USC Annenberg’s media center named for CBS’ Leslie Moonves, Julie Chen

CBS CEO Leslie Moonves and his wife, “The Talk” co-host Julie Chen, are going back to school -- at least their names are, anyway.

USC Annenberg announced Wednesday that its media center of the new Wallis Annenberg Hall will be named after Moonves, Chen -- an alumna -- and CBS.

The 20,000-square foot, two-story space is a fully converged newsroom that houses the school’s student-run digital, broadcast, radio and public relations operations.

Moonves is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Board of Councilors and a past member of USC Annenberg’s Board of Councilors. Chen, who also hosts CBS’ “Big Brother,” graduated from the school in 1991 with a degree in broadcast journalism and English.

The naming of the center, hereby referred to as the Julie Chen/Leslie Moonves and CBS Media Center, comes as a result of a joint, undisclosed donation to USC Annenberg. The couple commemorated the building’s christening Wednesday afternoon on campus.

Moonves and Chen join an elite group of Hollywood heavyweights who have cemented their legacy with a prominent USC building named in their honor.

Filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have buildings in the School of Cinematic Arts complex named after them. Sumner Redstone in 2013 gave a $10-million gift to the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and not long after a building in its Cinematic Arts complex was christened the Sumner M. Redstone Production Building.

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