CBS Corporation

What CBS Corporation does

CBS Corporation is the broadcast television network brand within Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA), distributing primetime, daytime, late-night, news, and sports programming across the United States and Canada. The network reaches viewers through over-the-air transmission to approximately 220 local affiliate stations, carriage agreements with cable, satellite, and telecommunications providers, authenticated streaming via TV provider apps, and dedicated live-TV streaming channels including CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ, CBS Sports Golazo Network, and branded channels such as 60 Minutes and 48 Hours. Content is anchored by long-running franchises including NCIS, FBI, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Price Is Right, and 60 Minutes, supplemented by new scripted series (Tracker, CIA, Beyond the Gates), game shows (Hollywood Squares), and competition programming (America's Culinary Cup).

The underlying technology stack combines traditional broadcast television infrastructure with digital streaming capabilities delivered through the CBS.com website, mobile applications on iOS and Android, and deep integration with the Paramount+ streaming platform. CBS Studios functions as the in-house production arm generating scripted and unscripted content for the network and Paramount+. The network has continuously provided FCC-compliant accessibility services since 2002, including closed captioning and audio description exceeding federal requirements.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: national television advertising sold on a CPM basis across dayparts (advertising revenue); affiliate and retransmission consent fees paid by pay-TV providers for the right to carry CBS network programming (subscription/recurring); content licensing of CBS library and original programming to international broadcasters and syndication markets (licensing/royalties); and subscription revenue via Paramount+ streaming tiers. CBS serves three core customer groups: mass-market general television viewers, national advertisers seeking reach and brand-safe environments, and pay-TV distributors requiring must-have network content for their channel bundles. Following the 2019 merger with Viacom and 2022 rebrand to Paramount Global, CBS no longer reports as a standalone public entity; the legacy CBS Corporation ticker (NYSE: CBS) was retired in connection with the merger.

Name

CBS Corporation

Legal name

CBS Corporation (operating as brand of Paramount)

Website

https://cbs.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

CBS Corporation is the broadcast television network brand of Paramount Global, distributing news, sports, primetime drama, daytime, and late-night programming across the US and Canada via over-the-air affiliates, pay-TV carriage, and Paramount+ streaming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Television Networking

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

National General-Entertainment Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Program Distribution to Stations & Affiliates (Domestic) (MPABAMAC), Off-Network Syndication (Reruns/Library Series) (MPABAMAA)

Keywords

• Broadcast television network
• Television programming
• News broadcasting
• Sports broadcasting
• Streaming media services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: CBS generates primary revenue through the sale of advertising inventory during its broadcast programming, including primetime shows, sports broadcasts, news programs, and daytime programming. CPM-based pricing for national television advertising.
2. Affiliate/Carriage Fees: Revenue from cable, satellite, and telecommunications providers for the right to carry CBS network programming on their systems. Fees are negotiated based on channel positioning and subscriber reach.
3. Content Licensing: Licensing of CBS library content, original programming, and formats to international broadcasters, streaming platforms, and syndication markets.
4. Paramount+ Streaming Subscription: Through Paramount Global's streaming service, CBS content contributes to subscription revenue. CBS branded channels and original programming are available on Paramount+ platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CBS Corporation operates a major American broadcast television network delivering primetime, daytime, late night, and classic programming across news, sports, drama, comedy, reality, and game-show genres to mass US audiences. Distribution occurs through over-the-air broadcast to approximately 220 affiliate stations, authenticated streaming via Paramount+, pay-TV carriage agreements, and branded 24/7 streaming channels. The company monetizes its content primarily through national television advertising, affiliate/carriage fees, subscription streaming via Paramount+, and content licensing.

Product overview

CBS Corporation operates as a major American broadcast television network and streaming content company, offering a comprehensive portfolio of television programming through multiple distribution channels. The core offering consists of the CBS TV Network broadcasting primetime, daytime, late night, and classic television shows, complemented by the CBS News and CBS Sports sub-brands. CBS provides streaming access through Paramount+ and dedicated live TV streaming channels including CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ, and CBS Sports Golazo Network. The entertainment portfolio includes popular drama series (Tracker, CIA), game shows (The Price Is Right, Hollywood Squares), soap operas (The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless), and reality competition (America's Culinary Cup). Accessibility services include closed captioning and audio description for visually impaired viewers. The company also operates Beyond the Gates as its latest soap opera entry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CBS Studios: Television production studio producing scripted and unscripted content for CBS network and other platforms.
• CBS News
• CBS Sports
• America's Culinary Cup
• CIA
• Tracker
• The Price Is Right
• The Bold and The Beautiful
• The Young and The Restless

Products and services

• CBS TV Network CBS's primary broadcast television network offering primetime, daytime, late night, and classic television programming across multiple genres including drama, comedy, reality, game shows, news, and sports, distributed over-the-air to approximately 220 local affiliate stations and accessed by all US households regardless of pay-TV subscription.
• CBS News CBS's news division providing national and international news coverage, including CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, Face the Nation, and CBS News Sunday Morning, targeting US viewers seeking trusted national news across broadcast and streaming.
• CBS Sports CBS's sports broadcasting division covering NFL, NCAA sports, UEFA Champions League, WNBA, BIG3, and other sporting events, targeting US sports fans seeking live event coverage and analysis.
• Paramount+ Subscription streaming service offering on-demand access to CBS content, original programming, and live TV streaming for consumers seeking cross-device access to Paramount Global's content library.
• CBS Sports Golazo Network 24/7 streaming channel offering soccer coverage including UEFA Champions League, with in-depth analysis, watchalongs, and live reactions for US soccer fans.
• CBS News 24/7 Round-the-clock news streaming channel providing continuous news coverage for viewers seeking always-on access to CBS News programming.
• CBS Sports HQ Streaming channel providing sports news and highlights coverage for sports fans seeking on-demand and live sports updates.
• Closed Captioning Services FCC-compliant closed captioning for CBS Television Network programming including CBS News, CBS Daytime, CBS Primetime, CBS Late Night, and CBS Sports, serving deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.
• Audio Description Services Audio description services providing narrated descriptions of key visual elements for visually impaired viewers, with CBS voluntarily exceeding FCC requirements to cover nearly the entire primetime schedule and 100% of educational/informational programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network television's #1-rated daytime series (The Price Is Right)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Sony Pictures TelevisionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025CBS and Sony settled a legal dispute over distribution rights for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. The settlement concluded litigation that had raised questions about the shows' future distribution. Terms of the settlement were not specified.
• Paramount GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBS is a primary brand within Paramount Global's portfolio. Content is distributed through Paramount+ streaming platform. The partnership includes shared production resources, cross-promotion, and integrated streaming services. CBS Studios produces content for the Paramount+ platform.
• TV Providers (Cable, Satellite, Telecom)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCBS maintains carriage agreements with major pay-TV providers for distribution of its broadcast network and branded channels. Providers offer CBS content through their channel lineups and streaming apps with TV provider authentication.
• UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBS broadcasts UEFA Champions League soccer content through its CBS Sports Golazo Network, providing 24/7 coverage of European soccer including live matches, analysis, and watchalongs for US audiences.
• Dick Wolf (Wolf Entertainment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDick Wolf produces FBI franchise (FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International) and CIA for CBS. The partnership represents one of CBS's most successful drama franchises, with multiple interconnected series airing across CBS programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• ITV: UK commercial broadcaster with a comparable broadcast-plus-streaming model (ITVX) and a focus on entertainment, news, and sports. Operates outside CBS's primary US market but offers a comparable business model benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• The Walt Disney Company: Parent of ABC, ESPN, Hulu, and Disney+. Competes with CBS across broadcast, sports rights, and streaming, and is the most diversified direct competitor to Paramount Global's portfolio.
• BBC: UK-based public/commercial broadcaster with a comparable mix of news, entertainment, and sports, plus global content distribution. Functions as a broad international peer in commercial broadcasting and news.
• Warner Bros. Discovery: Major US media conglomerate operating HBO, Max, CNN, Discovery, TBS, and a partial ownership of The CW. Overlaps with CBS in scripted content, news, and streaming distribution.
• Comcast (NBCUniversal parent): Parent of NBC, Peacock, Universal Pictures, and Sky. Competes with Paramount Global on broadcast, streaming, and filmed entertainment, and is a primary rival in sports rights bidding.
• Paramount Global: CBS's parent conglomerate (NASDAQ: PARA), encompassing Paramount+, Showtime, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, and Paramount Pictures. The parent entity provides the strategic and financial context for CBS and is the publicly traded security through which investors access CBS.

Direct peers

• The CW: The CW is a US broadcast network that is jointly owned by Paramount Global (CBS's parent) and Warner Bros. Discovery. Competes in the same broadcast advertising market with a younger-skewing entertainment and sports lineup.
• NBCUniversal (NBC): NBC operates the other major US broadcast television network with comparable primetime, news, sports (NFL, NBA, Olympics), and streaming (Peacock) assets. Directly competes with CBS for advertisers, affiliates, audiences, and sports rights.
• Fox Corporation: Fox operates a major US broadcast network with comparable sports rights (NFL, MLB, college football) and entertainment programming. Direct competitor for broadcast advertising dollars and sports rights auctions.
• ABC (Disney): ABC is one of the original Big Four US broadcast networks, owned by The Walt Disney Company. Competes directly with CBS in primetime entertainment, news, and sports, and is integrated with Disney's Hulu/Disney+ streaming ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CBS
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbs-com
• Instagraminstagram.com/CBS
• TikToktiktok.com/@cbs

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A7 records

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CBS Corporation