Viacom CEO out to make a mark

The top priorities of Viacom’s acting president and chief executive are to improving key relations with affiliates as well as the struggling media company’s internal culture, Bob Bakish said in an interview at the end of his first week on the job.

Bakish, Viacom’s third CEO in less than three months, is seen by many investors as a caretaker until the company is merged into CBS Corp., a deal controlling shareholders Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari are pushing.

But the longtime head of international at Viacom appears intent on having an impact while in charge of the company.

In his first week on the job, he met with talent, as well as distribution partners and executives and employees on both coasts, including at Paramount Studios, he said last week from his yet-to-be decorated office in New York.

“The company has been through a lot, and part of my job is to revitalize the culture,” Bakish said. “It’s about starting to create a positive buzz and having people believe we can do great things.”

Bakish’s focus extends beyond within Viacom. He recently met with the CEO of a major affiliate about ways the two could partner, he said. “One thing I am committed to is working to rebuild some of our affiliate distributor relationships in the US.”