CBS Local Media

What CBS Local Media does

CBS Local Media is the local-news operating division of CBS Broadcasting Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA). The entity operates over-the-air local broadcast television stations and digital properties across 15+ major US metropolitan markets, including Atlanta, Baltimore, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and Texas. Its core product is the CBS Local platform, which provides free 24/7 streaming news coverage alongside traditional broadcast distribution, complemented by the CBS News 24/7 streaming channel, the CBS News mobile app on iOS and Android, podcasts, email newsletters, and active social media distribution on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X. The content portfolio spans flagship national programming (60 Minutes, 48 Hours, CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, Face the Nation, Sunday Morning, CBS Reports), syndicated daytime and entertainment programming (The Drew Barrymore Show, Entertainment Tonight, a new fall 2026 legal show starring Judge Judy's son), and dedicated units including CBS News Investigates and CBS News Confirmed, plus local-market programming such as Good Day Sacramento.

The business operates two principal revenue streams. The first is television advertising generated through local broadcast stations and digital ad extensions on streaming content, monetized across the 15+ DMA footprint and consumer-facing streaming/social channels. The second is syndication and content licensing, executed through its operating subsidiary CBS Media Ventures, which licenses first-run syndicated programming (The Drew Barrymore Show, Entertainment Tonight) to CBS Stations, Nexstar Media Group, and Sinclair Broadcast Group in exchange for per-market licensing fees. The distribution model is hybrid: direct-to-consumer via free streaming and social channels, plus channel/reseller partnerships with third-party broadcast station groups that extend the reach of CBS-supplied syndicated content well beyond CBS-owned stations. Office footprint includes regional hubs in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas/Fort Worth, with 251-500 employees.

Name

CBS Local Media

Legal name

CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Website

https://cbslocal.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CBS Local Media is the local-news division of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (a Paramount Global subsidiary) operating over-the-air stations and free 24/7 streaming news across 15+ major US markets, serving local-market viewers and advertising customers while licensing syndicated programming to broadcast station groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast News and Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

National General-Entertainment Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAA), National Broadcast News Networks (MPABAAAB)

Keywords

• Local broadcast news
• Streaming news platform
• Syndicated television programming
• Investigative journalism
• Multiplatform news distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Television Advertising: Local broadcast television stations generate revenue through advertising sales, including local spot ads, national advertising, and digital ad extensions on streaming content
2. Syndication and Content Licensing: CBS Media Ventures licenses syndicated programming such as Entertainment Tonight and The Drew Barrymore Show to broadcast stations nationwide, generating licensing fees from other stations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CBS Local Media operates a multi-platform local and national news network combining over-the-air broadcast television stations in 15+ major US markets with a free 24/7 streaming news platform. Its portfolio includes flagship news programs (60 Minutes, 48 Hours, CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, Face the Nation), syndicated entertainment programming (The Drew Barrymore Show, Entertainment Tonight), and digital products (mobile app, podcasts, newsletters) serving consumers seeking local and national news, weather, sports, and entertainment content.

Product overview

CBS Local Media operates a multi-platform local news network featuring CBS Local, a unified local news platform providing free 24/7 streaming news across 15+ U.S. cities. The portfolio includes flagship shows (60 Minutes, 48 Hours, CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, Face the Nation, Sunday Morning, CBS Reports), syndicated programming (The Drew Barrymore Show, Entertainment Tonight), investigative units (CBS News Investigates, CBS News Confirmed), streaming services (CBS News 24/7), digital products (podcasts, newsletters, mobile app), and local market programming including Good Day Sacramento. Content spans categories including U.S. news, world news, politics, entertainment, health, money, crime, and sports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CBS News 24/7: 24/7 streaming news channel with live coverage
• Good Day Sacramento

Products and services

• CBS Local Unified local news platform providing free 24/7 streaming news coverage across 15+ U.S. cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and Texas. Targeted at local market viewers seeking hyperlocal news, weather, sports, and community coverage.
• CBS News 24/7

Quantifiable outcome

• The Drew Barrymore Show reaching 1.6 million daily viewers, its most-watched season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Nexstar Media GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNexstar Media Group, one of the largest local broadcast station owners in the US, carries The Drew Barrymore Show as part of its syndicated programming lineup. This represents a significant distribution partnership for CBS Media Ventures' syndicated content.
• Sinclair Broadcast GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSinclair Broadcast Group, another major US broadcast station group, has renewed The Drew Barrymore Show for Seasons 7 and 8. This partnership extends CBS Media Ventures' syndicated content reach across Sinclair's station portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tegna: Pure-play local broadcast TV station operator covering mid-to-large US markets; competes for the same local news audiences and station-group advertising revenues as CBS Local.
• NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations: NBCU's group of major-market owned local TV stations (e.g., WNBC, WCAU) is a direct competitor to CBS Local in the same top US metros on the same broadcast-plus-streaming model.
• Nexstar Media Group: Largest US owner of local broadcast TV stations and a current syndication partner of CBS Local; operates in the same local broadcast advertising and station-licensing model across similar US markets.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Major US local broadcast TV station group and active CBS Media Ventures syndication partner (Drew Barrymore Show); competes head-to-head for local audiences and advertising dollars.
• Gray Television: Large US local broadcast TV station operator with deep market coverage; directly comparable business model of running news-producing network-affiliated stations for local advertising.
• E.W. Scripps Company: Operates a portfolio of local broadcast TV stations and national networks (ION), directly comparable to CBS Local's combination of local stations plus nationally distributed programming.
• Hearst Television: Owns/operates local broadcast TV stations (many NBC- and ABC-affiliated) producing local news and syndicated content; structurally similar to CBS Local in footprint, newsroom model, and revenue mix.
• Fox Television Stations: Fox Corporation's owned-and-operated local TV stations compete directly with CBS Local for major-market audiences, local advertising, and syndicated programming slots.
• ABC Owned Television Stations (Disney): Disney/ABC's O&O local TV stations such as WABC and KABC compete with CBS Local for the same major-market viewers, news advertising, and streaming-news audiences.

Emerging players

• Newsmax: Digital and cable news outlet competing for the same local and national news audience on streaming and broadcast platforms, increasingly relevant as a competitor to CBS News 24/7.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbslocal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/CBSLocal
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBSLocal
• Instagraminstagram.com/CBSLocal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbs-local

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CBS Local Media