ViacomCBS Chief Bob Bakish Tells Investors Merger Removes “A Big Uncertainty”

once the merger closes, stressed during a 40-minute investor call Tuesday that the reality of the deal transforms the operating environment. “It takes a big uncertainty off the company, which has been an overhang,” Bakish said. Both companies, he added, enter the marriage on an upswing. “One of the benefits is going to be the financial shape that we’re going to be in,” Bakish said.

Bakish was asked about a common theme of investor and media speculation — whether ViacomCBS will continue to pursue deals to increase scale. CBS held talks with Lionsgate about acquiring Starz, but talks broke off over price. Bakish did not address Starz but he said the plan will be to remain opportunistic. “Both of us continue to look at opportunities in the marketplace,” he said. “That’s something we are going to continue to do.

Executives said they expected the transaction to close by the end of 2019, subject to regulatory approval., the acting CEO of CBS who will remain in the new role of Chairman and CEO of CBS, opened his scripted remarks on the call by saying he had gone back to study the expected benefits of the 1999 merger of CBS and Viacom. “I was amazed by how many of them apply today,” he said.

Bakish, in a line seemingly designed to emphasize harmony in the new C-suite, noted that he and Ianniello have known each other as colleagues “for 20 years.”

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