Nina Tassler, one of the most prominent women in the television industry as CBS entertainment chairman since 2004, said Tuesday she will leave her job at the end of the year to pursue other creative interests.
CBS has been the most-watched television network in prime time during virtually all of her tenure, and just last week completed the transition from David Letterman to Stephen Colbert for its late-night lineup. CBS announced Tuesday that Glenn Geller, one of her top deputies, has been promoted to CBS entertainment president to replace her.
Tassler is the author of a book, "What I Told My Daughters: Lessons from Leaders on Raising the Next Generation of Empowered Women," to be published next April and is also writing a play.
Tassler has ushered in some of television's most popular programs over the past decade, including "The Big Bang Theory," ''The Good Wife" and the "NCIS" franchise. CBS said she will continue with the company as an adviser through at least 2017.
"Nina and I have been colleagues and friends for 25 years," said CBS Corp. Chairman Leslie Moonves, who preceded Tassler as entertainment chief before being picked to run the entire company. "It is one of the proudest partnerships of my professional life."
The two executives worked together at the Warner Bros. TV studio before coming to CBS.
Geller has worked at CBS since 2001, in programming roles at both the network and its associated production studio. Moonves said that when Tassler told him she was ready to leave, "we both knew we had an obvious successor in our own ranks."
