Sumner Redstone Explained

Sumner Redstone
Birth Name:Sumner Murray Rothstein
Birth Date:27 May 1923
Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, US
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, US
Burial Place:Sharon Memorial Park
Sharon, Massachusetts
Education:Boston Latin School
Alma Mater:Harvard University (AB, LLB)
Occupation:Chairman of National Amusements
Chairman Emeritus of ViacomCBS
Children:Brent Redstone
Shari Redstone
Mother:Belle Ostrovsky
Father:Michael Redstone
Module:
Embed:yes
Serviceyears:1944–1945

Sumner Murray Redstone (Rothstein; May 27, 1923 – August 11, 2020) was an American billionaire businessman and media magnate. He was the founder and chairman of the second incarnation of Viacom, chairman of CBS Corporation (both companies merged in 2019, a year before Redstone's death), and the majority owner and chairman of the National Amusements theater chain.

Until his death, Redstone was a majority voting shareholder of the media conglomerate ViacomCBS, the parent company of the Paramount Pictures film studio, the CBS television network, and various cable networks.

According to Forbes, as of April 2020, he was worth US$2.6 billion.[1]

Redstone was formerly the executive chairman of both CBS and Viacom.[2] [3] In February 2016, at age 92, Redstone resigned both chairmanships following a court-ordered examination by a geriatric psychiatrist. He was ultimately succeeded by Les Moonves at CBS and Philippe Dauman at Viacom.[4]

Early life and education

Redstone was born Sumner Murray Rothstein in 1923 in Boston to Belle (née Ostrovsky) and Michael Rothstein.[5] Sumner was a second-generation Bostonian; his father Michael was born in Boston in 1902 to Galician Jewish parents originally from Kozova, a shtetl in Austro-Hungarian land now in Ukraine. His mother Bella was also an American-born child of Jewish immigrants; her parents emigrated to the U.S. from Kyiv early in the 20th century.

In 1940, at Sumner's behest, his father changed the family surname from "Rothstein" to "Redstone"; although Sumner credited his father for the name change, friends of the family attribute it more to Sumner.[6] [8] Michael Rothstein owned Northeast Theater Corporation in Dedham, Massachusetts, the forerunner of National Amusements, and the Boston branch of the Latin Quarter Nightclub.[9] As a teenager, Sumner had summer jobs at his father's theaters but "had higher aspirations than the then-still-somewhat-déclassé world of theaters," wrote Keach Hagey.

Redstone attended the Boston Latin School, from which he graduated in 1940 first in his class, and was accepted to Harvard College on scholarship. Among his coursework at Harvard was a Japanese course taught by Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, recommended to him by college administrators based on his study of Latin and Greek in high school. In 1943, Reischauer left Harvard to establish a United States Army Signal Corps training program at Arlington Hall for Japanese translators and cryptanalysts, positions in need during World War II; Redstone would be among Reischauer's students following the professor to Arlington Hall.

Enlisting in the United States Army, Redstone became a second lieutenant in 1944 before being promoted to first lieutenant. He worked with a team at the Signals Intelligence Service that decoded Japanese messages.[10] Despite leaving Harvard for the military, Redstone had completed enough credits that Harvard granted his Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1944 with a concentration in classics and government.[5] After his military service, he attended Georgetown University Law Center before transferring to Harvard Law School and receiving his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1947.[5] [11]

Career

Legal career

After completing law school, Redstone moved to San Francisco to become a clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a job that then paid $43 per week. While employed by the Ninth Circuit, Redstone also taught labor law courses in the evenings at University of San Francisco School of Law. Beginning in 1948, Redstone joined the United States Department of Justice Tax Division as a staff attorney with the appellate tax division, in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court case United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. when the government was actively combating anti-competitive practices among Paramount Pictures and other major film studios.

After two years with the Justice Department, Redstone followed his supervisors to private practice in 1950. Then in 1951, Redstone became a partner of the firm Ford, Bergson, Adams, Borkland, & Redstone with two of his former Justice Department supervisors Herbert Bergson and Herbert Borkland, along with former Deputy Attorney General Peyton Ford. In the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case Holland v. United States, Redstone represented the plaintiffs, a married couple of hotel owners convicted of tax evasion following a sudden rise in their net worth.[12] Although the court would uphold their conviction, Redstone's argument that the government had the burden of proof in proving tax evasion in unusual increases in net worth would later become Internal Revenue Service policy.[13] In 1964, Redstone was elected president of the Theater Owners of America, which would merge with a rival group to form the National Association of Theatre Owners, for which Redstone became chairman in 1965.[15]

Redstone became CEO of National Amusements in 1967.[5] The company had 93 theater screens (52 drive-ins and 41 indoor) when Redstone took office; within 10 years, National Amusements had nearly 250 screens.[16] Having bought Fox for $8 a share, National Amusements sold Fox at $60 after Marvin Davis bought the company. National Amusements' other investments in Columbia Pictures, Orion Pictures, and Paramount Pictures also had large returns on investment in the early 1980s.[17]

Viacom

As a hedge against slow growth in movie theaters, Redstone began buying stock in Viacom International in 1985. Viacom spun off from CBS in 1971 after the FCC ruled at the time that television networks could not syndicate their own programs.[18] Viacom initially syndicated CBS network shows such as Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, and I Love Lucy.[19] In addition, other properties included pay television networks Showtime and The Movie Channel.[20] Viacom acquired MTV Networks in 1985 for $550 million from Steve Ross' Warner Communications.[21]

After a four-month hostile takeover, Redstone won voting control of Viacom for $3.4 billion on March 4, 1987.[22] [23]

Paramount Pictures

Redstone's next acquisition was Paramount Communications (previously Gulf+Western), parent of Paramount Pictures, in 1994.[24] Engaging in a bidding war with QVC president Barry Diller and TCI president John Malone, Redstone had to raise his bid at least three times from $7.5 billion to $10.1 billion.[25] [26] Under Redstone's leadership, Paramount produced such popular, award-winning films as Saving Private Ryan, Titanic, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, and Mission: Impossible.

Redstone replaced the team of Jonathan Dolgen and Sherry Lansing in 2004.[27] After arriving at Paramount in 2005, chairman and chief executive officer Brad Grey led a return to fortune at the box office.[28] [29] He oversaw the creation or revitalization of several major franchises, including Transformers, Star Trek and Paranormal Activity.[30] Paramount also forged productive relationships with top-tier filmmakers and talent including J. J. Abrams,[31] Michael Bay[32] and Martin Scorsese.[33] The 2010 Paramount slate achieved much success with Shutter Island and a True Grit remake, reaching the biggest box office totals in the storied careers of Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers, respectively.[34] [35] In addition, during Grey's tenure, Paramount launched its own worldwide releasing arm, Paramount Pictures International, and has released acclaimed films such as An Inconvenient Truth, Up in the Air, and There Will Be Blood.[36]

He also purchased Blockbuster Entertainment,[37] which included Aaron Spelling's production company and a huge library of films, much of which has been merged into Paramount Pictures. Blockbuster has now been spun off into its independent entity. Redstone acquired CBS Corporation in 2000 and then spun it off as a separate company in 2005, taking with it all of Paramount's television shows and catalog.[38] [39]

In December 2005, Paramount agreed to buy DreamWorks SKG for an estimated $1.6 billion. The acquisition was completed on February 1, 2006. Subsequent financing brought Viacom's investment down to $700 million. The animation studio, DreamWorks Animation, was not included in the deal as it has been its own company since late 2004. However, Paramount had the rights to distribute films by DreamWorks Animation until 2013.[40]

On June 1, 2012, Paramount Pictures renamed the Administration Building on the studio lot the Sumner Redstone Building in a dedication ceremony attended by employees of Paramount Pictures and Viacom.[41]

CBS

One of Redstone's largest acquisitions came in the form of Viacom's former parent, CBS. After the FCC modified regulations in 1999 to allow companies to own two television stations in the same media market, CBS president and former Viacom President and COO Mel Karmazin proposed a merger with Redstone. On September 7, 1999, Redstone and Karmazin announced that Viacom would buy CBS for $37.3 billion, at the time the biggest media merger of the twentieth century; the newly merged Viacom/CBS would become the second largest media company behind Time Warner. Viacom had a wide range of assets such as the CBS and UPN broadcast networks; cable television networks including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET; the pay television network Showtime, radio (Infinity Broadcasting, which produced the Howard Stern radio shows), Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, and King World Productions.[42]

After CBS and Viacom split in 2005, Redstone remained chairman of both companies, but two separate CEOs were appointed for each company, Les Moonves for CBS and Tom Freston for Viacom.[43]

Succession

Redstone's trusts made it clear that his daughter, Shari Redstone (vice-chairwoman of the board of Viacom and CBS as well as president of National Amusements), was set to assume his role upon his death. However, a November 22, 2006, New York Times article indicated that Redstone was reconsidering his daughter's role. In 2007, they feuded publicly over issues of corporate governance and the future of the cinema chain.[45]

Documents were made public which verify that, as part of a settlement from Sumner Redstone's first divorce, all of his stock was in irrevocable trusts that was to be left for his grandchildren.[46] On March 1, 2010, Redstone publicly confirmed that all of his stock would be left for his five grandchildren (Brandon Korff, Kimberlee Korff, Tyler Korff, Keryn Redstone, and Lauren Redstone).[47]

Redstone made arrangements to step down as CEO of Viacom in 2006. After Mel Karmazin resigned in 2004, two heirs apparent were named: Co-President and Co-COO Les Moonves (who was number 2 to Karmazin at CBS; he was the former head of Warner Bros. Television and before that, Lorimar Television) and Co-President and Co-COO Tom Freston (who had been president and CEO of MTV Networks since 1987 and had been with the company since the formation of MTV Networks' precursor company, Warner-AMEX Satellite Entertainment). After the Viacom split was approved by the board on June 14, 2005, Moonves headed CBS Corporation, and Freston headed the second incarnation of Viacom.[48]

On September 5, 2006, Redstone removed Freston as president and CEO of Viacom and replaced him with director and former Viacom counsel Philippe Dauman. Redstone also brought back former CFO Tom Dooley. This was surprising to many, as Freston had been seen by many as Redstone's heir apparent, and Redstone had touted that Freston would run the company after he retired. Redstone publicly stated that he let Freston go because of Viacom's lack of aggressiveness in the digital/online arena, lack of contact with investors, and a lackluster upfront (coupled with falling viewership) at MTV Networks.[49] [50]

In February 2016, at age 92, after a court-ordered examination by a geriatric psychiatrist whose findings were not publicly disclosed, Redstone relinquished the chairmanship of CBS to Moonves and the chairmanship of Viacom to Dauman.[51] [52] [53] In May 2016, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cowan dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Redstone was mentally incompetent.[54] [55] The judge stated it was "not in dispute that Redstone suffers from either mild or moderate dementia."[56] In addition, his speech was severely impaired due to a bout with aspiration pneumonia in 2014.[57] Two weeks later, another such lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts.[59]

Holdings

At the time of his death, Redstone owned over seventy percent of the voting interest of ViacomCBS. ViacomCBS was controlled by Redstone through National Amusements. Redstone sold his holdings of Midway Games, of over 89 percent, in December 2008.[60]

Books

Redstone's autobiography, A Passion to Win[61] (co-written with author Peter Knobler), was published in 2001 by Viacom's Simon & Schuster. This book details Redstone's life from a young boy in Boston to the difficult takeover of Viacom and the problems he overcame in purchasing and managing both Blockbuster Video and Paramount Pictures. The book also recounts the CBS merger (Viacom was a spin-off company of CBS to syndicate its programs, and the subsidiary bought the parent almost 30 years later).[62] Succession creator Jesse Armstrong has stated that Redstone's biography A Passion to Win was an influence in creating the series.[63]

Viacom's broadcasting properties at the time of A Passion to Wins release included several radio stations and two TV stations: WBZ CBS 4, which had just become a CBS O&O through a merger with Westinghouse four years before Viacom and CBS merged, and WSBK UPN 38 in Redstone's hometown, Boston.[64] [65]

In 2023 the book Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Hollywood Media Empire was published in Cornerstone Press (Penguin Books), written by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams. The book tells the story of the Redstone dynasty.

Political views

A longtime Democratic supporter, with a history of donating to many Democratic campaigns, including regular donations to Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle,[66] Redstone endorsed Republican George W. Bush over Kerry in the 2004 Presidential election, allegedly because he argued that Bush would be better for his company and the economy.[67] Despite this public endorsement, he donated money to Kerry during the primaries.[68]

Philanthropy

Redstone contributed over $150 million to various philanthropic causes.[69]

Personal life

Redstone married Phyllis Gloria Raphael on July 4, 1947.[81] They had two children: Brent Redstone and Shari Redstone. In 1999, they divorced when Phyllis Raphael served Sumner Redstone a 3 billion dollar divorce lawsuit which accused the mogul of adultery and cruelty.[82] Sumner was seen with Hollywood producer Christine Peters in Paris and was quoted as saying at the time that he "wanted to spend the rest of his life with Christine."[83] As a result of the divorce, Redstone moved to Los Angeles where he continued to romantically pursue Peters. Peters went on to produce the hit romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in Canada. As Redstone's patience ran out, he married Paula Fortunato, a former primary school teacher 39 years his junior. Redstone filed for divorce from Fortunato on October 17, 2008.[84] Their divorce was finalized on January 22, 2009. Redstone owned a house in the Beverly Park area of Los Angeles, which he purchased in 2002 for $14.5 million.[85]

On March 29, 1979, he suffered severe burns in a fire at the Copley Plaza hotel, in Boston, but survived after 30 hours of extensive surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. Though he was warned that he might never be able to live a normal life again, eight years later he was fit enough to insist on playing tennis nearly every day[86] and to launch a hostile takeover of Viacom.[87] Redstone discussed the story of surviving the fire as a reflection of his strong determination and will to live.[88]

In July 2010, Redstone was caught on tape trying to find the source of an embarrassing leak within MTV. Redstone offered money and protection to a journalist if he would give up his source. Redstone had been pushing MTV management to give more airtime to the band the Electric Barbarellas. In the message, Redstone tells the reporter that "we're not going to kill" the source, adding "We just want to talk to him". The 87-year-old Redstone also told the reporter he would be "well rewarded and well protected" if he would reveal the source.[89] Peter Lauria told NBC's Today show he would not do it. Viacom Inc. spokesman, Carl Folta confirmed to Today that it was Redstone's voice on the message and said he had made a mistake.[90] A Viacom source told the New York Post, "Sumner wants to be consequential. Sumner is really proud of what he did. This guy is loving it… He likes people to know he's still alive".[91]

In August 2015, Redstone split with his live-in girlfriend, Sydney Holland, after five years together.[92] [93]

In January 2019, Redstone and his family settled with his former live-in companion Manuela Herzer. According to MarketWatch, "Herzer agreed to pay back $3.25 million of the tens of millions of gifts that Redstone gave her", and "the wide-ranging agreement ends all litigation between the two sides, who have been battling in the courts since the fall of 2015 when Redstone kicked Herzer out of his Beverly Hills mansion, replaced her as his health-care agent and wrote her out of his estate planning."[94] [95]

On August 11, 2020, Redstone died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 97.[96] The cause of death is unknown.

The film is in memory of Redstone.[97]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Forbes profile: Sumner Redstone . Forbes . April 7, 2017 . August 8, 2018.
  2. News: Steel. Emily. Sumner Redstone Steps Down as CBS Chairman, Replaced by Leslie Moonves. February 3, 2016. The New York Times. April 15, 2020. en-US. 0362-4331.
  3. Web site: Sumner Redstone will step down from Viacom's board. Lovelace. Berkeley Jr.. December 16, 2016. CNBC. en. April 15, 2020.
  4. News: Sharma. Joe Flint and Amol. February 4, 2016. Redstone Resigns as CBS Executive Chairman. en-US. Wall Street Journal. August 12, 2020. 0099-9660.
  5. Encyclopedia: Sumner Redstone. Encyclopedia Britannica. October 15, 2023.
  6. Web site: Sumner Redstone Biography (1923–) . Filmreference.com . March 8, 2013.
  7. "Red stone" is the translation of the Yiddish name Rothstein.[6]
  8. Web site: Sumner Redstone, Tenacious Media Mogul, Dies at 97. The Hollywood Reporter. August 12, 2020 .
  9. Web site: Weddings/Celebrations: Paula Fortunato, Sumner M. Redstone. The New York Times. April 6, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20090202083924/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E0D61738F935A35757C0A9659C8B63 . February 2, 2009. October 15, 2023. live.
  10. Book: Mundy, Liza. Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II. Hachette Books. New York, Boston. 2017. 978-0-316-35253-6.
  11. Web site: Resolution in Honor of Sumner Murray Redstone. National Association of Theatre Owners. October 7, 2020. October 16, 2023.
  12. Web site: Holland v. United States, 348 U.S. 121 (1954). Justia. October 16, 2023.
  13. The Redstone family re-incorporated Northeast Theatre Corporation and their other businesses as National Amusements in 1959 to access more money to finance expansion; Redstone would invest nearly $18,000 in stock and be named vice president.
  14. Encyclopedia: Redstone, Sumner M. 1923–. Encyclopedia of World Biography. October 18, 2023.

    Northeast Theatre Corporation (later National Amusements)

    In 1954, he joined his father's theater chain Northeast Theatre Corporation, which then had fourteen drive-in theaters in five eastern states.[13]

  15. Web site: Redstone, Sumner M.. Business Leader Profiles for Students . October 17, 2023.
  16. After watching the first Star Wars film in 1977, Redstone directed National Amusements to buy a five percent stake in 20th Century Fox, distributor of Star Wars.
  17. Web site: Sumner Redstone Will Be 91 On Tuesday Now Selling Shares for Estate Planning . Jewish Business News . August 15, 2020 . May 25, 2014.
  18. Web site: Who's the Boss?. Leonard. Devin. Fortune. April 16, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20011222015304/http://www.fortune.com/indexw.jhtml?channel=artcol.jhtml&doc_id=201165&_DARGS=/fragments/frg_featured_links_old.jhtml_A&_DAV=artcol.jhtml. December 22, 2001. October 22, 2023. dead. Article continues on pages 2, 3, 4, and 5.
  19. Web site: https://archive.today/20231021034057/https://fortune.com/2020/08/12/sumner-redstone-obituary-viacom-cbs/. October 21, 2023. Sumner Redstone, Viacom founder and old-fashioned media mogul, dies at 97. Fortune. August 12, 2020. Ingram. Mathew. Warner. Bernhard. October 20, 2023. dead.

    Viacom also owned MTV Networks (formerly known as Warner-AMEX Satellite Entertainment), which owned MTV and Nickelodeon.

  20. Web site: CBS-Viacom merger reunites the storied network with Comedy Central, MTV and Paramount Pictures . Los Angeles Times . August 13, 2020 . August 13, 2019.
  21. Web site: Dreyfuss . Joel . Rogers . Michael . Viacom buys MTV - September 30, 1985 . Fortune . October 20, 2023 . September 30, 1985. https://web.archive.org/web/20071209083249/money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1985/09/30/66485/index.htm. December 9, 2007. dead.
  22. News: Viacom Accepts Redstone's $3.4-Billion Takeover Bid, Ending Four-Month Battle . Los Angeles Times . March 5, 1987 . October 20, 2023 . Paul . Richter.
  23. News: SHAKE-UP AT VIACOM : PROFILE: A SURVIVOR : With Each Ouster, Biondi Bounces Back . Los Angeles Times . January 18, 1996 . October 20, 2023 . Karen . Kaplan.
  24. Web site: Feeney . Mark . Sumner M. Redstone, media mogul who controlled CBS and Viacom, dies at 97 - The Boston Globe . The Boston Globe. October 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20200913081924/www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/12/metro/media-mogul-sumner-redstone-dies-97/. September 13, 2020. dead.
  25. News: Viacom's bid wins Paramount. Farhi. Paul. The Washington Post. February 16, 1994. October 20, 2023. Some analysts at the time estimated that Redstone overpaid by billions, and Viacom would accrue nearly $10 billion in debt after acquiring Paramount. However, the sale of certain assets such as Madison Square Garden to Cablevision and Simon & Schuster for $4.6 billion to Pearson PLC would eventually help Viacom improve financially, with its stock price in 1998 approaching $60, breaking its 1995 record high.
  26. Web site: Lenzner. Robert. Newcomb. Peter. https://web.archive.org/web/19990424161952/https://www.forbes.com/forbes/98/0615/6112050a.htm. April 24, 1999. The vindication of Sumner Redstone . Forbes. June 15, 1998. October 20, 2023. dead.
  27. News: Hollywood Pioneer Lansing Is Poised to Exit Paramount - Los Angeles Times . Articles.latimes.com . November 2, 2004 . February 10, 2012 . Claudia . Eller.
  28. News: Cieply . Michael . Paramount Pictures Finds Long-Sought Balance . . December 13, 2009 . February 10, 2012.
  29. Web site: 2012 Market Share and Box Office Results by Movie Studio . Boxofficemojo.com . February 10, 2012.
  30. Web site: James. Meg. Media mogul Sumner Redstone, whose empire included Viacom and CBS, dies at 97 . Los Angeles Times. August 12, 2010. October 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20200831224500/https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2020-08-12/la-me-sumner-redstone-dies. August 31, 2020. live.
  31. News: Fleming . Michael . Paramount extends deal with Abrams - Entertainment News, Los Angeles, Media . Variety . March 26, 2009 . February 10, 2012.
  32. Web site: Archived copy . February 22, 2011 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20110103020144/http://weblogs.variety.com/bfdealmemo/2009/10/bay-brings-genre-label-to-paramount.html . January 3, 2011 .
  33. News: New . The . A Scorsese Tie-In With Paramount in Films and TV . New York Times . November 8, 2006 . February 10, 2012.
  34. Web site: 'Shutter Island' Is Scorsese's Top Movie Worldwide . Box Office Mojo . May 20, 2010 . February 10, 2012.
  35. Web site: Coen Brothers Show 'True Grit' With First $100 Million Film . CineMovie.tv . February 10, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120309152855/http://www.cinemovie.tv/cinemovie_new/interviews/72-celebrity-interviews-movies-new-box-office-articles/1133-true-grit-joel-ethan-coen-film-history . March 9, 2012 .
  36. Web site: PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES TO BEGIN SELF-DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS IN 15 KEY COUNTRIES BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2007 . Prnewswire.co.uk . February 10, 2012.
  37. Web site: Gruenwedel . Erik . Media Mogul (and Blockbuster Video Owner) Sumner Redstone Dead at 97 – Media Play News . August 12, 2020 . August 13, 2020.
  38. Web site: Viacom Completes Split Into 2 Companies . The New York Times . August 15, 2020 . January 2, 2006.
  39. News: Sutel . Seth . Viacom, CBS go own ways on Wall St.. August 15, 2020 . Associated Press. . January 4, 2006 . C3 . Newspapers.com.
  40. Web site: DreamWorks Animation Inks Distribution Deal with Fox . The Hollywood Reporter . August 20, 2012 . August 15, 2020 . en.
  41. Web site: theStudioTour.com - Paramount Studios - Redstone Building . www.thestudiotour.com . August 13, 2020.
  42. Web site: Michael King dies at 67; TV's King World Productions launched 'Oprah' . Los Angeles Times . August 15, 2020 . May 30, 2015.
  43. Web site: Controversies. Dan Rather: American Journalist. Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. October 20, 2023.

  44. In 2007, former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather sued CBS and other parties such as Redstone in New York state court for breach of contract after CBS declined to renew his contract following a controversy over a story by Rather on 60 Minutes II about then-President George W. Bush's military service. The New York Court of Appeals dismissed the case in 2009.[43]

  45. News: Redstone says he relies on his instinct . The Boston Globe . Jenn . Abelson . September 19, 2007.
  46. News: Redstone family rift may not be healed . Los Angeles Times . Claudia . Eller . October 1, 2007.
  47. Web site: Faber Exclusive: Sumner's Successor . CNBC . February 26, 2009 . February 10, 2012.
  48. Web site: Schneider . Michael . Steinberg . Brian . CBS-Viacom: 20 Years Later, a Look Back at the High Hopes and Eventual Collapse of That First Merger . Variety . August 12, 2020 . en . August 13, 2019.
  49. Web site: 03/16/2005 - Viacom Is Exploring The Division Of Its Business Into Separate Publicly-Traded Companies. April 5, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050405235046/http://www.viacom.com/press.tin?ixPressRelease=80704186. April 5, 2005.
  50. News: Arango. Tim. Sumner's Fall: Freston's Firing Costs Him $113M. December 7, 2015. New York Post. September 7, 2006.
  51. News: Redstone Resigns as CBS Chair, Igniting Viacom Speculation . Lucas . Shaw. Christopher. Palmieri . Bloomberg News . February 3, 2016 . October 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20160206021652/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-03/cbs-chairman-redstone-resigns-to-be-replaced-by-ceo-moonves. February 6, 2016. dead.
  52. News: Emily . Steel . Sumner Redstone Steps Down as CBS Chairman, Replaced by Leslie Moonves . The New York Times . February 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160206024110/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/business/media/cbs-sumner-redstone-les-moonves.html. February 6, 2016. live.
  53. News: Viacom's Board Names Dauman Chairman, Replacing Aging Redstone . Christopher . Palmeri . Lucas . Shaw . February 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160205150233/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-04/viacom-s-board-names-dauman-chairman-replacing-aging-redstone. February 5, 2016. dead. October 20, 2023.
  54. Web site: Richwine. Lisa. Media mogul Redstone won't testify in mental competency trial. Reuters. April 14, 2016. en. September 23, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20160420011442/https://www.reuters.com/article/viacom-redstone-idUSL2N17H2HO. April 20, 2016. live.
  55. News: Pettersson . Edvard. Palmieri. Christopher . Redstone Triumphant, Ex-Lover Says Heirs Had 'Insidious Plan' . Bloomberg News . May 9, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160621051319/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-09/redstone-wins-fight-with-ex-as-judge-tosses-competency-suit. June 21, 2016. October 18, 2023. dead.
  56. News: Questions Surround Sumner Redstone's New Team of Representatives . Emily . Steel . The New York Times . June 7, 2016. September 23, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20160609214419/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/07/business/media/sumner-redstones-viacom.html. June 9, 2016. live.
  57. Cohan. William D.. Inside the Raging Legal Battle over Sumner Redstone's Final Days. Vanity Fair. April 2016. October 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20160412171337/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/03/sumner-redstone-legal-battle-final-days. April 12, 2016. dead. In 2014, Redstone had been hospitalized on three separate occasions, twice for aspiration pneumonia....
  58. "...an episode of inhaling food into his lungs in 2014 that had left him dependent on a feeding tube and barely able to speak."[57]
  59. News: Viacom Chief Challenges Sumner Redstone's Competency in Lawsuit . Emily . Steel . The New York Times . May 23, 2016.
  60. Web site: Redstone to Sell Control of Midway Games. TheStreet. December 2008 . en-US. March 21, 2016.
  61. Book: A Passion to Win by Sumner Redstone with Peter Knobler (2001) . June 5, 2001 . Books.simonandschuster.com . 9780684862248 . March 8, 2013.
  62. Web site: Feeney . Mark . Sumner M. Redstone, media mogul who controlled CBS and Viacom, dies at 97 . www.msn.com . August 12, 2020 . August 12, 2020.
  63. News: Armstrong . Jesse . 2023-05-27 . Jesse Armstrong on the roots of Succession: 'Would it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush of Trump's presidency?' . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-10-18 . 0261-3077.
  64. Web site: Fox . Jeremy C. . Layoffs hit WBZ-TV as ViacomCBS consolidates - The Boston Globe . BostonGlobe.com . August 12, 2020 . May 28, 2020.
  65. Web site: The Boston TV Dial: WSBK-TV . www.bostonradio.org . August 12, 2020.
  66. Web site: NEWSMEAT ▷ Sumner Redstone's Federal Campaign Contribution Report . Newsmeat.com . July 25, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120923002622/http://newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Sumner_Redstone.php . September 23, 2012 .
  67. Web site: Opinion & Reviews - Wall Street Journal . October 1, 2009 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20091001100629/http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110005669 . October 1, 2009 .
  68. Web site: https://archive.today/20180416041531/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB109597935862226625. April 16, 2018. Guess Who's a Republican Booster?. The Wall Street Journal. September 24, 2004. October 20, 2023. dead.
  69. News: Viacom and CBS' Sumner Redstone and Fox's Dana Walden Honored by Big Brothers Big Sisters . The Hollywood Reporter . October 27, 2012 . March 8, 2013 . Tamara . Rawitt.
  70. Web site: Sumner M. Redstone Commits $105 Million To Fund Cancer And Burn Recovery Research And Patient Care . MedicalNewsToday.com . March 8, 2013.
  71. News: Redstone to help Cambodian kids . Variety . Peter . Gilstrap . June 3, 2007.
  72. Web site: Sumner Redstone's Amazing Support of CCF Continues. Cambodian Children's Fund.
  73. Carl DiOrio, Redstone donates $1 mil to Autism Speaks, Associated Press (February 24, 2010).
  74. https://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/press-releases/sumner-m-redstone-donates-500000-autism-speaks Sumner M. Redstone Donates $500,000 to Autism Speaks
  75. Web site: Keck School Receives $24 Million Gift . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720211306/http://uscnews.usc.edu/health/keck_school_receives_24_million_gift.html?view=full . dead . July 20, 2011 . . March 8, 2013 .
  76. Web site: Colin A. Young . Redstone donates $18 million to BU Law School - Business . The Boston Globe . September 14, 2012 . March 8, 2013.
  77. Sumner M. Redstone Donates $100,000 to GO Campaign. November 29, 2012.
  78. The Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation Donates $1 Million to Literacy, Inc.. May 6, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160207082404/http://www.reuters.com/article/ny-sumner-m-redstone-idUSnBw066141a+100+BSW20130506. February 7, 2016.
  79. Web site: Media mogul donates $10M for Harvard law fellowships. ABA Journal. January 10, 2014 .
  80. https://today.law.harvard.edu/sumner-redstone-donates-10-million-to-harvard-law-school-to-support-public-service/ Sumner Redstone donates $10 million to Harvard Law School to support public service
  81. News: Jeane . MacIntosh . September 19, 1999 . Viacom Mogul Could Be Sumner $Quashed . . June 16, 2016.
  82. Web site: MacIntosh. Jeane. 1999-09-19. VIACOM MOGUL COULD BE SUMNER $QUASHED – WIFE CALLS HIM CHEATER, WANTS HALF HIS FORTUNE; EXCLUSIVE. 2020-08-20. New York Post. en-US.
  83. Web site: MacIntosh. Jeane. 1999-09-22. VIACOM TYCOON CONFESSES TO AFFAIR WITH H'WOOD EXEC. 2020-08-20. New York Post. en-US.
  84. Web site: TMZ Staff . Sumner Redstone Pulls Trigger on Marriage . . October 21, 2008 . February 10, 2012.
  85. Web site: $76M mansion goes on the market near San Diego, just after Vanna White's ex puts a Beverly Hills, CA estate on the block for $50M . Berg Properties . August 21, 2007 . February 10, 2012.
  86. Web site: della Cava . Marco . The curious case of Sumner Redstone . USA TODAY . August 12, 2020 . June 15, 2016.
  87. News: Fabrikant. Geraldine. His Toughest Challenge Yet. December 7, 2015. The New York Times. March 15, 1987.
  88. News: Redstone. Sumner. Book Excerpt: Sumner Redstone. December 7, 2015. ABC News. 2001.
  89. Web site: Peter . Lauria . Sumner Redstone Offers Reward to Get the Electric Barbarellas Leak . . July 20, 2010 . February 10, 2012.
  90. News: July 21, 2010 . Viacom mogul tries to find reporter's source . . June 16, 2016.
  91. Web site: Brown . Lane . July 22, 2010 . Sumner Redstone Delighted to Be Accused of Bribery . . June 16, 2016.
  92. Web site: Sumner Redstone's Girlfriend, Sydney Holland, Kicked Out of His House . Masters . Kim . August 9, 2015 . . Prometheus Global Media . January 25, 2017.
  93. Web site: Why Sumner Redstone Really Kicked Sydney Holland Out . Cohan . William D. . September 21, 2015 . . Condé Nast . January 25, 2017 .
  94. News: Sumner Redstone, family settle with former live-in companion Manuela Herzer. Hagey. Keach. MarketWatch. en-US. December 10, 2019.
  95. News: Sumner Redstone and Family Settle Legal Dispute With Former Companion Manuela Herzer. Hagey. Keach. Wall Street Journal. January 8, 2019 . en-US. December 10, 2019.
  96. Web site: Sumner Redstone, Towering Media Mogul Who Helped Shape Modern Entertainment Industry, Dies at 97 . Cynthia Littleton . August 12, 2020 . . August 12, 2020.
  97. Web site: 'Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pays Tribute to Sumner Redstone" . July 10, 2023 .

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