LA Screenings: CBS sales veteran retires

Joe Lucas is to retire from his post at CBS Studios International after more than four decades working within CBS Corp, TBI has learned here at the LA Screenings.

Lucas, a familiar face to international TV buyers, will soon leave his role as executive VP, sales and retire from television.

He is considered one of CBS Global Distribution Group president and CEO Armando Nuñez’s top lieutenants, alongside Barry Chamberlain, who was promoted to president of sales in January last year.

In his post, Lucas has overseen sales and marketing for the international distribution arm of US broadcaster CBS. He joined Paramount’s international sales arm in 1979, but has been CBS/Paramount for 43 years in total.

Lucas’s retirement was announced to a round of applause at a buyers’ screening yesterday at the Paramount lot, with Nuñez thanking him for his service and hailing him a “CBS sales icon”.

The news comes as another long-serving CBS exec, executive VP of comedy development Wendy Trilling, exits CBS Entertainment. She had been the Eye Network for 24 years.

CBSSI is shopping shows including Limitless, Zoo (right) and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend  to the international market this week at the LA Screenings.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in particular has been a surprise winner, with one buyer calling it “the unexpected hit of the market”.