well for themselves financially in 2024, but the biggest payday went to ex-CEO Bob Bakish.
George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins collected $22.2 million, $19.5 million and $19.6 million, respectively, according to an SEC filing by the company on Friday. Bakish took home just shy of $87 million, including about $69 million in severance.)
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The compensation figures come as talks are continuing between Paramount Global and the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing the proposed merger of Paramount and Skydance Media. The FCC has made it plain that it wants Paramount and other media companies to roll back their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Unwinding the DEI programs put in place across corporate America in recent years has been a major priority of President Donald Trump and appointees like FCC Chair Brendan Carr. Trump has also filed a $20 billion lawsuit in Texas against Paramount, citing CBS News and 60 Minutes, but Carr has maintained that the FCC review is separate from that case.
Bakish was removed as CEO in April 2024 and the company created the Office of the CEO after clashing with Paramount chair and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone. Cheeks, McCarthy and Robbins have continued to oversee divisions of the company in addition to fulfilling their Co-CEO duties. In the Skydance deal announced last summer, Redstone's privately held National Amusements will be acquired by Skydance, which will then merge with all of Paramount. The companies have said the transaction would close by the first half of 2025, but that timetable has come into question in recent weeks.
The framework for Bakish's severance payment had been disclosed, but the final number was determined based on a range of performance-based metrics. In 2023, Bakish's total payday was $31.3 million.
Christa D'Alimonte, who departed last June as EVP and General Counsel, collected $8.9 million in 2024, including about $4 million in severance.
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Indianapolis Star
8 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Looking back at Logo TV: 1st LGBTQ+ network transformed queer representation
Brian Graden grew up in the Midwest, closeted through young adulthood because under his beliefs at the time, homosexuality was a sin. Queer representation was nonexistent at home, school or in his community. But seeing LGBTQIA+ people on television allowed him to accept a part of himself he tried to hide for so long. Graden, now 60, was the first president of Logo TV, the groundbreaking 24-hour LGBTQIA+ television network, which celebrates its 20th anniversary on Monday, June 30. It was on Logo that the now internationally-beloved "RuPaul's Drag Race" aired for the first time in 2009. Not far away, Colt, who requested USA TODAY only use his first name for privacy reasons, was living a similar life. He remembers sneaking into his family room to watch Logo as a teenager. "I stumbled upon the Logo channel during a channel-surfing adventure. There would be a pause as I watched the TV before I quickly passed on to one of my regular shows. During the nights I stayed up late, while my family was asleep, I'd navigate back to Logo and felt that difference awaken," Colt said about his queerness. Over the past 20 years, Logo has changed since its launch on June 20, 2005, an anxious night Graden remembers well. Speaking with USA TODAY, Graden said the network had a nearly 200-page manual for call center employees that featured a decision tree for how to handle callers upset with the network. "The shocking thing is, when we premiered, there was zero noise, just positive press. And so something had changed ... we either tamped down or got in front of or found a way or it had dissipated," Graden said. 'I am exactly who God made': Why travel is a battleground for drag and trans performers Sitting down with Jim Obergefell: He was at the center of a Supreme Court case that changed gay marriage. Now, he's worried. Before Logo was placed in Graden's lap, he served as MTV's president of entertainment, overseeing network programming. Graden said around 2002 or 2003, a "very pushy and pioneering internal exec" named Matt Farber presented the idea for Logo TV. "(He) really, really kept just advancing this idea, would not let it go," Graden said. Judy McGrath, the CEO of MTV at the time, asked Graden to take on the network as president. The Logo concept was solid, Graden said, but the first roadblock the team faced was securing advertisers. "I remember months before we were starting, we still had not a single advertiser," Graden said. "I was afraid we were going to have mesothelioma ads just filling every break constantly." But companies eventually come through, including Subaru, Miller Brewing Company and Tylenol. Graden said many of the companies didn't have advertisements dedicated to the queer community, so Logo created an in-house advertising group to help curate specific ads for the LGBTQIA+ audience. "It was very last minute when it came together, but we were able to go to market with enough advertisers that gave us credibility," Graden said. Getting started, the majority of Logo's content was pulled from a movie library, Graden said. This gave the network access to plenty of content for 24-hour broadcasting. Some of Logo's first original series were: "Noah's Arc," a fictional series about a group of gay Black men in Los Angeles, which Colt remembers watching at home; "Open Bar," a reality series about a gay man who opens a bar in Los Angeles; and "The Ride: Seven Days to End AIDS," a docuseries following the annual seven-day cycling event in California that raised awareness for HIV/AIDS. But without a doubt, the most popular original show to come from Logo was "RuPaul's Drag Race," a reality competition series that follows contestants of drag performers competing to be "America's Next Drag Superstar," hosted by none other than RuPaul himself. The series premiered in February 2009. In the beginning of Logo, Graden said he was hesitant about drag content on the network. "All I could see were the images of the gay Pride parades, and I knew how those images had been used against us," Graden told USA TODAY. "I always said, 'Look, drag content is fun and funny, but I don't think it's the first thing we should put out there.'" Graden also felt Logo had covered its drag basis by broadcasting movies like "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar," the 1995 comedy about three drag queens on a road trip. But the pitch for "RuPaul's Drag Race" was solid. "They came in and they had thought through each beat remarkably, remarkably well. They knew how every minute of television was going to be filled," Graden said. "If you watch it now, you know exactly which beat is coming where and that skeleton was obvious then. That's how they pitched it." Unlike Logo's other original programming, the network couldn't produce a pilot and test how audiences liked "RuPaul's Drag Race." The competitive nature of the show made it was an all or nothing. "And so we went all in ... and it was one of the first shows to immediately have a pulse. It was thrilling. In a million years, I would've never imagined that it became what it became. Anybody who arrogantly says they know in the moment that it's (a television show) the biggest thing on earth, no way. I was just hoping it would hold its own and get a little bit of a number on Logo to justify spending all that money," Graden said with a chuckle. After a successful nine seasons, "RuPaul's Drag Race" left Logo and began airing on the celebrity television network VH1 in 2017. Then in 2023, the series moved to MTV. The series' leave from its original network played a significant role in how Logo operates today. Paramount did not respond to requests for comment about Logo TV when contacted by USA TODAY. Graden left Logo in 2010, a year after the "RuPaul Drag Race" premiere. He said he was interested in starting his own media company, which he did, and didn't "fit" with new network executives. In 2013, Logo pivoted, turning much of its original programming to social media. The network launched 10 original shows on its YouTube channel and continues to maintain new content on the platform. As for Logo the television network, original content is not produced for the network anymore and the bulk of its offerings are re-runs. Graden attributes this to the general decline of cable. Despite how Logo operates today, its impact on the queer community was transformational for people like Colt, who says Logo helped him process what he was feeling in a "proper way." "Queer representation is human representation. Growing up, I saw more fire safety ads (for) 'Stop, Drop and Roll' than I did anything LGBT. I wholly expected to catch fire more often than see a gay person," Colt told USA TODAY.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- USA Today
Looking back at Logo TV: 1st LGBTQ+ network transformed queer representation
"Growing up I saw more fire safety ads (for) 'Stop, Drop and Roll' than I did anything LGBT. I wholly expected to catch fire more often than see a gay person," a Logo viewer said. Brian Graden grew up in the Midwest, closeted through young adulthood because under his beliefs at the time, homosexuality was a sin. Queer representation was nonexistent at home, school or in his community. But seeing LGBTQIA+ people on television allowed him to accept a part of himself he tried to hide for so long. Graden, now 60, was the first president of Logo TV, the groundbreaking 24-hour LGBTQIA+ television network, which celebrates its 20th anniversary on Monday, June 30. It was on Logo that the now internationally-beloved "RuPaul's Drag Race" aired for the first time in 2009. Not far away, Colt, who requested USA TODAY only use his first name for privacy reasons, was living a similar life. He remembers sneaking into his family room to watch Logo as a teenager. "I stumbled upon the Logo channel during a channel-surfing adventure. There would be a pause as I watched the TV before I quickly passed on to one of my regular shows. During the nights I stayed up late, while my family was asleep, I'd navigate back to Logo and felt that difference awaken," Colt said about his queerness. Over the past 20 years, Logo has changed since its launch on June 20, 2005, an anxious night Graden remembers well. Speaking with USA TODAY, Graden said the network had a nearly 200-page manual for call center employees that featured a decision tree for how to handle callers upset with the network. "The shocking thing is, when we premiered, there was zero noise, just positive press. And so something had changed ... we either tamped down or got in front of or found a way or it had dissipated," Graden said. 'I am exactly who God made': Why travel is a battleground for drag and trans performers Sitting down with Jim Obergefell: He was at the center of a Supreme Court case that changed gay marriage. Now, he's worried. The launch of Logo TV Before Logo was placed in Graden's lap, he served as MTV's president of entertainment, overseeing network programming. Graden said around 2002 or 2003, a "very pushy and pioneering internal exec" named Matt Farber presented the idea for Logo TV. "(He) really, really kept just advancing this idea, would not let it go," Graden said. Judy McGrath, the CEO of MTV at the time, asked Graden to take on the network as president. The Logo concept was solid, Graden said, but the first roadblock the team faced was securing advertisers. "I remember months before we were starting, we still had not a single advertiser," Graden said. "I was afraid we were going to have mesothelioma ads just filling every break constantly." But companies eventually come through, including Subaru, Miller Brewing Company and Tylenol. Graden said many of the companies didn't have advertisements dedicated to the queer community, so Logo created an in-house advertising group to help curate specific ads for the LGBTQIA+ audience. "It was very last minute when it came together, but we were able to go to market with enough advertisers that gave us credibility," Graden said. Getting started, the majority of Logo's content was pulled from a movie library, Graden said. This gave the network access to plenty of content for 24-hour broadcasting. Some of Logo's first original series were: "Noah's Arc," a fictional series about a group of gay Black men in Los Angeles, which Colt remembers watching at home; "Open Bar," a reality series about a gay man who opens a bar in Los Angeles; and "The Ride: Seven Days to End AIDS," a docuseries following the annual seven-day cycling event in California that raised awareness for HIV/AIDS. But without a doubt, the most popular original show to come from Logo was "RuPaul's Drag Race," a reality competition series that follows contestants of drag performers competing to be "America's Next Drag Superstar," hosted by none other than RuPaul himself. The series premiered in February 2009. The prominence of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' In the beginning of Logo, Graden said he was hesitant about drag content on the network. "All I could see were the images of the gay Pride parades, and I knew how those images had been used against us," Graden told USA TODAY. "I always said, 'Look, drag content is fun and funny, but I don't think it's the first thing we should put out there.'" Graden also felt Logo had covered its drag basis by broadcasting movies like "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar," the 1995 comedy about three drag queens on a road trip. But the pitch for "RuPaul's Drag Race" was solid. "They came in and they had thought through each beat remarkably, remarkably well. They knew how every minute of television was going to be filled," Graden said. "If you watch it now, you know exactly which beat is coming where and that skeleton was obvious then. That's how they pitched it." Unlike Logo's other original programming, the network couldn't produce a pilot and test how audiences liked "RuPaul's Drag Race." The competitive nature of the show made it was an all or nothing. "And so we went all in ... and it was one of the first shows to immediately have a pulse. It was thrilling. In a million years, I would've never imagined that it became what it became. Anybody who arrogantly says they know in the moment that it's (a television show) the biggest thing on earth, no way. I was just hoping it would hold its own and get a little bit of a number on Logo to justify spending all that money," Graden said with a chuckle. After a successful nine seasons, "RuPaul's Drag Race" left Logo and began airing on the celebrity television network VH1 in 2017. Then in 2023, the series moved to MTV. The series' leave from its original network played a significant role in how Logo operates today. Paramount did not respond to requests for comment about Logo TV when contacted by USA TODAY. What is Logo TV today? Graden left Logo in 2010, a year after the "RuPaul Drag Race" premiere. He said he was interested in starting his own media company, which he did, and didn't "fit" with new network executives. In 2013, Logo pivoted, turning much of its original programming to social media. The network launched 10 original shows on its YouTube channel and continues to maintain new content on the platform. As for Logo the television network, original content is not produced for the network anymore and the bulk of its offerings are re-runs. Graden attributes this to the general decline of cable. Despite how Logo operates today, its impact on the queer community was transformational for people like Colt, who says Logo helped him process what he was feeling in a "proper way." "Queer representation is human representation. Growing up, I saw more fire safety ads (for) 'Stop, Drop and Roll' than I did anything LGBT. I wholly expected to catch fire more often than see a gay person," Colt told USA TODAY. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Tom's Guide
11 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
New on Paramount Plus this month — all the new shows and movies to watch
Paramount Plus adds tons of new shows and movies every month, and this July is no different. Leading the pack on the streaming service this month are a pair of hit original franchises back with new episodes. "Dexter: Resurrection" continues the "Dexter" franchise, picking up mere weeks after the events of "Dexter: New Blood." But we've abandoned the small town of Iron Lake, New York, and are headed for the Big Apple in this new spin-off. Later in the month, "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" returns for its third season. The prequel series premieres on July 17, and if you ask any "Trek" fan, they'll tell you that you don't want to miss it. Here's everything new on Paramount Plus this month, starting with our top picks. If you need more to watch, check out these five highly-rated movies that arrived on Paramount Plus last month. "Dexter" has been a massive hit for Paramount. The Showtime original series about the titular vigilante serial killer has spawned 10 seasons of television across three shows, including this latest spin-off. "Dexter: Resurrection" picks up weeks after the events of "New Blood," in which Dexter (Michael C. Hall) miraculously recovered from a gunshot wound. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But when he wakes in his hospital bed to find Miami PD Captain Angel Batista (David Zayas) waiting to bring him to justice, he ditches the small town of Iron Lake, New York, and heads for New York City to disappear — and find his missing son, Harrison (Jack Alcott). Premieres July 11 on Paramount Plus Premium "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, captain of the USS Enterprise. Now, if that name — and that ship — sound familiar, that's because they're both famously from "Star Trek: The Original Series." This series is a prequel to that groundbreaking sci-fi show, set in the decade prior. Because it's a prequel, Captain Pike isn't the only familiar name. Spock (Ethan Peck), Number One (Rebecca Romijn) and several other characters have returned. The season 2 finale even saw the arrival of Starfleet engineer Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn). Season 3 will cover the third year of the Enterprise's five-year mission, marking the midpoint of the series. If you have loved "Star Trek" in the past, it's time to return to the fold for "Strange New Worlds" if you haven't already. Premieres July 17 on Paramount Plus I'm not a huge reality TV fan, but I make a few exceptions. "The Traitors," of course, is one. But "The Challenge" was the first competition show I really got into. For those who have never seen "The Challenge," the reality competition show pits dozens of competitors against each other in grueling tasks and brutal eliminations. But the show's secret sauce is the drama between competitors we see play out in the house once the day's events are over. Lately, it's been a show more about athletic prowess than social game, which is why I've come to love "The Challenge: All Stars." This version of the show features older stars from seasons past who know your social game matters as much as your physical strength. Because all the "All Stars" are veterans, they also bring plenty of baggage when they come to compete. In season 5, the competitors are paired with one of their historic rivals, and you'll have to tune in to see who can stand to work with each other and who still holds a grudge. Watch it on Paramount Plus starting July 16 JULY 1 "Monster Summer"* When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, a group of friends team up with a retired police detective (played by Mel Gibson) to embark on an adventure to save their island. JULY 2 "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado" premiere In this new live-action movie, the world's greatest explorer and her friends will trek through the perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. "Dora" season 3 premiere It's Dora, the world's most famous exploradora! Join her and all her friends on brand new, magical adventures in the rainforest! JULY 11 "Dexter: Resurrection" series premiere* The highly anticipated original drama series is a continuation of Dexter: New Blood, taking place weeks after Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) takes a bullet to the chest from his own son, as he awakens from a coma to find Harrison (Jack Alcott) gone without a trace. Realizing the weight of what he put his son through, Dexter sets out for New York City, determined to find him and make things right. But closure won't come easily. JULY 17 "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season 3 premiere The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise is still under the command of Captain Pike as they face the conclusion of season two's harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test their grit and resolve. JULY 2 "Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues special" JULY 8 "White Famous" season 1 JULY 10 "Big Brother" season 27) JULY 16 "The Challenge: All Stars" season 5"Max and the Midknights" season 1 JULY 23 "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 17"RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked" season 16 JULY 30 "CMT Live - Nate Smith at Busch Country: One Night Only" JULY 1 "A Soldier's Story""A Walk Among the Tombstones""A Walk on the Moon""Airplane II: The Sequel""Airplane!""An Officer and a Gentleman""Beverly Hills Cop""Beverly Hills Cop II""Beverly Hills Cop III""Boys And Girls""Breakfast at Tiffany's""Chicago""City of God""City of Men""Congo""Cracks"*"Crisis"*"Defiance""Don Jon""Downhill Racer""Election""Failure to Launch""Full Metal Jacket""G.I. Blues""G.I. Jane""Gasoline Alley""Girl, Interrupted""Glory""Go""Hamburger Hill""Hit & Run""Jackass 2.5""Jackass 3""Jackass 3.5""Jackass Number 2""Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa""Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 Unrated""Jackass: The Movie""Jarhead""John Grisham's The Rainmaker""Limitless"*"Looper""Lords of Dogtown""Machete Kills"*"Major League""Mud""Pet Sematary (2019)""Rules of Engagement""Saving Private Ryan""Seabiscuit""Set It Off: Director's Cut""Side Effects"*"Sleepless"*"South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut""Stardust""Staten Island Summer""Stop-Loss""The Aviator""The Book of Henry""The Fighter""The Gunman*""The Killer Inside Me"*"The Lincoln Lawyer""The Patriot""The Presidio""The Quiet American""The Survivalist"*"The To Do List""The Virgin Suicides""Titanic""Training Day""World Trade Center""Zero Dark Thirty" JULY 10 "The Great Debaters"* JULY 13 "Alone in Berlin"* THROUGHOUT JULY Men's Rugby - World Rugby U20 Championships JULY 5 PGA Tour - John Deere Classic (Third and Final Round Coverage)*SBD World's Strongest Man*WNBA - Seattle Storm @ New York Liberty* JULY 6 PGA Tour - John Deere Classic (Third and Final Round Coverage)* JULY 8US Open Cup - Minnesota United FC vs. Chicago Fire FCUS Open Cup - San Jose Earthquakes vs. Austin FC JULY 9 US Open Cup - Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red BullsUS Open Cup - Nashville SC vs. D.C. United JULY 12 WNBA - Golden State Valkyries @ Las Vegas Aces*Men's Rugby - USA Eagles vs. SpainSPFL Premier Sports Cup - Heart of Midlothian vs. Dunfermline AthleticPGA Tour - Genesis Scottish Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)* JULY 13 PGA Tour - Genesis Scottish Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)*BIG3 Basketball* JULY 16 SPFL Premier Sports Cup - Kilmarnock vs. Livingston JULY 19 SPFL Premier Sports Cup - Stirling Albion vs. Heart of MidlothianWomen's Rugby - USA Eagles vs. EnglandMen's Rugby - USA Eagles vs. EnglandUSL - Rhode Island vs. Hartford* JULY 20 AVP Beach Volleyball*SailGP - Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix*BIG3 Basketball* JULY 22 SPFL Premier Sports Cup - Motherwell vs. Greenock Morton JULY 26 BIG3 Basketball*PGA Tour - 3M Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)* JULY 27 PGA Tour - 3M Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)*Formula E - London E-Prix*Professional Bull Riders*SPFL Premier Sports Cup - St Mirren vs. Ayr United Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately:
