CBS: Mitch Graham To Run Unscripted & Mackenzie Mitchell To Lead Specials Team Following Jack Sussman Exit

CBS has unveiled its new structure for unscripted and specials following the departure of Jack Sussman . Deadline revealed earlier this morning that Sussman, who was EVP, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming, CBS Entertainment, is stepping down. In his place, Mitch Graham , as EVP, Alternative, will oversee unscripted and Mackenzie Mitchell will lead its specials team.

Graham, who has overseen the alternative division since 2020, will now report to CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach, and Mitchell, who is VP, Specials, will report to both Reisenbach and Bruce Gillmer, President, Music, Music Talent, Programming and Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount +.

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She called Sussman a “legend and a friend”. Amy Reisenbach Note: Dear Team, I want to echo what George said in his email earlier today. All of us, and especially me, have been so lucky to work with Jack at CBS. He is a legend and a friend and I know we all wish him the best. I’m also thrilled we will continue to work with him on both the TONY AWARDS andTHE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS.

As Jack already mentioned in his note, I also want to acknowledge that we have a great team in place and it’s my privilege to officially announce the structure for our Alternative and Specials department. First, Mitch Graham will continue to run unscripted as Executive Vice President, Alternative, which he has overseen since 2020, and will now report directly to me.

In addition, Mackenzie Mitchell will now be leading our Specials Team, as Vice President, Specials, and dually reporting to me and to Bruce Gillmer, President, Music, Music Talent, Programming and Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount +. So now, the Specials/Alternative group will collectively report up to Mitch and Mackenzie, depending on the project.

This is a storied department and I know both Mackenzie and Mitch will lead the team with distinction, transparency and positivity. They both launched careers and rose through the ranks at CBS while establishing deep roots in the TV community with limitless passion and creativity for making quality popular television.

Mackenzie originally started at CBS in 2014 as a temporary assistant before being elevated to director and most recently vice president. She covered some of the biggest events on television, including multiple iterations of the Grammy Awards, the KENNEDY CENTER HONORS and the TONY AWARDS. She has received associate producer credits on certain productions, including “John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero” and “Garth & Trisha Live!” Other CBS programs and specials she has worked on include THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE: NASHVILLE’S BIG BASH, ADELE: ONE NIGHT ONLY, THE CMT MUSIC AWARDS and the perennials A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS and THE CBS THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.

Mitch started in our publicity department in 1999 rising to the rank of vice president before transitioning to the Alternative department in 2013. He has demonstrated his programming skills in growing and evolving our tentpole series SURVIVOR, which was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for the first time in 17 years, the multi Emmy winning THE AMAZING RACE and BIG BROTHER while developing new shows such as LINGO, hosted by RuPaul Charles, RAID THE CAGE, hosted by Damon Wayans, Jr.

and Jeannie Mai, among other projects. Please join me in congratulating Mackenzie and Mitch as they take on bigger roles. I look forward to working with them as we forge a new chapter for reality and specials programming at CBS. Amy.