CBS names two executives to run a newly-combined news division and local TV stations

CBS is merging its national news division with its local TV stations and naming two executives to jointly run it all.

Neeraj Khemlani is joining from Hearst and Wendy McMahon is joining from ABC. Both executives worked at CBS earlier in their careers. In the new structure, McMahon and Khemlani will be presidents and co-heads starting in early May.

ViacomCBS framed Thursday’s announcement as a way to “maximize the power of CBS’ newsgathering and production operations to serve audiences across all national, digital, local and global platforms.”

The restructuring will surely raise questions about potential overlap and possible cuts, as well.

Along with long-running national programs like “60 Minutes” and the “CBS Evening News,” CBS also has 28 local stations that it owns in 17 major markets across the US, plus National and local streaming services.

CBS News president Susan Zirinsky, who told staffers earlier this week that she is stepping down from the presidency but staying with the company, will continue at her post “until the new leadership has started and will assist with the transition,” CBS said in a press release. “The company is in discussions with Zirinsky for a significant role at a new CBS News Content Studio to be launched later this year.”