CBS-Viacom Reunion Could Bring Deep Cuts, Asset Sales

Variety: The prospect of a reunion of CBS and Viacom carries numerous questions. Analysts speculate that a merger could realize $1 billion to as much as $2.7 billion in operational savings. Some $200 million to $600 million could come from eliminating redundancies. Asset sales might help CBS warm up to the idea of taking on Paramount and the core cable group. Cash raised from the sale of non-core assets could enable the new regime to plow resources into content.