What CBT Automotive Network does

CBT Automotive Network, doing business as CBT News and CarBizToday, is a privately held B2B multi-media company founded in 2013 and headquartered at 420 Technology Pkwy NW Suite #200, Norcross, Georgia. It operates as a vertical trade-media platform serving retail automotive professionals in the United States — primarily dealership owners, general managers, F&I managers, sales managers, service managers, and fixed-operations directors — with daily news, editorials, video shows, podcasts, and education. The company is independent (no parent, no disclosed private-equity backing, no public listing) with a headcount in the 11–50 range.

The product portfolio is anchored by the CBT News website (cbtnews.com), a daily newscast, daily e-newsletters, a monthly magazine, and an Automotive Webinar Central. On top of this core, the company runs 15+ named network shows including Inside Automotive, Executive Profile, CBT Now, F&I Today, Future of Automotive, Inside M&A, Lessons in Leadership, Training Camp, Driving Solutions, Fixed-Ops, Loyalty-Based Sales Strategies, Marketing Matters, Service Drive, Women Driving the Industry, Compliance That Works, and Mind Your Own Business. Content is syndicated through podcast distribution (Buzzsprout to Spotify and Apple Podcasts), YouTube, a mobile app on iOS and Android, and six social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube). Underlying technology is a multi-media digital platform with no disclosed proprietary frameworks, APIs, or AI/ML components.

Monetization is built on a free-audience model: content access is open to drive scale among dealer professionals, against which the company sells sponsored content, branded segments, and promotional placements through direct enterprise sales. Revenue is supplemented by event sponsorships tied to the Auto Leadership Summit annual conference and recognition programs (40 Under 40, Remarkable Leaders in F&I). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the model targets OEMs, automotive vendors, dealer groups, and advertising partners across the US market.

Name

CBT Automotive Network

Legal name

CBT Automotive Network

Website

https://cbtnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CBT Automotive Network (DBA CBT News and CarBizToday) is a privately held US B2B multi-media platform serving retail automotive professionals with daily news, video shows, podcasts, e-newsletters, webinars, a magazine, and industry events, monetized primarily through advertising and event sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Industry Media and Broadcasting

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive & Transportation Magazines (MPAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Automotive industry news
• Dealership media platform
• Retail automotive content
• Automotive video shows
• Dealership training webinars

Headquarters

HQ city

Norcross

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

CBT Automotive Network operates a multi-media digital platform (CBT News / CarBizToday) that produces and distributes automotive industry news, daily newscasts, newsletters, a monthly magazine, webinars, branded network shows, and podcasts targeted at retail automotive professionals. The company also runs live industry events and recognition programs (Auto Leadership Summit, 40 Under 40, Remarkable Leaders in F&I) and monetizes the audience primarily through advertising and sponsorships sold to OEMs, dealer groups, and automotive vendors.

Product overview

CBT Automotive Network operates as a multi-media platform for retail automotive professionals, offering a unified portfolio of digital channels and content products. The core offering centers on the CBT News Website and Daily Newscast, complemented by daily eNewsletters, a monthly magazine, webinars, and 9+ network shows (including Inside Automotive, F&I Today, Future of Automotive, Driving Solutions, and Training Camp) hosted by industry trainers and thought leaders. Additional products include the Auto Leadership Summit annual conference, recognition programs (40 Under 40, Remarkable Leaders in F&I), a podcast network, and a mobile app. The platform serves as a comprehensive resource from showroom to service drive, covering automotive news, dealership management, F&I, fixed operations, technology, market trends, and industry events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBT News Website The primary digital news and information platform providing daily automotive industry news, market trends, analysis, and in-depth content for retail automotive professionals.
• CBT Daily Newscast A daily audio/video newscast delivering the latest automotive industry headlines and developments to subscribers.
• CBT eNewsletters Daily electronic newsletters delivering curated automotive industry news, trends, and analysis directly to subscriber inboxes.
• CBT Monthly Magazine A monthly print/digital magazine providing in-depth coverage of automotive retail trends, best practices, and industry insights.
• CBT Webinars Educational webinar programs featuring industry experts covering topics relevant to automotive dealership operations and leadership.
• CBT Podcasts Podcast versions of network shows including Inside Automotive, Executive Profile, and Driving Solutions available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms.
• CBT News App A mobile application for accessing CBT News content on iOS and Android devices.
• Inside Automotive A flagship network show featuring interviews with automotive executives and coverage of industry trends and developments.
• Executive Profile A show featuring in-depth profiles and interviews with automotive industry executives and dealer principals.
• CBT Now A network show providing current automotive industry news, market analysis, and executive interviews.
• F&I Today A show focused on Finance & Insurance topics, covering F&I best practices, compliance, and industry developments.
• Future of Automotive A show exploring emerging technologies, EV developments, and future trends shaping the automotive industry.
• Inside M&A A show covering mergers and acquisitions in the automotive dealership sector, featuring deal analysis and industry consolidation trends.
• Training Camp A show focused on sales training, customer service skills, and professional development for dealership teams.
• Driving Solutions A show covering technology solutions, AI applications, and digital tools for automotive retail operations.
• Fixed-Ops A show dedicated to fixed operations coverage including service drive best practices, technician training, and parts department management.
• Auto Leadership Summit An annual industry conference bringing together automotive leaders for networking, education, and discussions on fair pricing and compliance.
• 40 Under 40 An annual recognition program honoring 40 outstanding automotive professionals under the age of 40.
• Remarkable Leaders in F&I A recognition program honoring outstanding leaders in the Finance & Insurance sector of automotive retail.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Automotive News: The flagship US automotive trade publication, published by Crain Communications, covering OEM news, dealer operations, F&I, retail trends, and industry analysis - directly comparable to CBT's editorial scope and target audience of retail automotive professionals.
• Auto Dealer Today: Long-running trade publication and digital media platform focused on dealership management, sales, F&I, fixed ops, and marketing - directly overlapping CBT's content verticals and primary audience of US dealership professionals.
• Driving Sales: Digital media and event business (Digital Dealer conferences) serving automotive retail with content on digital marketing, sales process, and dealership technology - directly comparable to CBT's online content + live events monetization model.
• WardsAuto: Informa-owned automotive industry intelligence platform covering OEMs, technology, powertrain, and dealership trends - directly overlapping CBT's market intelligence and editorial coverage of the automotive industry.
• Auto Remarketing: Trade media brand focused on used vehicles, dealer remarketing, and pre-owned operations - directly overlapping CBT's pre-owned sales, F&I, and dealership operations coverage for retail auto professionals.

Emerging players

• DealerRater: Dealer review and reputation platform that also produces editorial content and research on dealership operations and consumer buying behavior - partially overlapping CBT's audience and content verticals as a digital-first player serving retail auto professionals.

Others

• National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA): US dealer trade association that publishes training, research, and analysis for its dealer members - adjacent to CBT as it both serves and competes for attention of dealership professionals, though as a non-commercial association it is not a direct media competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carbiztoday
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/cbtnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarBizToday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbt-news
• Instagraminstagram.com/carbiztoday
• TikToktiktok.com/@carbiztoday

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CBT Automotive Network