CBS Media Ventures

**CBS Media Ventures** (formerly **CBS Television Distribution** and **CBS Paramount Domestic Television**) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount Global.

It was formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment. The division, the main distribution arm of the parent company CBS Studios (formerly Desilu Productions, the first incarnation of Paramount Television, CBS Paramount Television and CBS Television Studios), the CBS and The CW television networks, and other Paramount Global television studios, such as the Paramount Media Networks division, was formed on September 26, 2006, by CBS Corporation and was headed by Roger King, the CEO of King World until his death in 2007.

## Background

The company handles distribution rights to acquired series, mini-series, and made-for-television films from the Paramount Television libraries (such as those of Desilu Productions, the first iteration of Paramount Television, Paramount Television Animation, Viacom Productions/Enterprises, Republic Pictures Television, Big Ticket Entertainment, Spelling Television, and Worldvision Enterprises), and series, mini-series, and made-for-television films from the CBS television libraries (such as those by CBS Productions, King World Productions, the majority of those by Group W Productions, and its own first-run broadcast syndication and off-network television series), along with Paramount Global's cable networks and television studios. CBS also handles the television rights to much of its own theatrical films and sister movie studio, Paramount Pictures. The company formerly distributed the film libraries from Republic Pictures and Carolco Pictures among others. The company is also responsible for international television distribution rights to series by Rysher Entertainment including certain HBO series through its Paramount Global Content Licensing division, and advertising sales representative for Lionsgate's Debmar-Mercury division.

This would mark the sixth distribution name for CBS as CBS Television Film Sales was the first (1952–1958), CBS Films, Inc. was the second (1958–1968), CBS Enterprises was the third (1968–1970), Eyemark Entertainment was the fourth (1995–2000), and CBS Paramount Domestic Television was the fifth (2006–2007).

The current moniker for CBS Media Ventures overseas distribution arm is Paramount Global Content Licensing (since 2009). Its predecessors were CBS Broadcast International, CBS Paramount International Television, and CBS Studios International.

## History

### As CBS Television Distribution

On September 26, 2006, CBS Paramount Domestic Television formally merged with King World Productions to form CBS Television Distribution Group. On January 16, 2007, the studio launched a separate home video division, CBS Home Entertainment. On February 25, 2007, it is announced that Showtime would receive a deal with the studio in order to sell it for syndication and broadcast.

Later that year, on August 18, 2007, CBS Television Distribution had acquired a 50% stake in the online talent search service *Big Shot*, from Madison Road Entertainment and Maverick Television. On November 20, 2007, CBS Television Distribution had signed Fox and CBS-owned stations to began carrying *Everybody Hates Chris* in 2009. On March 2, 2008, CBS signed a deal with Nick at Nite to bring reruns of *Everybody Hates Chris* to air for cable broadcasts.

John Nogawski in 2012 left his position as president of CBS Television Distribution. Thus Armando Nuñez, president of CBS Studios International, added responsibility for the division as president of CBS Global Distributions Group. On October 16, 2012, Aaron Meyerson had exited the post at the studio. On October 22, 2013, Hilary Estey McLoughlin, former executive of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution joined CBS Television Distribution as head of creative affairs. On March 2, 2015, CBS Television Distribution is renewing *Judge Judy* through the 2019-20 TV season.

With a growing international syndication business, CBS looked to split the group. In early July 2016, CBS hired Paul Franklin, formerly executive vice president and general sales manager for 20th Television syndication arm and MyNetworkTV, as head of CBS Television Distribution with Nuñez returning to just being president of CBS Studios International.

In October 2018, unit president Paul Franklin retired and chief content licensing officer Scott Koondel stepped down for a production deal with CBS. On October 30, 2018, Armando Nuñez was named CBS Corporation chief content licensing officer and CBS Global Distribution Group president and chief executive officer while continuing in his CBS Studios International post.

In 2019, CBS Television Distribution signed an ad sales deal with Debmar-Mercury, replacing 20th Television (which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company). CBS Television Distribution Media Sales is now responsible for the advertising sales for the Lionsgate/Revolution Studios libraries, *Family Feud*, and *The Wendy Williams Show*. In June 2019, CBS Television Distribution announced that it would launch Dabl, a life style broadcasting network on September 9, 2019. By 2019, Viacom and CBS merged into ViacomCBS, making CBS Television Distribution as the official television distribution label of Paramount Pictures, CBS, and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks, distributing original content from Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount Network, as well as other networks owned by Paramount Global.

### As CBS Media Ventures

On January 11, 2021, CBS Television Distribution was renamed CBS Media Ventures.

## Current programming

Note: All CBS Media Ventures's programming includes series distributed by predecessor companies Paramount Domestic Television, Viacom Enterprises, Worldvision Enterprises, King World Productions, and CBS Paramount Domestic Television.
### First-run syndication

* *Daily Mail TV* (2017–present, produced by Stage 29 Productions)
* *Dr. Phil* (2002–present, produced by Harpo Productions (2002–2010) and Peteski Productions)
* *The Doctors* (2008–present, produced by Stage 29 Productions)
* *The Drew Barrymore Show* (2020–present, produced by Big Ticket Entertainment and Flower Films)
* *Entertainment Tonight* (1981–present)
* *Hot Bench* (2014–present, produced by Big Ticket Entertainment and Queen Bee Productions)
* *Inside Edition* (1989–present)
* *Jeopardy!* (1984–present, produced by Sony Pictures Television Studios)
* *Rachael Ray* (2006–present, produced by Harpo Productions and KWP Studios)
* *Wheel of Fortune* (1983–present, produced by Sony Pictures Television Studios)

### Off-net syndication

* *Bull* (2021-present)
* *SEAL Team* (2021-present)
* *MacGyver* (2021-present)

### Network television

* *One Magnificent Morning* (The CW, 2014-present)

## See also

> *Main article: List of Paramount Global television programs*
>
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## Folded companies

* CBS Television Film Sales/CBS Films/CBS Enterprises (1952–1970)
* Viacom Enterprises (1971–1995)
* Desilu Sales (1963–1967)
* Paramount Domestic Television (1968–2006)
* Worldvision Enterprises (1973–1999)
* Group W Productions (1961–1996)
* Eyemark Entertainment (1996–1999)
* CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006–2007)
* King World Productions (1964–2007)