Long-time Viacom executive Steve Raizes has been named executive VP of podcasting and audio at Paramount, promoted from the position of senior VP of podcasts.
In this expanded role, Raizes will formally head all audio initiatives for CBS News, in addition to continuing his oversight across Paramount’s centralized podcasting unit.
Under the new organizational structure, Craig Swagler, vice president and general manager of CBS News Radio, will report to Raizes. Swagler will continue day-to-day oversight of CBS News Radio, a position he has held since 2017. During his tenure, the organization has been honored with several journalism awards, including the Best in Newscast for the last eight years, the Best in Breaking News for the last four years, and the Overall Excellence Award for 14 of the last 19 years from the Edward R. Murrow Awards, given by the Radio Television Digital News Association.
Earlier, Raizes served as senior vice president, podcasts and live, at Viacom, where he supported the evolution of the business from radio and records to podcasts. In this role, he launched more than 35 new properties and served as one of the key architects behind Comedy Central’s Clusterfest, a three-day immersive music festival. Before that, Raizes spent nearly 13 years at Comedy Central, rising from an assistant to vice president of home entertainment and licensing.
