CBS facts for kids
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Logo used since October 8, 2020
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| Type | Radio and television network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Affiliates |
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| Headquarters | CBS Building, Manhattan, New York City, New York |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Global |
| Parent | CBS Entertainment Group |
| Key people |
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| History | |
| Founded | September 18, 1927 |
| Launched |
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| Founder |
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| Former names |
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| 1912 | Famous Players Film Company is founded by Adolph Zukor |
|---|---|
| 1913 | Lasky Feature Play Company is founded by Jesse Lasky |
| 1914 | Paramount Pictures is founded as a film distributor by W. W. Hodkinson |
| 1916 | Famous Players & Lasky merge as Famous Players–Lasky and acquire Paramount. |
| 1920 | Group W forms with the launch of KDKA-AM |
| 1927 | CBS is founded; Famous Players–Lasky assumes Paramount name |
| 1929 | Paramount buys 49% of CBS |
| 1932 | Paramount sells back shares of CBS. |
| 1950 | Desilu is founded & CBS distributes its television programs |
| 1952 | CBS creates the CBS Television Film Sales division |
| 1958 | CBS Television Film Sales renamed to CBS Films |
| 1966 | Gulf+Western buys Paramount |
| 1968 | Gulf+Western acquires Desilu and renames it Paramount Television; CBS Films becomes CBS Enterprises |
| 1970 | CBS Enterprises renamed to Viacom |
| 1971 | Viacom is spun off from CBS as a separate company |
| 1985 | Viacom buys full ownership of Showtime & MTV Networks |
| 1986 | National Amusements buys Viacom |
| 1989 | Gulf+Western renamed to Paramount Communications |
| 1994 | Viacom acquires Paramount Communications |
| 1995 | Westinghouse buys CBS |
| 1997 | Westinghouse renamed to CBS Corporation |
| 2000 | Viacom buys CBS Corporation |
| 2001 | Viacom buys BET Networks |
| 2005 | Viacom splits into second CBS Corporation and Viacom |
| 2019 | CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merge to form ViacomCBS |
| 2022 | ViacomCBS changes its name to Paramount Global |
CBS Broadcasting Inc., usually called CBS, is a major American television and radio network. It's a key part of Paramount Global, a big media company. CBS is one of the "Big Three" TV networks in the United States.
CBS is known as the Eye Network because of its famous eye-shaped logo. This logo has been used since 1951. People also sometimes call it the Tiffany Network. This name suggests that its shows were once seen as very high quality. CBS has main offices in New York City and Los Angeles.
Contents
History of CBS Television
CBS started as a radio network in 1927. It was first called United Independent Broadcasters, Inc.. Arthur Judson, a talent agent, founded it. Later, the Columbia Phonograph Company invested in it. This led to the name Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System.
In 1928, William S. Paley became the network's president. He changed the name to the Columbia Broadcasting System. Paley soon became the main owner. For many years, CBS grew under his leadership. It became one of the biggest radio networks. Then, it became one of the top three TV networks in the U.S.
CBS began showing television programs in the 1940s. In 1974, the company officially shortened its name to CBS, Inc.. Later, in 1994, Westinghouse Electric Corporation bought CBS. The company's legal name became CBS Broadcasting Inc. in 1996.
In 1999, CBS became part of Viacom. Viacom was a company that CBS had actually started earlier. In 2005, Viacom split into two companies. One of these was CBS Corporation, with the CBS network at its heart. In 2019, CBS and Viacom merged again. They became a new company called ViacomCBS, which is now Paramount Global.
CBS used to run a large radio network called CBS Radio. But in 2017, it sold its radio stations. Today, CBS still provides news for radio stations. It also lets them use the CBS name. The television network has over 240 local TV stations across the United States. Some of these can also be watched in Canada.
CBS Programming and Shows
CBS broadcasts many hours of shows every week. This includes primetime shows in the evenings. It also has daytime programs and news shows.
Daytime shows include popular game shows like The Price Is Right and Let's Make a Deal. It also airs soap operas such as The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. The talk show The Talk is also part of the daytime lineup.
CBS News offers several news programs. These include CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News. There are also news shows like 60 Minutes and 48 Hours. For late-night fun, CBS airs talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
CBS Sports broadcasts many sporting events. These often air on weekend afternoons. CBS shows games from major sports leagues like the NFL. They also cover events from the PGA and NCAA.
Daytime Shows on CBS
CBS has the longest daytime schedule among the major networks. The Price Is Right is a very famous game show on CBS. It started in 1972 and is the longest-running daytime game show on TV. Drew Carey hosts the show today. Let's Make a Deal, hosted by Wayne Brady, is another popular game show.
CBS is the only major network that still shows daytime game shows. Many other classic game shows used to air on CBS. These include Match Game and Family Feud.
The Talk is a panel talk show on CBS. It's similar to ABC's The View. It started in 2010.
CBS also airs two daily soap operas. These are The Young and the Restless, which started in 1973, and The Bold and the Beautiful, which began in 1987. CBS has historically aired more soap operas than other networks.
Kids' Shows on CBS
CBS used to broadcast the live-action show Captain Kangaroo for many years. It aired on weekday mornings from 1955 to 1982. The network also showed animated series. These included reruns of Mighty Mouse, Looney Tunes, and Tom and Jerry. Other popular cartoons were Scooby-Doo, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In 1998, CBS started working with other companies for its Saturday morning kids' shows. First, they partnered with Nelvana for the CBS Kidshow. This block featured shows like Rescue Heroes.
From 2000 to 2006, CBS aired shows from Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block. This was called Nick Jr. on CBS. Later, they also showed Nickelodeon series for older kids.
After 2006, CBS worked with DIC Entertainment (later Cookie Jar Group). This led to blocks like KOL Secret Slumber Party on CBS and KEWLopolis. In 2009, this block was renamed Cookie Jar TV.
Since 2013, CBS has aired the "CBS Dream Team" block. This block is produced by Litton Entertainment. It features live-action shows about lifestyle, wildlife, and sports. These shows are aimed at teenagers. In 2023, the block was renamed CBS WKND.
Special TV Programs
CBS has aired many special programs over the years.
Holiday Specials
CBS was the first network to broadcast the animated holiday specials based on the Peanuts comic strip. This started with A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965. They also showed How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Garfield specials. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is another classic holiday special that still airs on CBS.
From 1973 to 1990, many CBS specials began with a memorable animated opening. It showed the words "A CBS Special Presentation" with jazzy music.
Classical Music Specials
CBS also aired Young People's Concerts, led by Leonard Bernstein. These shows introduced many children to classical music. They were broadcast from 1958 to 1972.
The network also showed different versions of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker. One famous version starred Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1977.
In 1986, CBS broadcast Horowitz in Moscow. This was a live piano concert by Vladimir Horowitz. It was a very popular event.
Cinderella Musical
CBS created a musical version of Cinderella in 1957. It had music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Julie Andrews played Cinderella. Over 100 million people watched this live broadcast. CBS remade it in 1965 with new stars.
National Geographic Specials
CBS was the first network to show primetime specials from the National Geographic Society. These shows started in 1964. They featured scientists like Jacques Cousteau and Jane Goodall. The specials helped make these figures famous worldwide.
Other Notable Specials
The Pillsbury Bake-Off, a national cooking contest, aired on CBS from 1949 to 2002. The Miss USA beauty pageant also aired on CBS from 1963 to 2002.
In 1977, CBS aired Elvis in Concert. This special was filmed during Elvis Presley's final tour. It was broadcast almost two months after he passed away.
Since 1978, CBS has been the only network to broadcast The Kennedy Center Honors. This is a special tribute to performing artists.
CBS Stations and Coverage
CBS owns 15 TV stations. It also has agreements with 228 other stations. These stations cover almost all homes in the United States. Some states, like New Jersey, don't have their own CBS station. Instead, they get CBS from nearby big cities.
CBS also works with smaller, low-power stations in some areas. Some stations broadcast CBS on a digital subchannel. This means they share their main channel with another network.
Nexstar Media Group owns the most CBS stations. Tegna Media owns stations that reach the most people overall.
Related Services from CBS
Watching CBS Shows Online
CBS offers ways to watch its shows online. You can find programs on CBS.com and through their mobile apps. Many cable and internet TV providers also offer CBS shows on demand.
CBS is different from some other networks. It doesn't put its newest episodes on Hulu. This is because CBS wants people to watch shows live or through its own services.
Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access)
In 2014, CBS launched its own streaming service. It was first called CBS All Access. It costs money to subscribe. This service lets you watch old and new CBS shows. It also offers live streams of local CBS channels in many areas.
CBS All Access also had its own original shows. These included a new Star Trek series. In 2021, CBS All Access was renamed Paramount+. This change brought even more shows from the wider Paramount Global family.
CBS High Definition (HD) TV
CBS broadcasts its main channel in 1080i HD. This means the picture is very clear and detailed. Some local stations might broadcast in slightly different HD formats or even standard definition.
CBS started broadcasting in HD in 1998. The first NFL game in HD was on CBS that year. Over time, more and more CBS shows became available in HD. By 2014, almost all CBS programming was in full HD.
In 2018, CBS updated its on-screen graphics. They are now designed for widescreen TVs.
CBS Brand Identity and Logos
The CBS Eye Logo
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The first CBS logo, used in the 1940s, was an oval spotlight with the letters "CBS". The famous Eye logo was created by William Golden. It was inspired by old American folk art designs. The Eye logo first appeared on TV on October 20, 1951.
The CBS Eye has become a very famous symbol. The Eye itself has not changed its design since it was created. It's sometimes called the "Eyemark."
The CBS Eye logo has inspired other TV networks around the world. These include networks in the UK, Mexico, and Japan. In 2011, CBS celebrated the Eye logo's 60th anniversary.
CBS Slogans and Campaigns
CBS has had many memorable slogans over the years. In the 1980s, when CBS was very popular, slogans included "We've Got the Touch" (1983-1986).
In the late 1980s, campaigns used computer graphics. "Share the Spirit of CBS" (1986-1987) was one of the first to do this.
In the 1990s, slogans were simpler, like "This is CBS" (1992) and "You're on CBS" (1995). Later, "Welcome Home to a CBS Night" (1996-1997) became popular.
In the 2000s, CBS used "It's All Here" and "Everybody's Watching." In 2006, the slogan became "We Are CBS." Later, "Only CBS" highlighted the network's unique qualities.
In 2020, CBS updated its branding. They started using a "deconstructed eye" design. They also created a new five-note sound for their brand. This sound sounds like "This is CBS." The network also stopped using slogans like "America's Most Watched Network." They wanted people to feel more like part of the CBS family.
CBS News and CBS Sports also updated their logos and sounds. Local CBS news stations are also changing their names to "CBS News (region)" to match the national brand.
CBS Around the World
CBS shows are seen in many countries outside the United States.
Canada
In Canada, you can watch CBS shows through U.S. stations near the border. Canadian TV providers carry these signals. Sometimes, Canadian channels replace a U.S. CBS show with a Canadian show airing at the same time. This is done to protect Canadian advertising.
Bermuda
In Bermuda, CBS has a local partner station called ZBM-TV.
Mexico
In Mexico, CBS shows are available in areas near the U.S. border. This is because signals from U.S. stations can reach these areas.
Guam
In the U.S. territory of Guam, CBS partners with a station called KUAM-LP. Because Guam is on the other side of the world, most shows air one day later. Live events like sports still air at their scheduled time, which might be very early in the morning in Guam.
United Kingdom
In 2009, CBS launched several CBS-branded channels in the United Kingdom. These include CBS Reality and CBS Action.
CBS News and BBC News (a major UK news organization) share news content.
Australia
The Australian TV company Ten Network Holdings is owned by CBS (now Paramount Global). Its channels, like 10 and 10 Peach, show many CBS programs. Before CBS bought the company, it was already a big supplier of shows to Network Ten.
Asia
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the CBS Evening News used to be broadcast live in the early morning.
Philippines
In the Philippines, CBS Evening News and CBS This Morning are shown on different local channels. Many CBS entertainment shows like CSI and Survivor are also broadcast there.
India
In India, CBS had a deal for three CBS-branded channels. These channels closed in 2013. After the CBS-Viacom merger, the Indian channel Colors TV became a sister network to CBS.
Israel
In Israel, channels like Zone Reality and Zone Romantica were rebranded as CBS Reality and CBS Drama in 2012.
Leaders of CBS Entertainment
| Executive | Term |
|---|---|
| Arthur Judson | 1927–1928 |
| William S. Paley | 1928–1946 |
| Frank Stanton | 1946–1971 |
| Louis Cowan | 1957–1959 |
| James Thomas Aubrey | 1959–1965 |
| Michael Dann | 1963–1970 |
| Fred Silverman | 1970–1975 |
| Arthur R. Taylor | 1972–1976 |
| John Backe | 1976–1980 |
| B. Donald Grant | 1980–1987 |
| Kim LeMasters | 1987–1990 |
| Jeff Sagansky | 1990–1994 |
| Peter Tortorici | 1994–1995 |
| Leslie Moonves | 1995–1998 |
| Nancy Tellem | 1998–2004 |
| Nina Tassler | 2004–2015 |
| Glenn Geller | 2015–2017 |
| Kelly Kahl | 2017–2022 |
| Amy Reisenbach | 2022–present |
See also
In Spanish: CBS para niños
- History of CBS
- Lists of CBS television affiliates
