MEL KARMAZIN

The President and Chief Operating Officer of Viacom, the media conglomerate that includes CBS, UPN, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount and Showtime, Mel Karmazin boasts a proven track record of dynamic leadership. Today Viacom is a leading global company with interests that span a wide spectrum of media and demographics.

Karmazin, born in 1943, presided over New York's WNEW-AM-FM when he was approached to run Infinity Broadcasting in 1981. Soon after he would add WKTU-FM and WFAN, both New York into Infinity's stable of stations. When Infinity merged with CBS Corporation in Janaury 1997, Karmazin would first head CBS Radio as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. By May of the same year he would become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CBS Station Group, overseeing the network's radio and television properties. He served as President and Chief Operating Officer of CBS Corporation from April of 1998 until January of 1999. Viacom absorbed CBS Corporation of 2000.

Karmazin accepted the top job at Sirius in November 2004. He was a strong supporter of radio disc jockey Howard Stern at Viacom, and Karmazin joined Sirius Radio after Stern.

A graduate of Pace University, Karmazin has been inducted into the broadcasting Hall of Fame, a recipient of the National Association of Broadcasters National Radio Award, and the IRTS Gold Medal.

Mel Karmazin was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.