Re: Have you heard more about this???

[Shawn Mamros <mamros@MIT.EDU>]

>I expect Viacom to change its name to CBS soon after the current CBS
>Corp. is extinguished -- just as happened with Westinghouse.

I'm not so sure of that.  When Westinghouse bought CBS, that company
desperately wanted to shed the "old", industrial image their name
implied in favor of a name better suited to the media focus they were
taking on.  The "CBS" moniker fit the bill nicely.

That isn't the case with this latest acquisition.  Did Disney change
their name when they bought ABC? :-)  True, Viacom may not be exactly
a household word, but it's held up so far in the wake of their earlier
acquisitions of more familiar names, most notably Paramount.

Time will tell, though...

Oh, and for those who think Mel will bolt, it's worth pointing out
that, when Infinity was first acquired by CBS/Westinghouse, Mel was
able to bide his time until those who were above him retired or left.
Even if Mel and Sumner wind up clashing over something or other, don't
discount Mel's ability to win over board members and influential
stockholders - and Mel does have time on his side, after all...
I suspect Mel really, desperately wants to be a true media mogul on
the level of a Michael Eisner, and this is his best chance at that.

- -Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu

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