CBS
CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio network, serving as the flagship broadcast property of Paramount Skydance Corporation following the 2025 merger of Paramount Global with Skydance Media.[1] Originating as the United Independent Broadcasters radio network in 1927, it was acquired and renamed Columbia Broadcasting System in September 1928 by William S. Paley, who expanded it into a dominant force in radio through innovative programming and affiliate strategies before launching television operations in 1941.[2] Under Paley's leadership, CBS pioneered key broadcasting advancements, including early color television experiments and the development of high-profile news and entertainment formats that established its reputation for quality production, earning it the nickname "Tiffany Network" for sophistication in programming like the investigative series 60 Minutes, which has topped ratings for decades.[3] The network has consistently ranked as one of the most-watched in the United States, achieving 17 consecutive seasons as America's top network by viewership through hits in drama, comedy, and sports.[3] CBS's news division, CBS News, has garnered numerous awards for investigative journalism but has also been embroiled in significant controversies, including the 2004 Killian documents incident that led to anchor Dan Rather's resignation amid questions of source verification and editorial lapses.[4] More recently, CBS News has faced criticism for left-leaning bias in story selection and coverage, prompting the incoming ownership in 2025 to implement measures such as appointing a bias monitor to address concerns raised by political figures including Donald Trump.[5][6] These issues highlight ongoing debates about objectivity in mainstream media institutions, where empirical analyses from bias rating organizations consistently rate CBS News as leaning left.[7]History
Founding and Early Radio Operations (1927–1930s)
The Columbia Broadcasting System originated from the United Independent Broadcasters (UIB), established on January 27, 1927, in Chicago by talent agent Arthur L. Judson as a counter to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), which had excluded Judson's musical clients from its programming roster.[8] Judson, a former manager of concert artists frustrated by NBC's dominance under David Sarnoff, aimed to create an independent network linking stations for shared content, initially securing affiliations with stations like WOR in Newark and others across the Northeast.[9] The network's inaugural broadcast occurred on September 18, 1927, originating from WOR studios in New York and carried by 16 affiliated stations, featuring a live orchestra performance that marked the debut of chain broadcasting outside NBC's control.[10] Facing financial difficulties due to limited advertising revenue and operational costs, UIB partnered with the Columbia Phonograph Company in early 1928 for recording and distribution support, rebranding as the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System.[8] On September 25, 1928, 27-year-old William S. Paley, leveraging profits from his family's cigar business, acquired a controlling stake for $400,000 borrowed from his father, assuming the presidency and shifting focus to aggressive affiliate recruitment and advertiser incentives like time sales commissions.[11] Paley reorganized the network as the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), dropping the "Phonographic" moniker after severing ties with Columbia Records, and by December 1928 purchased New York station WABC as its flagship for $390,000 to serve as the primary origination point.[12] In the late 1920s and early 1930s, CBS expanded its reach amid economic challenges, completing a transcontinental feed to the West Coast by January 1929 to enable national programming distribution.[9] Initial programming emphasized live music and variety shows to attract sponsors, but Paley prioritized affiliate profitability over centralized control, contrasting NBC's model and fostering growth to approximately 100 stations by the mid-1930s through incentives and talent acquisition. During the Great Depression, CBS diversified into news after declining an Associated Press franchise, launching its own service; on September 29, 1930, Lowell Thomas hosted the first daily CBS news broadcast, establishing a format of objective reporting that bolstered listener engagement and ad revenue despite industry contraction.[13] This era solidified CBS as a viable NBC rival, with programming innovations in serialized dramas and celebrity-driven shows sustaining operations through Paley's emphasis on commercial viability over artistic prestige.Expansion into Television and Network Formation (1940s–1950s)
CBS began experimental television broadcasts in the late 1930s, with its New York station W2XAB transmitting programs as early as 1931, though commercial operations were authorized later. On July 1, 1941, WCBS-TV in New York City launched as one of the first commercial television stations, offering limited programming including news bulletins and variety shows amid the pre-World War II TV infancy. Growth stalled during the war due to federal restrictions on manufacturing television sets and equipment, limiting the network to its flagship outlet and sporadic affiliates.[14] Postwar, under president Frank Stanton—who assumed leadership in 1946—CBS aggressively pursued television expansion, constructing studios in New York and Los Angeles and investing in infrastructure to rival radio operations. Stanton, leveraging his background in audience research, prioritized compatible black-and-white broadcasting to build viewership rapidly, despite CBS's parallel development of a mechanical color system approved by the FCC in October 1950 but later suspended amid the Korean War and compatibility concerns. By 1948, the CBS Television Network formally coalesced with WCAU-TV in Philadelphia as its inaugural affiliate, enabling coast-to-coast linkage via coaxial cables and microwave relays for live programming distribution. This marked the shift from isolated stations to a cohesive network structure, with initial feeds including news, dramas, and borrowed radio talent adaptations.[15][16][17] The 1950s saw explosive affiliate growth, from fewer than 10 in 1948 to over 100 by mid-decade, fueled by rising TV set ownership—from 5,000 households in 1946 to 30 million by 1955—and CBS's programming innovations like filmed series and live events. Key acquisitions included owned-and-operated stations such as WCBS-TV (New York), KNXT (Los Angeles, signed on 1948), and WBBM-TV (Chicago, 1940s expansion), bolstering signal coverage to 90% of U.S. households by 1956. Stanton's strategies emphasized empirical viewership data over speculative ventures, enabling CBS to surpass NBC in prime-time ratings by 1955 through hits like I Love Lucy (premiered 1951, drawing 40 million viewers weekly) and news expansions under Don Hewitt. This era solidified CBS's transition from radio dominance to television leadership, though its color TV insistence temporarily hindered monochrome adoption.[18][19][14]Dominance in the Broadcast Era (1960s–1980s)
During the 1960s, CBS maintained its position as the leading American broadcast network, consistently topping Nielsen ratings with rural-themed programming that appealed to broad family audiences, including hits like The Beverly Hillbillies, which ranked number one in the 1962–1963 season with a 39.2 household rating. Under the leadership of founder William S. Paley as chairman and Frank Stanton as president from 1946 to 1971, CBS expanded its television infrastructure and prioritized high-viewership content, surpassing rivals NBC and ABC in prime-time dominance through much of the decade.[20] This era's success stemmed from empirical viewer data showing strong raw audience numbers, though advertisers increasingly valued demographic profiles over sheer volume.[21] A pivotal shift occurred in 1971 with the "Rural Purge," when CBS executives canceled several top-rated rural sitcoms—such as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Mayberry R.F.D.—despite their high Nielsen rankings, to pivot toward urban-oriented programming targeting younger, affluent suburban viewers preferred by sponsors.[22] This decision reflected causal pressures from evolving measurement practices, as Nielsen introduced demographic breakdowns revealing rural audiences as older and lower-income, less attractive for premium ad rates, prompting a calculated risk that initially disrupted short-term ratings but aligned with long-term revenue realism.[23] The purge enabled the introduction of groundbreaking shows like Norman Lear's All in the Family, which debuted in 1971 and quickly became the decade's top program, averaging 20.6 million viewers and securing CBS's prime-time lead for multiple seasons through the 1970s.[24] CBS's news division further solidified its broadcast supremacy, with CBS Evening News anchored by Walter Cronkite achieving unrivaled ratings from the late 1960s onward, drawing 27 to 30 million nightly viewers by the 1970s—overtaking NBC's Huntley-Brinkley Report and maintaining dominance until Cronkite's 1981 retirement.[25][26] Programs like 60 Minutes, launched in 1968, also contributed to sustained leadership, frequently ranking among the top ten shows by the 1970s and exemplifying CBS's blend of investigative journalism and mass appeal that drove empirical viewership gains.[24] Into the 1980s, CBS held the number-one spot in prime-time ratings for seasons like 1979–1980, buoyed by enduring hits, though emerging cable competition began eroding overall network shares.[27]Corporate Restructuring and Mergers (1990s–2010s)
In the early 1990s, CBS faced financial pressures under the leadership of Laurence Tisch, who had assumed control in 1986 and implemented aggressive cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and divestitures of non-core assets, amid declining network ratings and competition from cable television.[28] These challenges culminated in the company's sale to Westinghouse Electric Corporation on August 1, 1995, for $5.4 billion in cash, or approximately $81 per share, marking the end of CBS's independence as a publicly traded entity focused primarily on broadcasting.[28][29] The acquisition, which integrated Westinghouse's Group W broadcasting operations into CBS, received final Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval on November 23, 1995, and closed on November 24, 1995, with shareholders receiving $82.065 per share.[30][31][32] Following the merger, Westinghouse divested its industrial and non-broadcast assets, such as appliances and energy divisions, to refocus on media, and rebranded itself as CBS Corporation in 1997, positioning the entity as a pure-play broadcaster with ownership of the CBS Network, radio stations, and local television outlets.[31] This restructuring aimed to streamline operations amid the shift toward media conglomerates, though it exposed CBS to regulatory scrutiny over ownership concentration. By the late 1990s, under new management including president Mel Karmazin, CBS pursued growth through acquisitions of additional television stations to bolster its owned-and-operated network. The most transformative event occurred on April 26, 2000, when CBS merged with Viacom Inc. in a $44 billion stock-and-cash transaction engineered by Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone, creating one of the largest media conglomerates with combined assets including CBS's broadcast properties, Viacom's MTV Networks, BET, and Paramount Pictures.[33] The deal, announced in September 1999, required FCC waivers for rules on network ownership and cross-ownership, which were granted on May 3, 2000, allowing 12 months for compliance with the dual network rule prohibiting common ownership of multiple major networks.[34] Post-merger, the entity operated as Viacom Inc., with Karmazin as CEO and Redstone retaining control, enabling synergies in content distribution but also integrating disparate business models of broadcast and cable. By 2005, divergent growth trajectories—CBS's mature broadcast and radio assets versus Viacom's faster-expanding cable and film segments—prompted a corporate split announced on March 16, 2005, and finalized on December 31, 2005, separating the companies into independent publicly traded entities: the new CBS Corporation, encompassing the CBS Network, UPN, radio stations, television production, and outdoor advertising (later divested), led by Leslie Moonves as president and CEO; and a restructured Viacom focused on cable networks like MTV and Nickelodeon.[35][36] The demerger, driven by Redstone to unlock shareholder value through distinct valuations, complied with evolving FCC regulations on media ownership limits and allowed CBS to prioritize local station acquisitions and digital transitions in the 2010s without the drag of underperforming cable synergies.[35] Through the decade, CBS Corporation expanded its portfolio by purchasing additional owned-and-operated stations, such as those from Sinclair Broadcast Group in select markets, reinforcing its duopoly exemptions and market reach ahead of over-the-air digital shifts.[37]Integration with Paramount and Skydance Acquisition (2019–2025)
CBS Corporation merged with Viacom Inc. on December 4, 2019, after the deal was announced on August 13, 2019, creating ViacomCBS Inc. and reuniting media assets separated in a 2006 corporate split orchestrated by Sumner Redstone.[38][39] The new entity, controlled by Shari Redstone through National Amusements Inc., combined CBS's broadcast television operations, including news and sports programming, with Viacom's cable networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon, alongside Paramount Pictures.[40] Trading of ViacomCBS Class A and Class B shares commenced on the Nasdaq on December 5, 2019, under tickers VIACA and VIAC.[38] Post-merger integration emphasized cost synergies and content aggregation for streaming platforms, amid industry-wide shifts from linear television to digital distribution driven by cord-cutting trends.[41] ViacomCBS launched and expanded Paramount+ in 2021, aiming to compete with established services like Netflix and Disney+, but faced ongoing revenue pressures from declining cable subscriptions and high content investment costs.[42] On February 15, 2022, the company rebranded as Paramount Global effective the following day, prioritizing the Paramount brand across its film, television, and streaming assets to streamline identity in a converged media landscape.[43][44] By 2023, Paramount Global reported substantial net losses, exceeding $500 million in some quarters, attributed to streaming deficits and macroeconomic factors, prompting exploration of sale or merger options.[45] Negotiations with Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, began in early 2024 but temporarily collapsed in June before resuming.[46] On July 7, 2024, Paramount's board approved a merger agreement with Skydance, involving an $8 billion transaction that included acquiring National Amusements for $2.4 billion and injecting $1.5 billion in capital for non-voting shares.[47][48] The deal received U.S. Department of Justice antitrust clearance and FCC approval for the transfer of control over Paramount and CBS licenses on July 24, 2025.[49] The merger completed on August 7, 2025, forming New Paramount Corporation with Ellison as chairman and CEO, ending Redstone family control and positioning Skydance to integrate its animation and sports media capabilities with Paramount's portfolio.[50][51] Post-closure, the entity planned workforce reductions of approximately 2,000 U.S. employees starting the week of October 27, 2025, to achieve operational efficiencies amid persistent streaming challenges.[45]Corporate Governance and Ownership
Evolution of Ownership Structures
CBS originated as a radio network in 1927 when William S. Paley acquired United Independent Broadcasters Inc. and renamed it the Columbia Broadcasting System, establishing family-influenced control that persisted through its expansion into television.[52] As a publicly traded company, CBS maintained dispersed shareholder ownership, but Paley's strategic oversight defined its structure until his departure as chairman in 1983. In 1986, Laurence Tisch's Loews Corporation gained effective control to avert a hostile takeover by Ted Turner, shifting focus to operational efficiencies and asset sales during Tisch's CEO tenure from 1986 to 1995.[53] In 1995, Westinghouse Electric Corporation purchased CBS for $5.4 billion, incorporating it into a diversified portfolio before divesting non-media assets.[54] Westinghouse announced plans to rebrand as CBS Corporation in February 1997 and formally adopted the name on December 1, 1997, emphasizing broadcasting as its core business.[55][56] In December 1999, Sumner Redstone's Viacom acquired CBS in a $48 billion transaction, consolidating it under Viacom's entertainment holdings with National Amusements retaining controlling interest via Redstone family shares.[40] The Viacom-CBS entity separated in September 2006 into independent CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc., restoring CBS as a standalone public company focused on broadcasting while National Amusements maintained influence over both.[40] On August 13, 2019, CBS Corporation and Viacom announced a $30 billion all-stock merger, completed December 4, 2019, forming ViacomCBS with enhanced content and distribution synergies under continued National Amusements control.[57][38] ViacomCBS rebranded to Paramount Global effective February 16, 2022, aligning its identity with streaming and film assets.[43] Paramount Global agreed to merge with Skydance Media on July 7, 2024, in an $8 billion deal that included acquiring National Amusements' controlling stake.[58] The transaction received FCC approval on July 24, 2025, after concessions addressing regulatory concerns, and closed on August 7, 2025, establishing Skydance-led ownership with David Ellison as chairman and CEO of the resulting entity.[50][59] This structure integrates Skydance's production expertise with Paramount's broadcast and studio operations, marking CBS's latest transition to external media investment leadership.[50]Key Leadership Figures and Presidents
William S. Paley acquired majority control of the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System in 1928 and renamed it the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), serving as its president until 1946 while transforming it into a leading radio network through aggressive affiliate expansion and talent acquisition.[60] He subsequently held the position of chairman until 1983, exerting influence over strategic decisions including the network's pivot to television, though he briefly returned as chairman from 1987 until his death on October 26, 1990.[60] Frank Stanton, a psychologist who joined CBS in 1935, succeeded Paley as president in 1946 and led the company for 25 years until 1971, overseeing the technological and programming shifts that established CBS's television supremacy, including the development of color broadcasting standards and landmark news coverage.[61] Stanton's administration emphasized journalistic independence, exemplified by his 1971 refusal to surrender CBS News outtakes of a Vietnam War protest to the Justice Department, a stance that affirmed broadcast media's First Amendment protections despite government pressure.[14] He remained vice chairman until 1973, during which CBS achieved peak ratings dominance with programs like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and 60 Minutes.[61] In the post-Stanton era, leadership transitioned amid corporate challenges, with Laurence A. Tisch assuming CEO duties in 1986 following Paley's ouster of prior executives, implementing austerity measures that reduced staff by thousands to counter declining ad revenues and competition from cable.[62] After CBS's 1999 merger into Viacom and the 2006 spin-off as CBS Corporation, Les Moonves directed operations as president and CEO from 2006 to 2018, focusing on franchise reboots like CSI and NCIS to drive profitability, though his tenure ended amid investigations into workplace harassment claims.[63] Joe Ianniello served as acting CEO of CBS Corporation from September 2018 to December 2019, navigating the $30 billion merger with Viacom to form ViacomCBS (later Paramount Global) and retaining oversight of CBS assets as chairman and CEO post-merger.[64] George Cheeks assumed the role of president and CEO of CBS in March 2020, managing broadcast, streaming integration via Paramount+, and content strategy amid cord-cutting pressures, with reported 2023 revenues for CBS Television Network exceeding $10 billion from advertising and syndication.[65][66] Following Paramount Global's July 2024 agreement to merge with Skydance Media, completed in 2025, Cheeks was elevated to chair of TV Media in August 2025, continuing to lead CBS operations under the restructured entity valued at $28 billion.[67] Within CBS divisions, Amy Reisenbach has presided over CBS Entertainment since 2022, greenlighting hits like Tracker and Matlock reboot.[68]Regulatory Interactions and FCC Approvals
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has regulated CBS since its early days as a radio and television broadcaster, enforcing rules on content, ownership, and licensing under the Communications Act of 1934. Notable early interactions included scrutiny over news programming; in 1971, the FCC cited CBS for violating standards against deliberate distortion in the documentary Hunger in America, though no fine was ultimately imposed after CBS appealed. Similarly, under the Fairness Doctrine—requiring balanced coverage of controversial issues—the U.S. Supreme Court in CBS v. Democratic National Committee (1973) upheld the FCC's position that broadcasters like CBS were not obligated to accept paid editorial advertisements, affirming editorial discretion while maintaining public interest obligations.[69] A prominent enforcement action occurred following the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show broadcast by CBS, where performer Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" exposed her breast, leading the FCC to issue a $550,000 fine in 2006—$27,500 per each of CBS's 20 owned-and-operated stations—for broadcasting indecent material.[70][71] The FCC argued the violation was willful, but CBS contested the penalty, citing lack of intent and pre-broadcast safeguards; the Third Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the fine in 2008 and 2011, and the Supreme Court declined review in 2012, effectively nullifying it due to inconsistent FCC policy application.[72][73] FCC approvals have been pivotal for CBS's corporate evolution, particularly amid ownership consolidations. The agency greenlit Viacom's $37 billion acquisition of CBS in 1999, waiving certain cross-ownership restrictions to permit the merger despite CBS's status as a major network, reflecting deregulatory trends under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This was followed by approval of the 2019 reunion of CBS Corporation and Viacom into ViacomCBS (later Paramount Global), which transferred control of CBS's broadcast licenses without significant divestitures. Most recently, on July 24, 2025, the FCC approved Skydance Media's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global—including 28 CBS owned-and-operated television stations—in a 2-1 partisan vote, conditioned on commitments to preserve CBS news and entertainment programming access; the approval came after Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit related to a 60 Minutes interview, amid broader FCC scrutiny of CBS for alleged news distortion in coverage of public figures.[74][75][76] Ongoing regulatory tensions include a 2025 FCC probe into CBS for potential "news distortion," echoing historical precedents and raising questions about license renewals for affiliates, with critics arguing it represents selective enforcement influenced by political shifts rather than uniform standards.[77][78] These interactions underscore the FCC's role in balancing CBS's commercial operations against public interest mandates, though decisions have varied with commission composition and legal challenges.Broadcasting Infrastructure
Owned-and-Operated Stations
CBS owns and operates sixteen full-power television stations that serve as affiliates of the CBS network, providing direct control over content distribution, local news production, and advertising revenue in key markets. These stations reach approximately 32% of U.S. television households and prioritize CBS primetime, daytime, and sports programming alongside market-specific news and public affairs content. The O&Os benefit from shared resources within CBS News and Stations, including centralized digital operations and investigative reporting support.[79][80] In many markets, CBS pairs its O&O with a sister station in a duopoly structure, allowing cross-promotion and operational efficiencies; for example, KCBS-TV in Los Angeles operates alongside independent KCAL-TV, while WCBS-TV in New York shares facilities with WLNY-TV. Such arrangements, approved under FCC duopoly rules, enhance local dominance but have drawn scrutiny for potential market concentration.[81] On June 2, 2025, CBS announced the relocation of its Atlanta affiliation to owned station WUPA-TV (channel 69) effective August 16, 2025, shifting from Gray Television's WANF and expanding the O&O portfolio to sixteen stations for improved local integration and news expansion in the market.[82] The following table enumerates the CBS owned-and-operated stations by primary market:| Market | Call Sign |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | WUPA-TV |
| Baltimore | WJZ-TV |
| Boston | WBZ-TV |
| Chicago | WBBM-TV |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | KTVT-TV |
| Denver | KCNC-TV |
| Detroit | WWJ-TV |
| Los Angeles | KCBS-TV |
| Miami/Fort Lauderdale | WFOR-TV |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul | WCCO-TV |
| New York | WCBS-TV |
| Philadelphia | KYW-TV |
| Pittsburgh | KDKA-TV |
| Sacramento | KOVR-TV |
| San Francisco/Oakland | KPIX-TV |
Affiliate Relations and Coverage
CBS distributes its national programming to local television stations through a dual structure of owned-and-operated (O&O) stations and independent affiliates. The network owns and operates 15 stations in key markets, including WCBS-TV in New York, KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, and WBBM-TV in Chicago, which serve as flagships for programming delivery and local content production. Affiliates, owned by entities such as Gray Media, Nexstar, and Sinclair, number approximately 230, enabling comprehensive national distribution while allowing local advertising and news insertion. Affiliation agreements typically span several years and specify requirements for clearing network programming, with affiliates retaining rights to preempt for local or breaking news under certain conditions. Compensation between CBS and affiliates has shifted from a traditional model where networks paid stations for airtime to a more reciprocal arrangement influenced by the 1992 Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act's retransmission consent provisions. Affiliates now share portions of retransmission fees collected from multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) like cable and satellite operators, though CBS has increasingly imposed fixed reverse compensation fees on affiliates, prompting pushback from station groups seeking percentage-based models tied to performance. In 2025, disputes escalated, with around 70 affiliates criticizing CBS's fee demands as "draconian" and threatening the viability of local broadcasting amid the Paramount Global-Skydance Media acquisition, leading to negotiations over fee structures and affiliate protections. Recent renewals underscore the ongoing importance of these relations for coverage stability. In June 2025, CBS extended agreements with Gray Media for 52 markets, covering a significant portion of Gray's portfolio and maintaining access to over 30% of U.S. households through those stations alone. Similarly, a July 2024 multiyear deal with Nexstar renewed affiliations in 42 markets, including major areas like Miami and Detroit, ensuring continuity for primetime, news, and sports content. These pacts often include provisions for digital multicast channels and streaming integration, adapting to cord-cutting trends. Geographic coverage via affiliates and O&Os extends to nearly all 210 Nielsen-designated market areas (DMAs), reaching the vast majority of U.S. television households and enabling simulcast of events like NFL games and elections. While rare, affiliation terminations occur, as seen with Atlanta's WANF (Atlanta News First) planning to drop CBS after 31 years in 2025 to operate independently, potentially requiring CBS to secure a replacement affiliate in that market. Such shifts highlight the competitive dynamics, where affiliates weigh network programming value against local revenue opportunities from alternatives like The CW or independence.Technical Standards and Transitions
CBS developed an experimental field-sequential color television system in the early 1940s, transmitting images sequentially in red, green, and blue using a rotating filter wheel in the camera and receiver.[84] On October 25, 1950, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved this CBS system as the U.S. national standard for color broadcasting, citing its superior picture quality over competing proposals.[85] The system operated at 405 lines resolution and 144 fields per second, but it required specialized color receivers and was incompatible with the existing monochrome NTSC standard, rendering it unwatchable on standard black-and-white sets.[86] Commercial color broadcasting under the CBS standard commenced on June 25, 1951, with the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts program as the inaugural telecast, marking the first regular network color programming in the U.S.[87][88] However, the system's incompatibility limited adoption, as no affordable color sets were available to the public, and the Korean War halted manufacturing of new television equipment. CBS suspended color broadcasts on October 20, 1951, and petitioned to withdraw the standard in 1953 after the FCC shifted to the backward-compatible NTSC color system developed by RCA and others.[86] This transition enabled CBS to integrate color into its NTSC analog framework, with full network color capability achieved by 1965, though gradual adoption persisted due to equipment costs and programming priorities. In the digital era, CBS adhered to the ATSC standards for high-definition and digital terrestrial broadcasting. The network began regular high-definition (HD) transmissions in the late 1990s, pioneering HDTV primetime series, daytime shows, and live sports events, such as NFL games, ahead of competitors.[89] CBS completed the nationwide analog-to-digital transition on June 12, 2009, as required by federal mandate, shifting all owned-and-operated stations and affiliates to ATSC 1.0 digital signals, which supported HD formats like 1080i resolution for most programming.[90] This shift improved signal efficiency and enabled multicasting, allowing stations to air multiple subchannels alongside primary HD feeds. As of 2025, select CBS affiliates have begun deploying ATSC 3.0 (branded as NextGen TV), an advanced standard offering 4K resolution, high dynamic range (HDR), immersive audio, and interactive features like targeted advertising and program pausing, while maintaining compatibility via simulcasting with ATSC 1.0.[91] Network-wide rollout remains incremental, pending FCC approvals and receiver availability, with voluntary adoption focused on enhancing over-the-air delivery without disrupting legacy signals.[92]Content Production and Programming
Primetime Dramas, Sitcoms, and Entertainment
CBS's primetime programming has historically emphasized scripted dramas and sitcoms that prioritize broad appeal through procedural formats and multi-camera comedies, contributing to the network's dominance in total viewership. In the 1950s, I Love Lucy (1951–1957) established CBS as a leader in sitcoms, securing the top ratings spot for four of its six seasons and averaging household ratings above 40 in peak years.[93] Similarly, the Western drama Gunsmoke (1955–1975) ran for 20 seasons and 635 episodes, topping Nielsen ratings for four consecutive years from 1957 to 1961 and exemplifying early success in action-oriented storytelling.[94][95] The 1960s and 1970s saw CBS leverage rural-themed sitcoms and socially provocative comedies for sustained high ratings, with The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971) achieving the number-one spot for two seasons and drawing over 50 million viewers at its peak. All in the Family (1971–1979), created by Norman Lear, broke records as the highest-rated series for five consecutive seasons, averaging 20.6 million viewers per episode during its run and shifting toward urban, issue-driven narratives following the network's "rural purge" of lighter fare.[96] By the late 20th century, CBS transitioned to crime procedurals, launching the CSI franchise with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2000, which averaged 20.8 million viewers in its debut season and peaked at 26.3 million in season five, spawning spin-offs like CSI: Miami and CSI: NY that popularized forensic science-driven plots.[97][98] Into the 2000s and beyond, procedurals solidified CBS's primetime strength, with NCIS (premiering 2003) becoming one of the longest-running scripted series, surpassing 20 seasons and ranking as the top broadcast drama for 13 of its first 14 years while consistently drawing over 10 million viewers.[99] Sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) mirrored this success, ending with a series finale viewed by 18 million people and maintaining multi-camera comedy dominance through syndication appeal.[100] This formula—episodic resolutions in dramas and relatable ensemble humor in sitcoms—has underpinned CBS's record 17 consecutive seasons as the most-watched primetime network through 2025, outperforming competitors in total audience metrics despite fragmented viewing habits.[101]Daytime, Late-Night, and Reality Formats
CBS daytime programming has historically emphasized soap operas and game shows, with the latter dominating viewership metrics. The Price Is Right, revived on CBS in 1972, remains the network's longest-running daytime staple and consistently ranks as the top-rated daytime program, averaging 3.95 million viewers in the 2024-2025 season and holding the #1 position for 691 of the previous 701 weeks.[102][103] CBS secured its 39th consecutive season as the #1 daytime network in 2024-2025, driven by The Price Is Right alongside soaps The Young and the Restless (3.29 million viewers) and The Bold and the Beautiful.[102] However, the soap opera lineup has contracted due to declining audiences; Guiding Light, which aired from 1952 until its cancellation in 2009 amid falling ratings, and As the World Turns, which ran from 1956 to 2010, marked the end of CBS's multi-soap era, leaving only two scripted serials by 2010.[104][105] Late-night programming on CBS originated with Late Show with David Letterman, which premiered on August 30, 1993, and ran for 4,263 episodes until May 20, 2015, establishing a format blending monologue, comedy sketches, and celebrity interviews that influenced the genre.[106] Letterman, transitioning from NBC's Late Night, hosted for over two decades, surpassing Johnny Carson's longevity record in 2013 before retiring.[107] Stephen Colbert succeeded him with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, debuting on September 8, 2015, and continuing the franchise's emphasis on topical humor and musical performances, though CBS announced its conclusion in May 2026 after 33 years of the overall Late Show run.[108][109] CBS pioneered competitive reality formats with Survivor, which premiered on May 31, 2000, and introduced survival challenges, alliances, and eliminations to American audiences, sparking the reality TV boom by demonstrating high profitability through low production costs relative to scripted content.[110][111] The series' debut season drew massive initial viewership, leading to over 40 iterations and crossovers, while influencing shows network-wide by proving unscripted competition's appeal in an era of rising cable fragmentation.[112] Complementing this, Big Brother launched in 2000, featuring continuous house surveillance and viewer-influenced evictions across 27 seasons by 2025, with its July 10, 2025, premiere marking a 25-year milestone through adaptations like celebrity editions that sustained summer scheduling.[113] Other reality efforts, such as The Amazing Race (2001 debut), expanded CBS's portfolio but Survivor and Big Brother remain core drivers, with the former credited for shifting industry reliance toward reality due to its cultural and ratings impact.[114]News, Sports, and Special Events Coverage
CBS News division has provided daily national and international reporting since the network's early television era, with flagship programs including CBS Evening News, which debuted in its modern form on September 2, 1963, under anchor Walter Cronkite, and 60 Minutes, an investigative magazine format launched on September 24, 1968.[115][116] 60 Minutes has maintained strong viewership, ranking No. 1 in total viewers for eight of the last 12 seasons through 2024, including four consecutive wins.[116] The evening newscast experienced a 39% year-over-year viewership increase across related programs in recent measurements, marking the first sustained large audiences in over a decade.[117] Despite high factual reporting ratings from independent evaluators, CBS News has faced criticisms of left-center bias in story selection, particularly in political coverage, as assessed by media bias analyses.[5] In sports broadcasting, CBS holds rights to American Football Conference (AFC) NFL games, a package reacquired in 1998 after an earlier run from 1956 to 1993, enabling coverage of regular-season matchups and playoffs.[118] The network airs select NCAA college football games, including Big Ten Conference contests under a seven-year deal starting July 1, 2023, through the 2029-30 season.[119] CBS Sports also contributes to NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament coverage via a long-term multimedia agreement with Turner Sports, extended in 2016 for eight years, encompassing the March Madness bracket.[120] Special events coverage includes landmark historical moments and high-profile spectacles. On November 22, 1963, CBS interrupted regular programming for continuous reporting on President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, with anchor Walter Cronkite delivering the on-air confirmation of death at 2:38 p.m. EST, an event credited with elevating television's role in crisis journalism.[121] [115] CBS has broadcast multiple Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024, which drew 123.4 million viewers—the most-watched single-network telecast in U.S. history—and Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, with 127.7 million viewers, setting a new overall record.[118] [122] Election nights, such as the prolonged 1960 presidential contest between Kennedy and Nixon, underscored CBS's early prominence in live political analysis.[123] Controversies in special events reporting, including the 2004 60 Minutes segment on George W. Bush's National Guard service relying on disputed documents, led to anchor Dan Rather's resignation and highlighted challenges in source verification.[5]Children's and Educational Content
Captain Kangaroo, hosted by Bob Keeshan, aired weekday mornings on CBS from October 3, 1955, to December 1984, delivering educational content aimed at preschoolers through segments on reading, science, music, and social skills, while promoting values like kindness and responsibility.[124][125] The program featured recurring characters and guest educators, reaching millions of children daily and influencing early childhood television by prioritizing gentle, non-commercial learning over high-energy formats.[126] CBS's Saturday morning lineup from the 1970s onward included animated series with embedded educational elements, such as Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985), which tackled topics like literacy, peer pressure, and ethics through storylines resolved by moral discussions among characters.[127] Between cartoons, the "In the News" segments (1971–1986) provided brief, age-appropriate reports on real-world events, fostering civic awareness in young viewers.[127] Following the 1990 Children's Television Act mandating three hours of educational/informational (E/I) programming weekly, CBS rebranded its blocks to emphasize compliance, launching Think CBS Kids in 1997 with live-action series focused on science, history, and problem-solving.[127] Subsequent partnerships, including Nick Jr. on CBS (2000–2006), aired interactive shows like Blue's Clues (1996–2006 episodes) and Bob the Builder (1999–2011 episodes), designed to teach problem-solving, vocabulary, and cooperation via viewer participation.[127][128] In the streaming era, CBS All Access (launched 2014, rebranded Paramount+ in 2021) added over 1,000 episodes of children's programming by November 2019, incorporating E/I-compliant titles alongside classics to support family viewing with structured learning content.[128] These efforts maintained CBS's tradition of blending entertainment with verifiable educational outcomes, though viewership shifted toward on-demand platforms amid declining linear broadcast audiences for children's blocks post-2000.[127]News Division Operations
Structure of CBS News and Affiliates
CBS News functions as the dedicated news division of the CBS broadcast network, headquartered in New York City, with a structure that integrates national editorial operations, production teams, and distribution to both owned-and-operated (O&O) stations and independent affiliates.[129][79] As of October 2025, following Paramount Global's merger with Skydance Media, the division reports to leadership including David Ellison as chairman and CEO of the parent entity.[130] The organizational hierarchy features Tom Cibrowski as President and Executive Editor, overseeing broadcast and editorial standards, while Bari Weiss serves as Editor-in-Chief, a role established in October 2025 after Paramount's acquisition of The Free Press, emphasizing independent journalism integration.[129][131] Supporting roles include Adrienne Roark as President of Editorial and Newsgathering, handling correspondent assignments and investigative units, and Jennifer Mitchell as President of Stations and Digital, bridging national content with local delivery.[132][133] The division's core operations divide into editorial, production, and digital arms. Editorial teams, comprising over 100 correspondents and producers, maintain bureaus in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and international outposts such as London and Moscow, focusing on gathering and verifying stories for programs like CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, and Face the Nation.[79] Production units coordinate live feeds and multi-platform outputs, with a emphasis on centralized newsgathering implemented in July 2024 to streamline resources across markets amid cost pressures.[134] Digital operations, under Mitchell's oversight, manage CBS News Streaming Network, launched as a 24/7 service in 2021, aggregating video, podcasts, and on-demand content for online audiences.[129] Standards and practices, previously led by Claudia Milne until her departure on October 16, 2025, ensure adherence to journalistic protocols, though recent executive turnover reflects post-merger adjustments.[135] Affiliates form a decentralized network of approximately 200 independent stations that carry CBS News programming under affiliation agreements, distinct from the 28 O&O stations owned by CBS News and Stations in 17 major U.S. markets. These affiliates, often in smaller markets, receive national news feeds via satellite for insertion into local newscasts, contributing occasional regional stories to network coverage while producing autonomous morning, evening, and late-night local programming.[136] Affiliation terms, negotiated through groups like the CBS Affiliate Association, include revenue-sharing from network advertising and requirements for carriage of primetime and news content, with CBS providing technical support for transitions like ATSC 3.0 adoption.[137] O&Os, integrated directly into CBS News and Stations, enable tighter coordination, such as shared helicopter footage or unified weather graphics, enhancing national-local synergy but raising concerns over homogenized reporting in centralized models.[138] This affiliate structure, dating to CBS's expansion in the 1950s, covers over 95% of U.S. households, relying on local ad sales for sustainability amid declining linear viewership.[83]Major Investigative Achievements
CBS News established its reputation for investigative journalism in the mid-20th century through Edward R. Murrow's See It Now, which in a March 9, 1954, episode critically examined Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist tactics using his own speeches and footage, highlighting inconsistencies and bullying methods that eroded public trust in his crusade.[139] This broadcast, viewed by millions, contributed to a shift in sentiment, culminating in McCarthy's Senate censure on December 2, 1954, for conduct unbecoming a member of Congress.[139] During the Vietnam War, Morley Safer's August 5, 1965, report on the CBS Evening News depicted U.S. Marines using Zippo lighters to burn thatched huts in the village of Cam Ne, South Vietnam, ostensibly to deny cover to Viet Cong but affecting civilian structures amid fleeing women and children.[140] The footage, captured with Marine permission but shocking in its portrayal of deliberate destruction, provoked immediate backlash from President Lyndon B. Johnson, who reportedly questioned CBS executive Frank Stanton about Safer's loyalties, and marked a turning point in war coverage by introducing unfiltered visuals of U.S. operations' human cost to American audiences.[140] 60 Minutes, debuting in 1968, amplified CBS's investigative reach with exposés like its 1969 coverage of the My Lai Massacre, where Mike Wallace detailed the March 16, 1968, killing of up to 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. Army troops under Lt. William Calley, drawing on eyewitness accounts and documents to reveal orders to treat villagers as enemies.[141] This reporting, corroborated by later Army investigations, intensified domestic opposition to the war and led to Calley's 1971 conviction for murder, though his sentence was commuted. A 1999 revisit profiled helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson Jr., who intervened to halt the killings, earning him and his crew the Soldier's Medal in 1998.[141] In the 1990s, 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace's February 4, 1996, interview with former Brown & Williamson tobacco executive Jeffrey Wigand exposed the industry's decades-long knowledge of cigarettes' addictive properties and deliberate nicotine enhancement to boost habit formation, despite public denials of health risks.[142] Delayed initially due to legal threats from the company, the segment prompted Wigand's testimony in lawsuits, contributing to the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which extracted $206 billion from manufacturers for states and imposed advertising restrictions.[142] More recently, a April 28, 2004, 60 Minutes II segment aired leaked photographs of U.S. military personnel sexually humiliating and physically abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, obtained from Army Specialist Joseph Darby, revealing systematic mistreatment including forced nudity, dog leashes, and electrocution threats.[143] The broadcast, produced by Mary Mapes and others, triggered Pentagon probes, the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's aides, court-martials of 11 soldiers (with Lynndie England sentenced to three years), and a reevaluation of interrogation policies amid global condemnation.[143] It earned a Peabody Award for exposing lapses in detainee treatment standards.[144] These efforts, often recognized with Emmys and Murrow Awards, underscore CBS News' role in prompting accountability, though some stories faced internal delays or external pressures, reflecting tensions between journalistic imperatives and institutional risks.[145]Viewership Metrics and Market Performance
CBS Evening News averaged 4.171 million total viewers and 588,000 adults 25-54 viewers during the 2024-2025 broadcast season, reflecting a 10% decline in total viewers compared to the prior year.[146] For the week of October 13, 2025, it drew 3.661 million total viewers, up 3% week-over-week but indicative of broader softening in linear broadcast news consumption.[147] In comparison, the program averaged 4.651 million total viewers in the 2023-2024 season, continuing a multi-year downward trajectory amid cord-cutting and competition from digital platforms.[148] The CBS News Sunday public affairs program Face the Nation led Sunday morning newscasts in total viewers for the 2024-2025 season with an average of 2.76 million, though it trailed in the key 25-54 demographic where NBC's Meet the Press took the lead.[149] Recent episodes, such as the November 3, 2024, broadcast, reached 3 million viewers, underscoring periodic surges tied to major news events.[150] CBS Mornings, meanwhile, averaged 1.940 million total viewers and 346,000 in the demo for the season, down 10% year-over-year, positioning it third behind ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Today.[151] 60 Minutes remains a standout, concluding its 50th season in May 2024 as the top-rated television news program in total viewers, with season-to-date averages exceeding 8 million for primetime episodes.[152][153] Its season 58 premiere in September 2025 drew over 10 million viewers, though subsequent episodes like a delayed October 2025 airing fetched 6.9 million total viewers, down 32% week-over-week due to scheduling conflicts.[154][155]| Program | 2024-2025 Season Average (Total Viewers) | Year-over-Year Change | Key Demographic (A25-54) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBS Evening News | 4.171 million | -10% | 588,000 |
| Face the Nation | 2.76 million | N/A | Trailed competitors |
| CBS Mornings | 1.940 million | -10% | 346,000 |
| 60 Minutes | ~8 million (primetime eps.) | Maintained lead | Strong in totals |