by James B. Stewart (Author)
The instant New York Times bestseller!Addicted to Succession? Well, here's the real thing. - The Hollywood Reporter“Jaw-dropping . . . an epic tale of toxic wealth and greed populated by connivers and manipulators.” —The New York Times Book Review, Editors ChoiceThe shocking inside story of the struggle for power and control at Paramount Global, the multibillion-dollar entertainment empire controlled by the Redstone family, and the dysfunction, misconduct, and deceit that threatened the future of the company, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists who first broke the newsIn 2016, the fate of Paramount Global—the multibillion-dollar entertainment empire that includes Paramount, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Showtime, and Simon & Schuster—hung precariously in the balance. Its founder and head, ninety-three-year-old Sumner M. Redstone, was facing a very public lawsuit brought by a former romantic companion, Manuela Herzer—a lawsuit that placed Sumners deteriorating health and questionable judgment under a harsh light. As one of the last in a long line of all-powerful media moguls, Sumner had been a relentlessly demanding boss, and an even more demanding father. When his daughter, Shari, took control of her fathers business, she faced the hostility of boards and management who for years had heard Sumner disparage her. Les Moonves, the popular CEO of CBS, felt particularly threatened and schemed with his allies on the board to strip Shari of power. But while he publicly battled Shari, news began to leak that Moonves had been involved in multiple instances of sexual misconduct, and he began working behind the scenes to try to make the stories disappear. Unscripted is an explosive and unvarnished look at the usually secret inner workings of two public companies, their boards of directors, and a wealthy, dysfunctional family in the throes of seismic changes, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams. Through the microcosm of Paramount, whose once victorious business model of cable fees and ticket sales is crumbling under the assault of technological advances, and whose workplace is undergoing radical change in the wake of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and a distaste for the old guard, Stewart and Abrams lay bare the battle for power at any price—and the carnage that ensued.
Dive into the captivating tale of Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, a book that unveils the gripping saga of one of the most influential media empires in history, ViacomCBS.
Penned by the acclaimed author James B. Stewart, Unscripted takes you on a journey through the tumultuous rise and fall of the Redstone family's media dynasty. The book delves into the fierce power struggles, corporate intrigue, and personal dramas that unfolded behind the scenes, shaping the fate of a vast media empire that encompassed iconic brands like MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures.
Unscripted is a compelling narrative that weaves together the personal stories of the Redstone family members, their associates, and the industry titans who crossed their paths. It provides an intimate look into the motivations, ambitions, and conflicts that fueled the high-stakes battles for control of the media empire.
Through meticulous research and exclusive interviews, Stewart masterfully unravels the complex web of events that led to the downfall of Sumner Redstone, the patriarch of the family, and the subsequent scramble for power among his children and their allies.
Unscripted offers a captivating exploration of the intersection of business, power, and family dynamics, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the inner workings of media empires, corporate dramas, and the larger-than-life characters who shaped the landscape of modern media.
