CBS

Logo for CBS as of 2022

**CBS Broadcasting, Inc.** , an abbreviation of its former legal name **Columbia Broadcasting System** and commonly shortened to **CBS**, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network. It is the flagship property of the CBS Entertainment Group division of Paramount Global. The network's headquarters are at the CBS Building in New York City, with major production facilities and operations at the CBS Broadcast Center and Paramount headquarters One Astor Plaza also in that city and Television City and the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles.

## History

It is also sometimes referred to as the Eye Network, in reference to the company's trademark symbol, in use since 1951. It has also been called the Tiffany Network, alluding to the perceived high quality of its programming during the tenure of William S. Paley. It can also refer to some of CBS's first demonstrations of color television, which were held in the former Tiffany and Company Building in New York City in 1950. The network has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters Inc., a radio network founded in Chicago by New York City talent agent Arthur Judson in January 1927. In April of that year, the Columbia Phonograph Company, parent of the Columbia record label, invested in the network, resulting in its rebranding as the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System (CPBS). In early 1928, Judson and Columbia sold the network to Isaac and Leon Levy, two brothers who owned WCAU, the network's Philadelphia affiliate, as well as their partner Jerome Louchheim. They installed Paley, an in-law of the Levys, as president of the network. With the Columbia record label out of ownership, Paley rebranded the network as the Columbia Broadcasting System.

Under Paley's guidance, CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in the United States, and eventually one of the Big Three American broadcast television networks. In 1974, CBS dropped its original full name and became known simply as CBS, Inc. The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1995, renaming its corporate entity to its current name CBS Broadcasting, Inc. two years later, and eventually adopted the name of the company it had acquired to become CBS Corporation. In 2000, CBS came under the control of the original incarnation of Viacom, which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971. In 2005, Viacom split itself into two separate companies and re-established CBS Corporation through the spin-off of its broadcast television, radio and select cable television and non-broadcasting assets, with the CBS network at its core.
CBS Corporation was controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements, which also controlled the second incarnation of Viacom until December 4, 2019, when the two separated companies agreed to re-merge to become ViacomCBS. Following the sale, CBS and its other broadcasting and entertainment assets were reorganized into a new division, CBS Entertainment Group. CBS operated the CBS Radio network until 2017, when it sold its radio division to Entercom (now known as Audacy since 2021). Before this, CBS Radio mainly provided news and features content for its portfolio of owned-and-operated radio stations in large and mid-sized markets, as well as its affiliated radio stations in various other markets. While CBS Corporation shareholders own a 72% stake in Entercom, CBS no longer owns or operates any radio stations directly; however, it still provides radio news broadcasts to its radio affiliates and to the new owners of its former radio stations, and licenses the rights to use CBS trademarks under a long-term contract. The television network has over 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated television stations throughout the United States, some also available in Canada via pay-television providers or in border areas over-the-air. CBS was ranked 197th on the 2018 Fortune 500 of the largest American corporations by revenue.

In June 2019, CBS renewed the *Blood and Treasure* series for a second season. In May 2022, it was announced that the series is moving from CBS to Paramount+ and is set to premiere on July 17, 2022.

## References

1. ↑ William S. Paley, Who Built CBS Into a Communications Empire, Dies at 89 - NY Times
2. ↑ CBS and Viacom Find Life Tough After the Big Split - WSJ
3. ↑ Viacom board approves plan to split company - NBC News
4. ↑ Entercom Finalizes Merger With CBS Radio, Becoming No. 2 Radio Operator in US - Billboard
5. ↑ CBS to merge its radio business with Entercom - Reuters
6. ↑ CBS Streamlines Brand Identity To Stand Out In Streaming Landscape, Preserving The Eye And Adding 5-Tone Audio Tag
7. ↑ ‘Blood & Treasure’ Renewed for Season 2 at CBS - Hollywood Reporter
8. ↑ Blood & Treasure Season 2 Finally Has a Premiere Date, Moves to Paramount+ - TVLine