A lot of people doubted'' that CBS would be able to profit from the N.F.L., he said. CBS also improved its ratings among younger viewers, who are most attractive to advertisers. While CBS has traditionally appealed to older and rural audiences, so far this season its prime-time ratings have risen 2 percent among viewers ages 25 to 54. The latest result was in line with analysts' forecasts.
Cash flow is an important measure of media company performance.
As for the company's Internet assets, CBS's president and chief executive, Mel Karmazin, said the company was considering putting some into a separate company that would be sold to the public. Mr. Karmazin told analysts during a conference call Thursday that the new company would be jointly owned by CBS and Infinity Broadcasting. Shares from an offering could be used for further investments in Internet businesses, he said. Privacy Information Stay connected to the news that interests you with free e-mail alerts from The New York Times.