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CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio network.

CBS logo (2020)
CBS logo (2020)

It serves as the flagship property for the CBS Entertainment Group. This division is part of Paramount Skydance. CBS is one of the "Big Three" television networks in the United States. This means it is one of the three largest broadcast networks in the country. The company is often called the "Eye Network." This nickname comes from its trademark symbol of an eye.

CBS Eyemark
CBS Eyemark

The eye symbol has been used since October 20, 1951. Some people also call it the "Tiffany Network." This name refers to the high quality of its programming. It also honors early color television demonstrations held in the Tiffany and Company Building in 1950.

The network operates through a massive system of stations. CBS has over 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated television stations. These stations are located throughout the United States. Some stations are also available in Canada through pay-television providers.

The network provides a large amount of regularly scheduled programming every week. It broadcasts 22 hours of primetime programming from Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, the primetime block is longer, running from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time. The network also provides daytime programming between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. This schedule includes news, game shows, and soap operas.

CBS has a complex history involving many different owners. It began on January 27, 1927, as United Independent Broadcasters, Inc. in Chicago. Arthur Judson founded this original radio network. In April 1927, the Columbia Phonograph Company invested in the group. This led to a rebranding as the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System. In 1928, the network was sold to Isaac and Leon Levy and Jerome Louchheim. They appointed William S. Paley as president. Paley eventually became the majority owner with a 51 percent stake in 1928. Paramount Pictures bought the remaining 49 percent in 1929. However, the Great Depression forced the studio to sell those shares back in 1932.

The company underwent many legal and corporate changes over the decades. In 1971, it spun off its syndication division, Viacom. In 1974, the company dropped its full name to become simply CBS, Inc. The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1994. This changed the legal name to CBS Broadcasting Inc. by 1996. In 1999, the network came under the control of the original Viacom. After a split in 2005, CBS Corporation was re-established. Eventually, CBS and Viacom re-merged in December 2019. This merger created ViacomCBS, which later became Paramount Global and now Paramount Skydance Corporation.

CBS Entertainment 2020
CBS Entertainment 2020

Programming on CBS covers many different genres. CBS News provides several important programs. These include CBS Mornings and the nightly CBS Evening News. The network also airs the political talk show Face the Nation. Other newsmagazines include 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and 48 Hours. Sports is another major part of the network. CBS holds rights to major organizations like the NFL, PGA, and NCAA. Because sporting events can be unpredictable in length, CBS sometimes delays primetime shows. This is a common practice when broadcasting the NFL on CBS.

CBS is well known for its long-running daytime shows. The game show The Price Is Right is a notable example. It began in 1972 and is the longest continuously running daytime game show on network television. Bob Barker hosted the show for 35 years. Drew Carey has been the host since 2007. The network is also the only commercial broadcast network that still broadcasts daytime game shows. Other famous game shows include Let's Make a Deal and various soap operas. Soap operas like The Young and the Restless have been on the network since 1973. The network maintains the longest daily schedule for these programs.

Children's programming has also been a significant part of the network's identity. From 1955 to 1982, the network aired Captain Kangaroo on weekday mornings. In later years, CBS used different blocks to reach younger viewers. It once partnered with Nickelodeon to air the Nick Jr. block. Later, it used the Cookie Jar TV block. In 2013, the network launched the CBS Dream Team block. This block was aimed at teenagers between 13 and 16 years old. It focused on live-action reality, lifestyle, wildlife, and sports series. In 2023, this block was renamed CBS WKND.

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File:CBS logo (2020).svg
CBS logo (2020).svg
File:Cbs-building.jpg
Cbs-building.jpg
File:CBS Eyemark.svg
CBS Eyemark.svg
File:CBS Entertainment 2020.svg
CBS Entertainment 2020.svg
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