Another The CW Exec Exits Amid Nexstar Revamp
Another executive is exiting their job at The CW, amid the network being revamped by Nexstar. On Tuesday, reports revealed that Cyle Zezo, who was VP and Head of Alternative and Digital Programming, is leaving the company after nine years. This comes after former NBCUniversal exec Heather Olander was hired to head up the CW's push into non-scripted programming. Zezo is expected to now move into production, and will seemingly oversee some of The CW's future unscripted projects.
"Cyle is following his passion to be a producer," a spokeswoman for The CW told Deadline. "He will continue to executive produce many unscripted shows for The CW and we look forward to continuing to work with him."
In recent months, longtime president Mark Pedowitz, finance chief Mitch Nedick, Gaye Hirsch, the network's EVP of Development, and Michael Roberts, EVP of Current Programming, and chief branding Officer and president of streaming Rick Haskins have been among the high-profile employees who were let go. These changes represent Nexstar's overall push to expand The CW's reach and variety of programming, and to hopefully undo the network's reported $100+ million losses. The network already made headlines last spring when it cancelled over half a dozen of its new or veteran shows — DC entries Naomi, Batwoman, and Legends of Tomorrow, as well as In the Dark, the Vampire Diaries spinoff Legacies, and the network's reboots of Charmed, Dynasty, 4400, and Roswell, New Mexico.
What shows will be on The CW?
Outside of All-American, none of The CW's current crop of scripted programming have been renewed for the 2023-2024 season. That being said, the network has reportedly rescued HBO Max's reality series FBoy Island, and greenlit a spinoff for it, FGirl Island.
FBoy Island, which is hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, followed three women joined by 24 men – 12 self-proclaimed "Nice Guys" looking for love and 12 self-proclaimed "FBoys," there to compete for cold, hard cash. The women navigate the dating pool together with the hope of finding a lasting love connection. By the finale, all is revealed – who is a Nice Guy, who is an FBoy and who the women ultimately choose. Fboy Island is a social experiment that asks the age-old question: Can FBoys truly reform, or do Nice Guys always finish last?
What do you think of this new update surrounding The CW? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
h/t: Deadline