Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • NPR

    Media Titan Sumner Redstone, Who Made Viacom A Global Empire, Dies At 97

    "Content is king," was Redstone's mantra. Known for his shrewd deal-making and public family feuds, the powerful corporate leader reigned over an astonishing wealth of networks, studios and brands.
    by Elizabeth Blair Aug 12, 2020 4 minutes
    When Redstone was about 30, he went to work for his father who owned a few drive-in theaters in New England. He eventually turned his father's business, National Amusements, into a national theater chain.

    Media titan Sumner Redstone, who built the company Viacom into a global empire, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 97. Through shrewd investing and strategic deal-making, Redstone became one of the world's most powerful and unpredictable corporate leaders.

    Redstone made his formula for success sound easy: "Content is king," was his mantra. From SpongeBob SquarePants to The Daily Show, Titanic to Homeland, Redstone reigned over an astonishing wealth of content through the cable networks and movie studios owned by his corporation. The formidable Viacom umbrella includes such brands as Showtime, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Simon & Schuster publishing and Paramount Pictures.

    As if that weren't enough for one lifetime, Redstone was also a majority shareholder of CBS

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from NPR

    NPR1 min read
    Bringing A Tariff To A Graphite Fight
    Graphite is sort of the one-hit wonder of minerals. And that hit? Pencils. Everyone loves to talk about pencils when it comes to graphite. If graphite were to perform a concert, they'd close out the show with "pencils," and everyone would clap and ch
    NPR3 min read
    Hold On To Your Wishes — There's A 'Spider In The Well'
    There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."
    NPR3 min read
    US National Security Adviser And Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Hold Security Deal Talks
    President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.

    Related Books & Audiobooks