A Mogul in Full

The lawsuit doesn't bother me. It has absolutely, unequivocally no merit. It has no effect on the new CBS or new Viacom. But it is painful to me. I know it's painful to my daughter. I'm sure it's painful to Brent's mother, who's heartbroken about it. It may even be painful to his children.

Universal Pictures' "United 93," a 9/11 movie, will open later this month, but already some people are saying it's too upsetting. "World Trade Center," from Viacom's Paramount opens in early August, about a month before the fifth anniversary of the attack. Do you believe emotions are still too raw for these films?

I really don't think so. Most of the stories are heroic stories--stories that people can be proud of ... So I would expect this movie, particularly because it's done by Oliver Stone, to be well received.

The stock prices for both CBS and the new Viacom are down. The idea behind the Viacom split was that the stocks' prices would increase briskly. Why haven't they?

I said from the beginning that the split, in which I'm a total believer, would not do it. It would depend upon the performance of the companies. And there's a lot of work to be done before these companies perform as they should. Not that I would have split Viacom only because of the stock. I believe we have the financial, strategic and operational power to grow these companies as we never could have before. Certainly, the stocks of the other [media] conglomerates aren't moving. Those companies will sit still and wait. I'm not content to sit and wait. I consider my responsibility to adjust to a changing world, and the world has changed. I think within a year you will see the companies performing as they should.

The new Viacom inherited Paramount Pictures, which had fallen behind its studio rivals at the box office. What are the prospects for the studio now?