The Board of Directors of Viacom has formed a Special Committee of Independent Directors to assess National Amusements’ request to explore a potential merger with CBS.

The committee includes independent directors Thomas May and Nicole Seligman as co-chairs and Kenneth Lerer, Judith McHale, Ronald Nelson and Charles Phillips.

National Amusements, which has a controlling stake in both CBS and Viacom, requested both companies explore the idea of a potential merger last week.