Daly Retained by Viacom to Serve as a Consultant

Viacom Inc. has hired former Warner Bros. studio chief and industry veteran Robert Daly as a consultant, the company announced Thursday.

In an interview, Daly said the part-time position would involve advising Viacom on a variety of entertainment matters, especially its ongoing efforts to restructure Paramount Pictures.

Daly also will counsel Viacom on any issues that arise if the media company splits its entertainment and broadcast operations, as it is considering.

Daly was tapped for the role by Tom Freston, co-president of Viacom, and Paramount Chairman Brad Grey. Daly has known both men for years and has been informally advising them for months.

“They want to pick my brain,” Daly said.

A former top CBS executive, Daly, 68, ran Warner Bros. from 1980 to 1999. He teamed there with Terry Semel, now chief executive of Yahoo Inc. Daly and Semel also oversaw the music operations of Warner Bros. parent company Time Warner Inc.

Daly was chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers until the team was sold last year to real estate developer Frank McCourt. Daly currently is chairman of the trustees of the international charity Save the Children.

Daly said he had remained attached to the entertainment business and still received daily film grosses and overnight TV ratings every morning.

But, he said, he no longer wants to run a company.

“I’m not going to read a script or go to marketing meetings,” Daly said. “I don’t want a job. I just want to pass on my knowledge and help them grow the company.”