CBS Names Executives for New Distribution Division

CBS Television, reorganizing its distribution operations after last year’s acquisition of leading syndicator King World Productions Inc., has named Roger King chairman and chief executive of the division.

Retaining the name CBS Enterprises, the new umbrella division will include King World Productions as its domestic syndication arm and CBS Broadcast International as the overseas distribution unit.

CBS’ existing syndication arm, Eyemark Entertainment, will be folded into the new unit. “Martha Stewart Living” is among the shows Eyemark sold to TV stations; King World’s slate includes “Wheel of Fortune,” “Jeopardy!” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

CBS Enterprises will be headed by King and Ed Wilson, who was named president and chief operating officer. Michael King, who is vice chairman and co-CEO of King World, will act as a consultant for CBS Enterprises.

The new division will be responsible for all domestic syndication, international distribution and production, media sales and video services. Two barter sales units, Eyemark Media Sales and King World Media Sales, are included.

* Michael Jay Solomon has been named chairman, president and chief executive of Entertainment Internet, the parent company of Castnet.com of Los Angeles. Castnet.com is a Web-based database for casting directors and agencies. Solomon, who founded TV syndication company Telepictures Corp., a company later acquired by Lorimar, most recently headed his own company.

* Culver City-based Tonos, an Internet company that focuses on the music industry, has promoted Matt Farber to chief executive. Farber joined Tonos last month as president and chief operating officer.

* Peter Rice was promoted to president of production at Fox Searchlight Pictures, a specialized film unit of the 20th Century Fox studio.