CBS Sports president Sean McManus will take the helm as president of CBS News, holding both the top news and sports spots at the network, according to CBS chairman and Viacom co-president and co-chief operating officer Leslie Moonves. The appointment becomes effective Nov. 7. McManus will succeed Andrew Heyward, who will assist in the transition and leave the network when his contract expires at the end of the year.
McManus has been president of CBS Sports since November 1996. His accomplishments at CBS Sports include securing exclusive, long-term broadcast and Internet rights for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship until 2014 and broadcast rights for CBS Sports with the PGA through 2006.
According to a press statement from CBS, McManus will have offices in New York in both the sports and news divisions. He will spend most of his time at CBS News for the foreseeable future, according to a CBS statement. He has characterized the news business as changing and facing many challenges.
