CBS Names News, Sports President McManus to Chairman

CBS (NYSE:CBS) news and sports president, Sean McManus, has been named chairman of CBS Sports, prompting the promotion of a 60 Minutes executive producer to fill McManus' spot.

Jeff Fager will take on the responsibilities of CBS News chairman, a position that has been newly created. Former head of U.S. Television for Bloomberg, David Rhodes, will become president of CBS News.

“Sports continues to grow into an ever-more important asset to CBS,” said Leslie Moonves, the company’s chief executive.

McManus was named president of CBS Sports in November 1996, and took on the additional responsibilities of CBS News president in October 2005. He is only the second in the industry to hold both division titles simultaneously, being preceded by Roone Arledge, who held both at ABC from 1977 to 1986.

Prior to his tenure at CBS, he served as senior vice president of U.S. Television Sales and Programming for Trans World International as well as vice president of program planning and development and NBC Sports.