CBS Chief Meets With Rural Group

CBS President and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves met for an hour with critics of a proposed reality genre version of “The Beverly Hillbillies” without resolving whether the show will wither or move forward.

Dee Davis, president of the Whitesburg, Ky.-based Center for Rural Strategies, asked for the meeting to try to persuade Moonves to abandon the project.

The proposed show has prompted a furor in the Appalachian region, where CBS production personnel have been scouting for a family to move into a Beverly Hills mansion. Protesters have complained the network is insensitive to the issues of rural poverty.

Neither side would discuss the meeting at CBS’ headquarters, TV City. “They came, we talked, they left -- enough said,” said CBS spokesman Chris Ender.

Moonves has said the network never intended to offend anyone and that the concept for “The Real Beverly Hillbillies” is still in development. Although CBS said it hasn’t found a suitable family, the network has disconnected three hotlines set up to field calls from interested families.