CBS is already filming three shows in Southern California. But in order to film more in the area, network executives said Wednesday they would like to see some policy changes.
During a 2026-2027 CBS primetime block press conference, CBS Entertainment president Amy Rensenbach and Paramount TV media president George Cheeks were asked what it would take for the network to film more shows in Los Angeles, which has seen a significant decline in production business over the past few years.
They noted that if a show starring Matt LeBlanc was in development, Flinthas been ordered to series, and will be filmed in Los Angeles Matlock, NCIS and NCIS: Origins Shoot already locally. But they said creating a federal tax credit and expanding California’s existing film and TV tax incentives program would help in other cases.
“It’s ultimately the studio’s decision because they’re the ones handling the budgets, but we want to find the right financial model for each show. When we can, and it makes sense to shoot in Los Angeles, we will do that,” Reisenbach said.
“We want to shoot for as much as we can, but we have a financial model that we have to hit. So we have to continue to push for a federal tax credit as well, and push for greater improvements to the California credit as well. It’s important,” Cheeks added.
Later, Cheeks determined that California covering the excess costs with its own tax credit — like competing states like New York, Georgia and New Mexico — would help make the Golden State more attractive to the studio.
In the first quarter of 2026, California saw a 14 percent decline in filming in the state even as production spending rose 2 percent, according to a report by ProdPro.
The departure of episodic television production has hit Los Angeles hard. Between 2023 and 2024, scripted TV shooting days fell by 23 percent on sound stages in the city, according to a recent report from local film office FilmLA. In the fourth quarter of 2025, on-location shooting days for television also declined, by approximately 22 percent, according to the same bureau. Television imaging levels have fallen by more than 50 percent compared to the five-year average.
