leslie moonves

CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves flew the broadcast flag before jittery investors in New York Wednesday, repeatedly asserting that the company is exceptionally well-positioned both for the uncertain economic landscape now and for the sunnier days down the road.

CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves said he is “proud” of the performance of Katie Couric at the conventions and reiterated his inclination to give the third-place newscast as much time as it takes to build its ratings.

“I’m a patient man,” he told B&C this week. “And no one has a gun to their head."

As first reported in B&C, John Nogawski was named president of CBS Television Distribution. Reporting directly to CBS chief Leslie Moonves, Nogawski will oversee all creative, business and administrative operations for CBS’ domestic syndication company.

He will step into a role left by the sudden passing of CEO Roger King Dec. 8.

After a few modest acquisitions the past few years, CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves indicated that the company is very much in the mood for a big purchase at McGraw-Hill’s Media Summit Thursday morning in New York.

“We’re in a very good position financially to do some things,” he told his interviewer, Business Week editor Steve Adler, adding that CBS had a couple of billion dollars to spend thanks to a “pristine” balance sheet.