First Summit Series Keynote speaker announced

President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS and Chief Content Officer, News and Sports for Paramount+ George Cheeks is confirmed to join the Festival’s Summit Series, a premium keynote speaker lineup featuring the boldest voices and the world’s most influential media leaders.

“George Cheeks has been an innovative business and creative force in the television industry for over thirty years,” commented Kevin Beggs, Chair of the Board of Directors for BANFF and Chair & Chief Creative Officer of the Lionsgate Television Group. “We at the Banff World Media Festival are honored to have George give our keynote and share his views on the evolving industry.”

George Cheeks oversees CBS-branded assets within Paramount Global, including the CBS Television Network, CBS Studios, CBS Stations, CBS Media Ventures, and more. As the Chief Content Officer, News and Sports for Paramount+, he is responsible for bringing CBS News and CBS Sports content to the streaming service, as well as for leading BET, Paramount Television Studios, and Paramount Global’s free-to-air networks in the UK, Australia, Argentina, and Chile.

The BANFF Summit Series is a curated, future-focused lineup of keynote sessions that was launched in 2019 in honour of the festival’s four-decade legacy. This powerful speaker roster features the global players who are shaping the future of the media industry. Past Summit Series speakers have included Bela Bajaria, Pearlena Igbokwe, Greg Berlanti, Ted Sarandos, Channing Dungey, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Paula Kerger, Sarah Barnett, Paul Feig, Kenan Thompson, Maverick Carter, David Linde, and Seth Meyers.