CBS Corp.

CBS Corporation

By: Marlowe Reardon, Justin Rivera, and Francesca Sostar
CBS Logo

 [2] CBS Corporations Logo

Overview

Columbia Broadcasting System, known as CBS Corporation, was founded in 1927 as competition to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). CBS began as a major contributor in the radio business, then moved into television as that transition of medium was occurring [1].

Divisions of the Company

CBS Corporation branches out to all sorts of media, including radio, television, film, cable, as well as interactive media. The company owns a wide variety of operations such as its own television distribution, consumer products, television studios, home entertainment, and sports networks. CBS also has joint ventures with major companies such as Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Their deal with Warner Bros. allowed them to create the CW, a television network that has produced successful shows such as “Arrow” and “The Vampire Diaries” [3]. The partnership between Lionsgate and CBS led the the development of “Pop”, which combines both major companies talents in programming, production, and distribution.

"Pop" Logo

[13] “Pop” Logo, CBS and Lionsgate joint venture

The CW logo, CBS and Warner Bros Entertainment joint venture

[14] The CW logo, CBS and Warner Bros Entertainment joint venture

Key Executives

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: President & CEO of CBS Corp. Les Moonves attends CBS 2013 Upfront Presentation at The Tent at Lincoln Center on May 15, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)

[4] Leslie Moonves, CEO, Chairman of the Board, and President

 Shari E. Redstone, Vice Chairman

[6] Shari E. Redstone, Vice Chairman

Jim Lanzone, Chief Digital Officer

[7] Jim Lanzone, Chief Digital Officer

 

 Armando Nuñez, President & CEO-CBS Global Distribution Group

[8] Armando Nuñez, President & CEO-CBS Global Distribution Group

635647883968561121-sumner-redstone

[5] Sumner Redstone, Chairman Emeritus

 

 

Finances

CBS is a publicly traded company in the New York Stock Exchange, listed as CBS.A and CBS. Their stock has seen a steady increase over the past year, currently sitting at $60 per share, as opposed to $50 per share a year ago [9]. CBS had a successful third quarter this year, with revenues increasing 4 percent to $3.4 billion. Revenue is up from $3.26 billion at the same time last year. This was due to an increase in revenues and fees from CBS affiliate stations and a growth in their digital distribution platforms. There was also a negative impact in advertising revenue from the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the first Presidential debate, and the 2016 Summer Olympics [10].

Generated by IJG JPEG Library

[11] CBS NYSE Closing Bell, 12/9/15.

Some of the largest contributors to CBS’s success are its cable networks, such as Showtime Networks and CBS Sports Network. Their revenue increased 14% to $598 million in this third quarter, growing from $526 million in last year’s third quarter. This aspect of the company will continue to prosper, with the growth in over-the-top (OTT) streaming services across media [12].

Current Projects

Right now, CBS Corporation is attempting to close a deal in which Viacom will merge with CBS. Both Sumner and Shari Redstone, Chairman and Vice Chairman of CBS, are large supporters of the deal. However, what is halting the deal is both companies board of directors have obligations to their shareholders. These shareholders are still exploring the potential problems that could happen if the deal were to be made. Some of these issues include pricing and structure after the merger is made. Even though the deal is still in talks, it is likely that it will happen because a single family, the Redstone’s, own 80 percent of both companies [13].

With the emergence of AT&T’s aggressively priced DirectTV Now (merging internet and television like never before), CBS is left to wonder one question: Why? A deal of this magnitude essentially leaves CBS yearning to somehow affiliate itself with this mega-deal. CBS has already taken the initiative to converge with other prosperous companies, inking a small deal with Google that involves a “skinny bundle” of TV networks to be called YouTube Unplugged. The drive CBS has to concern itself with as many large companies as possible depicts its drive to remain a powerful media conglomerate [14].

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[15] Youtube Logo

CBS has been in the preproduction process of a new Star Trek series titled Star Trek: Discovery. This series will only be available on CBS’s online streaming service CBS All Access, after premiering on CBS. The decision to stream the show was made because science fiction shows have historically done poorly on broadcast television. CBS believes that a majority of Star Trek fans will pay for the services of CBS All Access so they will not miss out on the new series. Star Trek: Discovery is said to have a diverse and better represented cast, with a female lead and at least one gay character [16]. The company is hoping that this new series will also bring more viewers to this service, with about 1 million subscribers already. A commercial-free option of CBS All Access is now available, which costs $9.99 a month, as opposed to the ad-supported service costing $5.99 a month [17].

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[19] CBS All Access Logo

star-trek-discovery-1024x519

[18] Star Trek: Discovery Logo

CBS is starting to take similar approaches to that of Netflix. Leslie Moonves stated that he is a big fan of Netflix and is taking some strategies that will help with CBS All Access. Rather than just displaying old shows on All Access, CBS has decided to take the same approach as Netflix by creating its own original shows. They use this strategy in order for their viewers to keep interest in All Access and not cancel their memberships. Previously, there would only be two or three buyers to get content from CBS. Now, streaming services are benefitting CBS Corporation because they can sell their syndicated content to Netflix, as opposed to these two or three buyers.

There has also been continuing success with CBS’s subsidiary, Showtime. Showtime is another over-the-top streaming site, similar to All Access. Moonves is going to make a continual amount of original programming, aiming for once a month released series or seasons. He also wants there to be an increase from about one million to four million subscribers in the next few years [20].

CBS has added six new shows this fall season to their primetime lineup, three comedies and three dramas. The three comedies are Kevin Can Wait, Man With a Plan, and The Great Indoors. These shows have big-name stars, such as Kevin James, Matt LeBlanc, and Joel McHale. The new dramas, Bull, MacGyver, and Pure Genius attract a wide range of audiences due to the differences of the casts. These shows are doing well so far, but time will tell which ones remain on the network and which will not make the cut [21].

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[22] Kevin Can Wait poster

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[23] Pure Genius poster

Future Endeavors

It was announced November 28th that CBS CEO and Chairman Leslie Moonves will be attending the UBS 44th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference in New York City on December 5th for a question-and-answer session [24]. This is a conference where companies join to meet and host formal presentations over a three day period [25].

Two new shows are set to premiere later in the 2016-2017 season on CBS. Training Day and Doubt are both dramas that revolve around crime and the legal system. This will hopefully help the ratings of the other dramas already showing on CBS [26]. The future of CBS Corporation looks very bright, and many changes are set for the upcoming months and years.

SOURCES

[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/CBS-Corporation,. (2016). CBS Corporation. Retrieved 24 November 2016.

[2] http://logok.org/cbs-logo/,. (2016). CBS Logo. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[3] https://www.cbscorporation.com/about-cbs/,. (2016). About CBS Corporation. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[4] http://cdn5.thr.com/sites,. (2016). Leslie Moonves. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[5] http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/4f4f62b1d3b58aebf110dff9a65dfa9cb9aa49b4/c=0-171-1994-2830&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/2015/04/16/USATODAY/USATODAY/635647883968561121-Sumner-Redstone.jpg,. (2016). Sumner Redstone Picture. Retrieved 25 November 2016

[6] http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Shari+E.+Redstone,. (2016). Shari E. Redstone Photo Stream. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[7] http://www.cbscorporation.com/2016/06/jim-lanzone-named-chief-digital-officer-of-cbs-corporation/,. (2016). Jim Lanzone named Chief Digital Officer of CBS Corporation. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[8] https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-studios-international/executives/view?id=241,. (2016). Armando Nunez. Executives. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[9] https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CBS?p=CBS,. (2016). CBS Corporation Finances. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[10] http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzU3MzQyfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1&cb=63613799985568029,. (2016). CBS Annual Results. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[11] http://www.gettyimages.com/event/the-talk-rings-the-closing-bell-at-the-new-york-stock-exchange-595510127?#sheryl-underwood-sara-gilbert-shahttps://youtu.be/bqm9HSYbf0oron-osbourne-aisha-tyler-and-julie-picture-id500711866,. (2016). CBS’ “The Talk” Rings The Closing Bell At The New York Stock Exchange. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[12] http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzU3MzQyfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1&cb=636137999855680291,. (2016). CBS Annual Results. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[13] http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/111716/heres-whats-holding-viacomcbs-merger-cbs-viab.aspx,. (2016). Here’s What’s Holding Up the Viacom-CBS Merger. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[14] http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/cbs-directv-now-launch-att-1201925053/,. (2016). CBS Won’t Be in DirecTV Now at Launch, but Talks With AT&T Continue. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[15] https://www.youtube.com/yt/brand/downloads.html,. (2016). Youtube Logo. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[16] http://www.avclub.com/article/cbs-admits-star-trek-discovery-wouldnt-cut-it-netw-245919,. (2016). CBS admits Star Trek: Discovery wouldn’t cut it on broadcast TV. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[17] http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/star-trek-discovery-good-wife-spinoff-cbs-all-access-premiere-date-1201860613/,. (2016). ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Delayed on CBS All Access Until May, ‘Good Wife’ Spinoff Moved Up. Retrieved 26 November 2016.https://youtu.be/bqm9HSYbf0o

[18] http://www.cheatsheet.com/,. (2016). Star Trek: Discovery Logo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[19] https://wwwimage-secure.cbsstatic.com,. (2016). CBS All Access Logo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[20] http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/01/why-cbs-corporation-is-a-big-fan-of-netflix.aspx,. (2016). Why CBS Corporation Is a Big Fan of Netflix. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[21] http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-fall-premieres-2016/news/1005234/get-a-first-look-at-the-2016-2017-cbs-primetime-lineup/,. (2016). Get a first look at the 2016 2017 cbs primetime line up. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[22] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjIyNDgyNDY4Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDg4NDQwMDI@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg,. (2016). Kevin Can’t Wait Poster. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[23] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxMDM0NDAxMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDA5NDQwMDI@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg,. (2016). Pure Genius Poster. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[24] http://www.cbscorporation.com/2016/11/cbs-corporation-chairman-and-chief-executive-officer-leslie-moonves-to-participate-in-the-ubs-44th-annual-global-media-and-communications-conference/,. (2016). CBS Corporation and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves to Participate in the 44th Annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. Retriever 28 November 2016.

[25] https://www.ubs.com/global/en/investment-bank/key-investor-conferences/global.html,. (2016). Global 2016 Conferences. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[26] http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-fall-premieres-2016/news/1005234/get-a-first-look-at-the-2016-2017-cbs-primetime-lineup/,. (2016). CBS Fall Lineup. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

CBS Corp. #1

Taylor Smith

CBS. Corporation Logo [16]

Headquarters:
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, New York, 10019
1-212-975-4321
http://www.cbscorporation.com/index.php

 

Key Executives:

Sumner M. Redstone, Executive Chairman (17)

Sumner M. Redstone,
Executive Chairman [17]

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer (18)

Leslie Moonves,
President and Chief Executive Officer [18]

Anthony Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer (19)

Anthony Ambrosio,
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer [19]

 
About:
CBS Corporation is a widely known mass media company that runs operations in various entertainment and media fields, such as cable, publishing, radio, film, local TV, and interactive media. They are especially well-known in the television industry, owning the current most-watched television network in the country [1]. The CBS Television Network currently owns more than 200 television stations and affiliates across the country. They have several programs that are number one in their respective categories; for example, the #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, the #1 newsmagazine, 60 Minutes, the #1 scripted/drama program, NCIS, and the #1 daytime drama, The Young and the Restless [2]. Their television holdings include CBS Television Network, the CW (a joint venture with Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Studios, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, Pop (a joint venture with Lionsgate), Smithsonian Networks, and several more [1]. Overall, CBS Television Stations is made up of 29 stations, with 16 as a part of the CBS Television Network, 8 affiliates of the CW Network, 3 independent stations, and two MyNetworkTV affiliates [3].

History:

CBS Corp. “Eye” Logo – Source: Hub Magazine [20]

CBS’s brand, “the Eye,” as seen in their logo, is extremely recognizable in the industry today. This is in part due to CBS having the most watched television network in the U.S., as well as owning one of the largest entertainment libraries in the world, and several other factors. The public awareness of CBS can be seen today in the number of #1 television programs that CBS runs on their Television Network [1].
CBS was founded by William Paley in 1928. That year, Paley purchased 16 independent radio stations, calling them the Columbia Broadcast System [2]. The company experienced several name changes throughout the years, changing to CBS Inc. in 1974, and later to CBS Corporation in 1997, several years after being acquired by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. CBS started as a predominately radio-based company, before adding television to the corporation in the late 1940s. At this point, CBS Television was known as the “Tiffany Network,” and did very well against its competition [4].

Financials:
CBS is a publicly traded company. On November 19th, 2015, CBS stock was being traded for $51.75. This marks a steady increase in stock value after the stock hit its lowest point on September 28th, 2015 when it was being traded for $38.67. The value has been steadily increasing since then, with the value on November 19th representing the highest value in the last three months [5]. CBS released their third quarter results for 2015 on November 3rd. They reported that their revenues for this quarter were $3.26 billion in comparison to same prior-year period when their revenues were $3.37 billion. They relate this decrease in revenue to the timing of television licensing sales, as well as decreases in lower-margin revenues [6].

Current Programming:

Supergirl Preview [21]
This fall, on October 26th, CBS premiered the highly anticipated television show, Supergirl. The premiere did very well, with an average viewership of 12.9 million, and a 3.1 rating [7]. These high numbers led to the Supergirl premiere being the most watched television show of the fall. The success of the premiere could be due to the late premiere date, leading to a lack of competition with other new shows. The premiere also benefited from directly following CBS’s hit show The Big Bang Theory [8]. However, the ratings for the following weeks have been steadily declining, reaching its’ lowest point in it’s fifth week, on November 23rd, with a rating of 1.5.  This is less than 50% of the premiere’s ratings [9].
Supergirl has also been in the news recently because November 16th episode. CBS made the decision to swap out the planned episode for the Thanksgiving special in response to the terrorist attacks that took place in Paris on November 13th. That week’s planned episode had focused on a series of bombings in National City, so the decision was made to postpone the episode due to similarities to the terror in Paris. CBS also pulled that week’s episode of NCIS: Los Angeles because it focused on recruitment methods employed by the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks [10].

 

OTT Services:

CBS All Access – CBS’ new OTT Service – Source: Variety.com [22]

CBS has announced several deals that contribute to their effort to shift with the industry. CBS recently announced that they will start offering a streaming program, called CBS All Access, that will allow viewers to watch many of their programs without a pay-TV subscription. CBS All Access will stream full seasons of most of CBS’s current shows, as well as some of their older content. This service will cost $5.99 per month.  New episodes of their current shows will be available the day after they originally air. On CBS’ full-episode streaming app, which is free, new episodes are not available until eight days after the episode originally airs. A benefit to CBS All Access is that older seasons of programs will have 25% less advertisement time than when they aired. Another unique factor of CBS All Access is that they will include live streaming of local CBS TV stations, and allow viewers to stream any of those stations live as if they were watching it on television [11].
On October 1st, CBS announced a deal with Amazon that will give Amazon Prime the exclusive streaming rights to three of CBS’s new summer series through 2018. The deal will also expand the CBS programs that will be available on Amazon Prime. The first summer series that will be available on Amazon Prime is Braindead, which will be available for streaming four days after the initial broadcast [12].

Star Trek:

Star Trek on CBS All Access

Star Trek on CBS All Access – Source: TechTimes.com [23]

CBS announced on November 2nd, 2015 that they will be launching a new Star Trek television series that will premiere in January 2017. The first episode of the new series will premiere on CBS’s broadcast network, and then transition exclusively to CBS All Access [13]. Having the program available only on CBS All Access is an attempt to draw viewers and attention to the new streaming service. Star Trek will be the first scripted program that will be produced specifically for CBS All Access. CBS All Access also currently offers every Star Trek series which, according to Leslie Moonves, are currently doing very well on the streaming platform [14]. However, CBS Studios International will eventually distribute the new series other other TV networks and digital platforms. The series will be produced by Alex Kurtzman, who previously worked on J.J. Abram’s Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, and Heather Kadin, who previously was an executive producer for Limitless [15]. The series will introduce new characters, new civilizations, and explore contemporary themes, which has been a staple of the franchise since it’s premiere [14]. The target audience of this new series is the fans that have already been watching the older series on CBS All Access, and CBS is hoping that they will easily transition to watching the new series as well.

Sources:

[1] CBS Company Overview.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[2] CBS Television Network Portfolio.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[3] CBS Television Stations Portfolio.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[4] CBS Corporation.  Britannica.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[5] CBS Corporation Finances.  Google Finance, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[6] CBS’ Third Quarter Results.  Investors.cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[7] Broadcast Ratings Oct. 26 – Nov. 1.  Tvbythenumbers.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[8] “‘Supergirl’ Soars to Big Ratings for CBS”.  Money.cnn.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[9] “New Show Power Rankings, Week 5: ‘Supergirl’ is Flying Less High”.  Tvbythenumbers.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[10] “CBS Pulls Terror Episodes of ‘Supergirl’ and ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ After Paris Attacks”.  Latimes.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[11] “CBS Starts Offering Its Signal Over the Web as Over-the-Top Gates Open”.  Adage.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[12] CBS and Amazon Press Release.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[13] “Why CBS’s New Star Trek Show is a Glimpse Into TV’s Future”.  Tv.com, retrieved 23 November 2015

[14] “Leslie Moonves Explains Why ‘Star Trek’ Went to CBS All Access”.  Hollywoodreporter.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[15] “CBS is Bringing Back Star Trek, but it Won’t Air on TV”.  Adweek.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[16] CBS Corporation Logo.  Images.bwwstatic.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[17] Sumner M. Redstone Biography Page.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[18] Leslie Moonves Biography Page.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[19] Anthony G. Ambrosio Biography Page.  Cbscorporation.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[20] CBS ‘Eye’ Logo.  Hubmagazine.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[21] “‘Supergirl’ What You Can Expect This Season”.  Cbs.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[22] CBS All Access Logo.  Variety.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

[23] Star Trek Image.  Techtimes.com, retrieved 23 November 2015.

 

 

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Link

by  PATTY TERHUNE

 

CBS Corporation Logo - photo courtesy of imgarcade.com (1)

CBS Corporation Logo – photo courtesy of imgarcade.com (1)

Headquarters

51 W. 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019-6188

1-212-975-4321

www.cbscorporation.com

 


 

Key Executives

sumner

Sumner Redstone, Executive Chairman (2)

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation (3)

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation (3)

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, CBS Corporation (4)

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, CBS Corporation (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


About

CBS Corporations holds the most watched television network in the U.S., CBS Broadcast Network, and is one of the largest players in creating global content (5). While the company’s holdings span nearly every medium (cable, publishing, radio, film and more), they play a particularly strong roll in television. They have 29 television holdings including CBS, CBS Sports Network, The Smithsonian Channel, The CW (a 50/50 joint venture with Time Warner’s Warner Bros.), Decades (a 50/50 joint venture with Weigel Broadcasting), Pop (a 50/50 joint venture with Lionsgate), and the Showtime Networks (6). The CBS Network is home to the #1 drama scripted program, NCIS, the #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, the #1 newsmagazine, 60 Minutes, and the #1 daytime drama, The Young and the Restless (7).

 

The CBS "Eye" Logo - photo courtesy of logos.wikia.com (8)

The CBS “Eye” Logo – photo courtesy of logos.wikia.com (8)

History 

CBS Corporation, often referred to as “The Eye Corporation” because of the company’s memorable logo, was founded in 1941. The company started as a radio heavyweight in 1927. The company was also formerly known as “The Tiffany Network” since the company maintained such a high quality of programming under its founder William S. Paley (9). The company has held many official names over time. However, in its time as a broadcast network it has only gone by three names. From 1928 until 1974 it held the name Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. In 1974 it was shortened to CBS Inc. As of 1997 the official company name is CBS Corporations (10).

 

Viacom's logo - courtesy of cbsnews.com (?)

Viacom’s logo – courtesy of cbsnews.com (13)

In 2000 Viacom purchased CBS (11). This is particularly noteworthy as Viacom was originally created as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 (12). However, in 2005, Viacom split itself into two entities, keeping Viacom and CBS Corporation separate. Sumner Redstone, who is a heavy hitter in media as both the chairman of National Amusements and the Executive Chairman of Viacom, still currently owns CBS.

The CBS Building in New York City - image courtesy of digitaltrends.com (?)

The CBS Building in New York City – image courtesy of digitaltrends.com (14)

Financials

CBS is traded on the NASDAQ under the abbreviation CBS. As of April 16th, 2015 the stock was being traded for $61.78. At a record low on September 9th, 2009 the stock was being traded for $3.06. Since then the stock as been increasing and is currently within a dollar of its highest asking price ever (15). The fourth quarter revenues for 2014 were up 3% from last quarter, hitting $3.7 billion and the diluted earnings per share were up 8% to $.77. This was CBS Corporation’s best fourth quarter revenue and diluted EPS to date (16).

 

Channel News

The Harris Poll logo - courtesy of whatsupwiththat.com (?)

The Harris Poll logo – courtesy of whatsupwiththat.com (17)

Television Network Brand of the Year in 2015 Harris Poll Equitrend Study

The Harris Poll Equitrend Study is an annual study conducted by Harris Poll on brand equity. The EquiTrend Brand Equity Index rates companies on their familiarity, quality and consideration. The Harris Polls have become a staple in the media industry – due to its ability to give relevant insights to the industry after comprehensive and precise public opinion polling. In its 27th annual study in 2015, CBS Corporations took home first place (7).

Showtime's Logo - courtesy of sho.com (?)

Showtime’s Logo – courtesy of sho.com (18)

Bell Media and CBS Corporation Announce Long-Term Contract To Bring Showtime to Canada

For the first time, Showtime and the entirety of its media content will be brought the Canada. In an unprecedented deal between Bell Media and CBS Corporation, hundreds of hours of past, present and future Showtime programming will be brought the Canada and accessible on all Bell Media platforms. This will open up hundreds of thousands of new potential consumers for the already esteemed network (19).

CBS All Access - courtesy of slashgear.com (?)

CBS All Access – courtesy of slashgear.com (20)

CBS All Access Meets with Affiliates

In mid-April, CBS met with affiliates to discuss their over-the-top streaming service, CBS All Access. Among these affiliates was Steve Hammel, VP and general manager at Capital Broadcasting’s WRAL Raleigh. He, as well as other affiliates, was optimistic about the future of the service and seemed willing to work together to increase the reach of both themselves and the network. However, like many, he said that he would wait until more information was available to opt-in. As of last month, the service has 100,000 subscribers. Currently, a dozen station groups, as well as all stations owned-and-operated by CBS, are on board, representing 55% of all households (21).

CBS Studios - image courtesy of onelip.com (?)

CBS Studios – image courtesy of onelip.com (22)

Company News

Viewers to Volunteers logo - image courtesy of cbsaltitudegroup.com (?)

Viewers to Volunteers logo – image courtesy of cbsaltitudegroup.com (23)

CBS-Toyota Charity App

Viewers to Volunteers, or V2V, is a Toyota sponsored app run by CBS where viewers can give to charity without needing to open their wallet. Viewers watch short video clips, like a CBS news clip about Toyota or a documentary-type clip about a local area hospital, to gain credits. These credits can be exchanged for donations to causes like the Special Olympics or Meals on Wheels America, which CBS will make. CBS is advertising the application on four CBS owned-and-operated stations, as well as by collaborating with non-profit partners such as the Starlight Children’s Foundation to help expand reach. The application premiered nationally in April (24).

 

Neilsen's logo - image courtesy of evigo.com (?)

Nielsen’s logo – image courtesy of evigo.com (25)

Data-Driven Initiative for Network Advertisers

CBS has introduced a new-data driven style to analyzing the effectiveness of advertising. They are called it the Campaign Performance Audit or CPA. They have been trialing this technique on specific advertisers since last fall. However, they are now opening it up to all advertisers that are looking to take advantage of Nielsen analytics to make sure that they get the best return on investment in the company (26).

 

David Rhodes - image courtesy of cbsnews.com (?)

David Rhodes – image courtesy of cbsnews.com (27)

David Rhodes Extends Contract as President of CBS News through 2019

CBS News President David Rhodes who has held the position since 2011, will continue as president of the news division of CBS until 2019. Rhodes was one of the creators of CBS This Morning and also helped to expand Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer and is credited with helping it become the #1 Sunday Public Affairs Show. In addition to his work in broadcast, he also spearheaded CBSN, which is the first digitial streaming news network and has made major contributions the news on CBSNews.com and on CBS News Radio (28).

 

Interns Tour CBS Channel 2 in NYC - image courtesy of red-pr.com (?)

Interns Tour CBS Channel 2 in NYC – image courtesy of red-pr.com (29)

CBS Corporation and CBS Radio being Sued By Former Intern

Former CBS Radio intern Camille Demere, who was an intern into 2009-2010, filed a class-action-seeking complaint in January of 2015 for unfair treatment as an intern by being “excluded from minimum wage.” In March the company responded by saying that they want the entire case thrown out. They also requested that the court deny every request that the Plaintiff (Demere) had, and reimburse the Defendant (CBS Corp.) for all costs spent in defending the law suit (30).

Sources

(1) “CBS Logo,” Imgrarcade, RT: 4/17/15

(2) “Sumner Redstone,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(3) “Leslie Moonves,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(4) “Anthony G. Ambrosio,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(5) “About CBS,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(6) “Who Owns The Media?” FreePress, RT: 4/17/15

(7) “2015 Brand of the Year,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(8) “CBS Eye,” Logos.wikia, RT: 4/17/15

(9) “Creator: CBS,” TVTropes, RT: 4/17/15

(10) “CBS Corporation,” Encyclopedia Brittanica, RT: 4/17/15

(11) “Viacom Set to Acquire CBS,” Partners.NYTimes, RT: 4/17/15

(12) “Viacom Inc. History,” FundingUniverse, RT: 4/17/15

(13) “Viacom Makes Split Official,” CBSNews, RT: 4/17/15

(14) “Transaction in Own Shares,” Article.wn, RT: 4/17/15

(15) “CBS,” Nasdaq, RT: 4/17/15

(16) “Investor Relations,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(17) “Harris Polls,” Whatsupwiththat, RT: 4/17/15

(18) “Showtime,” Sho, RT: 4/17/15

(19) “CBS, Bell Media Pact,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

(20) “CBS All Access,” Slashgear, RT: 4/17/15

(21) “CBS Station Chiefs Ponder All Access Offer,” BroadcastingCable, RT: 4/17/15

(22) “Judge Throws Out Fraud Claim,” Onelip, RT: 4/17/15

(23) “Turning Viewers into Volunteers at CBS,” CBS Altitude Group, RT: 4/17/15

(24) “CBS Unveils Charity App,” Wall Street Journal, RT: 4/17/15

(25) “US Nielsen,” Evigo, RT: 4/17/15

(26) “CBS Introduces New Data-Driven Initiative,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(27) “David Rhodes,” CBS News, RT: 4/17/15

(28) “CBS Announces New Agreement,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(29) “CBS Sued Over Unpaid Internships,” Red-Pr, RT: 4/17/15

(30) “CBS Spurns Intern Lawsuit,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

by Emily Norman

CBS Corporation

Brief History

Classic CBS Logo, Courtesy of awfulannouncing.com.

Classic CBS Logo. [1]

Founded in 1927 by Arthur Judson as an alternative to NBC, the Columbia Broadcasting System has been delivering news and entertainment for nearly a century.  CBS has flourished in the realm of television, as it produced hits such as The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968), M*A*S*H (1972-1983), and 60 Minutes (1968-). In 1995, the company was sold to Westinghouse Electric Corporation for about $5 billion.  Today, Westinghouse is known as CBS Corporation [2].

Corporate Information

 Key Executives

Sumner M. Redstone, Courtesy of cbscorporation.com

Sumner M. Redstone, Executive Chairman. [3]

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, Courtesy of cbscorporation.com

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer. [4]

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President. [5]

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President. [5]

Financials

For the 2014 third quarter, CBS announced a revenue of $3.37 billion, which is up 2% from the 2013 third quarter.  Similarly, advertising revenue also grew 2%, due to Thursday Night Football as well as midterm elections.  However, the company’s adjusted net earnings were just $400 million, down $31 million from the year before.  Also during the third quarter, CBS bought back just under seven million shares of its own stock for about $400 million [6].  As of November 28th, 2014, the price of one share was $54.88.  This was just above of its 52-week low of $48.83 [7].

Broadcast Programming

CBS Daytime Programming

The Cast of The Young and the Restless.

The Cast of The Young and the Restless. [8]

CBS has always excelled in the world of daytime drama.  Now, in 2014, it is the only broadcast network to feature more than one soap opera: The Young and the Restless (1973-) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-).  The Young and the Restless saw a 1.3 rating for the 18-49 demo this past September, which is up 8% from March.  This bump in viewership is accredited to the return of Shemar Moore [9].  Meanwhile, its sister-soap, The Bold and the Beautiful, featured a pair of cross-over episodes with Big Brother in celebration of Halloween [10].  Both these daytime dramas have performed spectacularly, routinely beating out NBC’s Days of Our Lives and ABC’s General Hospital [11].

Soap Opera Ratings for the Week of November 3rd - November 7th.

Soap Opera Ratings for the Week of November 3rd – November 7th, 2014. [11]

CBS Primetime Programming

The Cast of Scorpion.

The Cast of Scorpion. [12]

For the 2014-2015 season, CBS launched five new series in the fall.  The majority of the new shows are hour-long dramas, including Scorpion, Stalker, Madam Secretaryand the second spin-off of the hit series NCISNCIS: NEW ORLEANS.  CBS only launched one new sitcom this fall: The McCarthys [13].  Of these new series, Scorpion is performing the best, with an average 18-49 demo rating of 2.47 as of November 19th, 2014.  At the bottom of the pack is the network’s lone rookie sitcom, The McCarthys, which is averaging a rating of about 1.51 in the same demo, making it susceptible to cancelation [14].  None of CBS’ new launches have been canceled as of November 20th, 2014 [15].

The Cast of The Big Bang Theory.

The Cast of The Big Bang Theory. [16]

The network boasts The Big Bang Theory as one of its top ratings giants.  Now in its eighth season, the sitcom is consistently one of the highest-rated shows of the week, earning a whopping 4.5 in the 18-49 demo the week of November 10th [17].  The series has already been renewed for a ninth season [15].  Now in its twelfth season, NCIS has consistently ranked high in overall viewership; for the week of November 10th, the series boasted over 17 million viewers, trailing just behind the 20 million that NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football brought in [17].  The 2014-2015 season also marks the end of two of the network’s major veteran shows: Two and a Half Men and The Mentalist.  After having lost two of its leading men, Two and a Half Men reached an all-time low average of 10.66 million viewers for its eleventh season, and, while 10 million viewers is still an impressive figure, the show has run its course and will go off the air in May [18].  The Mentalist garnered around 11.5 million viewers in its previous season.  It has been speculated that, should these numbers remain impressive throughout the show’s shortened 13-episode-long final season, Warner Brothers could shop the show to other networks [19].

CBS Ratings

CBS’ Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014. [14]

Additional Properties Programming

The CW Programming

Grant Gustin as The Flash.

Grant Gustin as The Flash. [20]

The joint venture of Time Warner and CBS, The CW has been a staple in young adult programming since 2006 [21].  For the 2014-2015 season, The CW launched two new series: The Flash and Jane the Virgin [22].  The Flash garnered nearly seven million viewers in the Live+7 ratings for its October premiere, making it the most watched piece of television that the network has ever aired [23].  Meanwhile, Jane the Virgin has accumulated critical acclaim for introducing diversity to The CW’s lineup [24].  Both The Flash and Jane the Virgin were picked up for full-season orders on October 21st [25].

The Cast of Supernatural.

The Cast of Supernatural. [26] 

Supernatural, which began as a WB series in 2005, recently celebrated not only the debut of its tenth season, but also its 200th episode, which garnered the show’s highest ratings since the season premiere: 2.92 million viewers in the Live+3 category [27].  The network has also decreed that a 22nd cycle of America’s Next Top Model be commissioned for the 2015 season [28].  As of Friday, November 14th, the show’s current cycle holds a 0.4 in the 18-49 demo [29].

The CW's Average Ratings, As of November 19th, 2014.

The CW’s Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014. [30]

Showtime Programming

Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks.

Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks. [31]

CBS’ cable holding, Showtime, announced this fall its intentions to resurrect  Twin Peaks, which ran from 1990-1991 on ABC.  Showtime will air the original 30 episodes ahead of the new series, which will consist of nine episodes.  The continuation of Twin Peaks will debut in 2016 [32].  In the meantime, Showtime continues to experience success with its critically-acclaimed series Homeland.  The  series garnered a season-best 1.66 million viewers on November 16th, however, when all platforms are taken into account, the series is averaging well over 5 million viewers on a weekly basis.  Meanwhile, The Affair, which airs in the slot following Homeland, delivered roughly 778,000 viewers that same evening, up 16% from the previous week.  As with Homeland, multi-platform viewing accounts for a significant portion of its viewership, resulting in a total number of 3.8 million viewers [33].

Showtime’s Average Ratings for the 2014-2015 Season, As of November 19th, 2014.

Showtime’s Average Ratings, As of November 19th, 2014. [34]

Current Events

CBS All Access

This fall, CBS became the first broadcast network to begin offering a streaming service akin to HBO’s service.  This product is called CBS All Access and costs subscribers $5.99 a month.  That being said, as of October 16th, the service is only offered in seven US markets, and does not feature NFL games.  CBS All Access offers customers a wide array of both current series and canceled series [35].

CBS New York's Coverage of CBS All Access

CBS New York’s Coverage of CBS All Access.  Click for Full Video. [36]

Dispute with Dish

In November of 2014, CBS experienced a dispute with Dish TV over negotiations.  The companies’ previous contract was signed in January of 2012, and was set to expire by the end of November, however, CBS, along with other major broadcast networks, filed a lawsuit against Dish, citing their ad-skipping feature as the main source of conflict.  The feature, which allows the customer to automatically skip over commercials, also prompted an attempt on CBS’ behalf to break their current contract with the satellite company [37].  With multiple Owned & Operated stations on the verge of being blacked out to Dish customers, both companies agreed to a deadline-extension on their current contract; as of November 26th, the extension will reach into early December, prompting further negotiation, while the O&O stations still air their programming [38].

Sources

[1] CBS Logo. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://awfulannouncing.com/2013/cbs-sports-chairman-sean-mcmanus-on-that-other-pregame-show-concussions-and-fantasy-football.html

[2] CBS Corporation. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/100876/CBS-Corporation

[3] Sumner M. Redstone. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=156

[4] Leslie Moonves. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=150

[5] Anthony G. Ambrosio. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=&exec=135

[6] Investor Relations – Financial and Stock Information. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=quarterlyearnings 

[7] Investor Relations – Stock Quote. Retrieved November 28, from http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=irol-shareowner_stockquote

[8] The Cast of The Young and the Restless. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_and_the_Restless

[9] Big Ratings for Y&R. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/news/1003158/

[10] B&B & Big Brother Spooktacular. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_bold_and_the_beautiful/news_blog/1003342/

[11] Soap Opera Ratings. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/15/soap-opera-ratings-the-young-the-restless-the-bold-the-beautiful-general-hospital-up-in-women-18-49-viewers/327190/

[12] The Cast of Scorpion. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.cbs.com/shows/scorpion/about/

[13] CBS Fall TV Schedule 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvline.com/2014/05/14/cbs-fall-tv-lineup-2014-the-big-bang-theory-monday/

[14] CBS 2014-15 Season Ratings. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/cbs-2014-15-season-ratings-33998/

[15] CBS Predictions. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/18/cbs-predictions-stalker-is-a-toss-up-to-be-canceled-or-renewed/327282/

[16] The Cast of The Big Bang Theory. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.movieweb.com/movies-you-havent-seen-with-the-cast-of-the-big-bang-theory

[17] TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/18/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-sunday-night-football-tops-week-8-with-adults-18-49/329077/

[18] ‘Two and a Half Men’ Final Season. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.ibtimes.com/two-half-men-final-season-how-show-survived-losing-charlie-sheen-why-season-12-last-1716310 

[19] ‘The Mentalist’ to end on CBS. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/04/the-mentalist-canceled/

[20] Grant Gustin as The Flash. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.comicvine.com/articles/big-change-to-flash-s-role-in-arrow-update/1100-147601/

[21] The CW. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=95 

[22] The CW’s Fall Schedule. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://tvline.com/2014/06/25/cw-fall-tv-schedule-2014-arrow-vampire-diaries/

[23] ‘The Flash’ Premiere Ratings. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://deadline.com/2014/10/the-flash-ratings-premiere-most-watched-cw-863045/

[24] ‘Jane the Virgin’ is The CW’s Best Show Ever. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/28/jane-the-virgin-is-the-cw-s-best-show-ever.html

[25] ‘The Flash’ ‘Jane the Virgin’ Get Full Season Orders. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/flash-jane-virgin-get-full-739683

[26] The Cast of Supernatural. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/supernatural/29404/supernatural-spin-off-casts-its-leads

[27] The CW’s ‘The Flash’ and 200th Episode of ‘Supernatural’. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/16/the-cws-the-flash-and-200th-episode-of-supernatural-hit-best-ratings-since-season-premiere-in-live-3-ratings/328353/

[28] America’s Next Top Model Renewed. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/americas-next-top-model-renewed-the-cw-1201358635/

[29] Friday TV Ratings. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/friday-tv-ratings-last-man-standing-antm-amazing-race-grimm-shark-tank-34732/

[30] CW 2014-2015 Season Ratings. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/cw-2014-15-season-ratings-34237/

[31] Kye MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://inthetreesartpreview.blogspot.com

[32] Cult Favorite ‘Twin Peaks’ to Return. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.whas11.com/story/entertainment/2014/10/20/15980076/ 

[33] Showtime’s ‘Homeland,’ ‘The Affair’ Continue Ratings Rise. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/showtimes-homeland-the-affair-continue-ratings-rise-1201359488/

[34] Showtime’s Average Ratings. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/showtime-tv-show-ratings-33448/

[35] HBO, CBS Set Up Streaming Service. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://movienewsguide.com/hbo-cbs-set-streaming-service/34363

[36] CBS Offers Digital Subscription Service. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xBLol05Uh8 

[37] Dish Could Lose 16 CBS Stations In Fee Fight. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.tvpredictions.com/dish110314.htm

[38] Dish Extends CBS Deal Another Week. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://adage.com/article/media/dish-extends-cbs-deal-week-standoff-looms/296014/ 

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Link

by Mike Liebenson
CBS Corporation's Logo

[1] CBS  Logo

CBS Headquarters
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
1-212-975-4321 [1.5]

KEY EXECUTIVES 

CBS EXECUTIVE

[2] Leslie Moonves- President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation

2

[3] Sumner M Redstone- Executive Chairman

[4] Joseph Ianniello- Chief Operating Officer

[4] Joseph Ianniello- Chief Operating Officer

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, CBS Corporation.

[5] Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, CBS Corporation.

OVERVIEW

CBS Corporation is an industry-leading mass media company that creates and distributes content across a multiple platforms to audiences worldwide. Spanning virtually every field of media and entertainment, CBS’s operations include cable, film, radio, publishing, local TV, and interactive/social media. [6]

 Network Portfolio

[7] All of CBS’s Assets

CBS is home to one of the world’s largest libraries of media content, making it one of the most recognized brands in business. Specific to television, CBS’s businesses include CBS Television Network, The CW, Showtime Networks, TVGN, CBS Sports Network, Smithsonian Networks, CBS Television Studios, and CBS Television Stations [6].

 CBS CURRENT FALL SEASON

One of the Thursday Night Football games featuring San Diego at Denver.

[8] One of the Thursday Night Football games featuring San Diego at Denver.

The 2015 season has been kind to “The Big Eye,” with the network averaging 12.2 million viewers daily. This puts the network ahead of every other network, with NBC trailing behind at 9.8 million [9]. Part of this is due to their addition of Thursday Night Football to their fall line-up. Each week their installment of football, which replaced conventional series for the first two months of the season, topped Thursday nights for total viewership. The final game aired earned a 13.2 rating and 23 percent share [10]. That’s slightly less than the all-time high overnight household rating of 13.7 when the season opened on September 11. While Thursday Night Football has done well, analysts projected it to do even better. Yesterday RBC Capital Markets’ David Bank dropped his earnings forecast for CBS by 27 cents to $3.07 because of the ratings letdown [8].

Newcomers

Among CBS’s five other newcomers for the 2014-2015 season, only one was a half-hour sitcom. The Mccarthys, which debuted 1.7/5 in the 18-49 share and 8.08 total million viewers [12], but has fallen to 1.4 and 6.53 total million viewers [13].

[11] First Look

Of the four dramas that premiered this season, consisting of Madame Secretary, Scorpion, NCIS: New Orleans, and Stalker, Scorpion has the strongest for the 18-49 share while the NCIS spin off has the highest overall views.  Scorpion debuted at 3.2 share, but has decreased to a low 1.9 as of their 11/24 episode [14].

[15] First Look

NCIS New Orleans debuted at 17.37 million views, and as kept most of its view with their most current episode garnering 14.47 million views. NCIS: New Orleans, along with its predecessor, both skew older and target viewers above the age of 50 [16].  All four of the new dramas have been picked up for full seasons as of 10/28/14 [17].

[18] First Look

Returning Shows

The cast of The Big Bang Theory

[19] The cast of The Big Bang Theory

Of its current series, CBS boasts the most watched scripted series by both total views and 18-49 shares. The Big Bang Theory, which moved back to Thursdays as of 11/20, has consistently had highest 18-49 share for a scripted series with their most current rating averaging a 4.1 as of 11/25 [20]. Their eighth year’s average is lower so far than their past season, which averaged a 5.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 17.65 million total viewers. The series is renewed until season 10, though, with higher salaries for their lead actors as well [21].

The cast of NCIS

[23] The cast of NCIS

NCIS captures the most viewers for a scripted series every week with their 11/25 episode garnering 16 million viewers. This season is also down from last, with their 11th season of NCIS averaged a 2.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 18.5 million total viewers [22]. Even with their top shows dipping in the numbers slightly, CBS is maintaining a steady flow of cash revenue.

FINANCIALS

2014 Q3 earnings for CBS

[24] 2014 Q3 earnings for CBS

CBS is publicly held. As of their 2014 third quarter report, CBS’s shares rose 2.3% from $3.30 billion in 2013 to $3.37 billion now [24].  This was mostly thanks to a 4% increase in content licensing and distribution revenues from higher domestic and international licensing of their television programming. The main Entertainment unit, which includes the CBS TV network and studios, saw a 1% increase in revenues to $1.91 billion.  Thanks to the political revenues of the midterm elections and their introduction to Thursday Night Football on CBS, the corporation saw their advertising revenue increase by 2%. In cable networks, like Showtime, revenues were up 5% to $624 million due to the company’s increased rates and increased cash flow from license agreements for its original series [25]. As of December 1 at 4:02 pm, CBS’s stock closed at $54.47, a .75% decrease from the day before [26].

MAJOR HAPPENINGS

CBS All Access

[27]

On October 16, 2014 CBS announced a first for any of the major traditional broadcast networks; subscription based multi-platform access to their content called CBS All Access [28]. For $5.99, the network will offer subscribers episodes from their current and classic shows on-demand across computers, tablets, and smartphones. Subscribers will also have the ability to live stream local CBS television stations in 14 of the most popular U.S. markets; And that number will only grow [28]. The most important amenity of this new service is that customers do not have to be subscribers of a cable or satellite company to access this service; They just need to pay their subscription to seamlessly interact with CBS’s content across their multiple platforms.

TVGN to POP

pop-cable-channel-network

[29] Redesigned Logo

The TV Guide Network, a joint venture between CBS Corp. and Lionsgate, is planning to receive a major facelift in January of 2015. TVGN will be rebranded as POP, a network centered on the celebration of American fan boy culture [30]. The theme has a much more unique POV, allowing the channel to look at anything that draws on the experience of high intensity fans. POP will launch with more than 400 hours of original programming, featuring A New Kids on The Block reality series, a scripted series, entertainment news, red-carpet specials, and other exciting new content. One series in particular, The Story Behind, will look inside the origin stories of successful hit series [29]. CBS is hoping to be able to obtain more money a month per subscriber. The current TVGN commands two cents a month in comparison to networks garnered towards similar audiences, like E!, that get 24 cents a month per subscriber. Their hopes extend to increased ad revenue as well, since it is on the smaller side [30].

CBS vs. Dish Dispute

Tensions are rising between CBS and the no. 2 Satellite Distributor over this past month. On November 14, CBS reached out to Dish Network subscribers to inform them of the impending loss of their affiliated channels due an unresolved deal between the two companies after their carriage contract expires at the end of November. CBS has extended the deadline twice, with their deal now supposed to close by the end of the first week in December [31]. The deal seems to me more about rights over CBS content rather than financial issues, specificaly Dish’s ability to include it in the over-the-top service that it aims to launch as well as offering out-of-home viewing rights to their subscribers. There is been concern over Dish’s Hopper DVR service that allows users to record large amounts of primetime with one button. The rollout of this new DVR launched lawsuits against Dish by the major broadcasters, not just CBS [32].

 Works Cited

 [1] CBS Logo, Deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[1.5] CBS Contact, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[2] Photo of Leslie Moonves, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[3] Photo of Sumner Redstone, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[4] Photo of Joseph Ianniello, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[5] Photo of Anthony Ambosio, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[6] About CBS, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[7] Assets of CBScbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[8] Photo of Thursday Night Football, deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[9] CBS 2014-2015 Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[10] ‘Thursday Night Football’ Ends on High Note, hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 12/1/14

[11] The Mccarthy’s- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[12] Thursday Final Ratings (10/31), tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com, RT: 12/1/14

[13] Thursday Final Ratings (11/25), tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com, RT: 12/1/14

[14] Scorpion: Season One Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[15] Scorpion- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[16] NCIS: New Orleans: Season One Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[17] NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion, Madam Secretary, Stalker: CBS Orders Full Seasons, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[18] NCIS: New Orleans- First Look, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[19] The Big Bang Theory Cast Photo, moviepilot.com, RT: 12/1/14

[20] The Big Bang Theory: Season Eight Ratingstvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[21] ‘Big Bang Theory’ Renewed Through Season 10hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 12/1/14

[22] NCIS: Season Twelve Ratings, tvseriesfinale.com, RT: 12/1/14

[23] NCIS Cast Photo, jenniferbadger.com, RT: 12/1/14

[24] CBS Corporation Earnings Release, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[25] CBS Narrowly Beats Q3 Earnings Estimates, deadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[26] CBS Interactive Stock Chart, finance.yahoo.com, RT: 12/1/14

[27] CBS Offers Digital Subscription Service, youtube.com, RT: 12/1/14

[28] CBS New Multi-Platform Digital Subscription Service, cbscorporation.com, RT: 12/1/14

[29] Meet POP, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14

[30] TV Guide Network To Relaunch In Early 2015 As POP, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14

[31] CBS Will Star on Dish Through the Weekenddeadline.com, RT: 12/1/14

[32] Carriage Talks Progress, variety.com, RT: 12/1/14