CBS
CBS (originally the Columbia Broadcasting System) is one of the traditional "big three" commercial television networks in the United States (along with ABC and NBC). CBS network is the largest of the three. "It also operates about 40 TV stations around the country and owns 50% of The CW Network. On cable, CBS owns movie channel Showtime and sports channel CSTV. It creates and distributes programming through CBS Television Distribution Group and CBS Paramount Network Television. In addition to TV, the company owns CBS Radio, CBS Outdoor, and book publisher Simon & Schuster. Chairman Sumner Redstone has more than 70% voting control over CBS Corp. through his National Amusements cinema chain." [1]
The CBS Television Network feeds programming to over 200 independently owned television stations in the United States. CBS Corporation was once known as the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The Columbia Broadcasting System today is the name of CBS's radio broadcasting unit.
At the end of 2005 CBS separated from Viacom. Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone still has more than 70% voting control over CBS through his National Amusements cinema chain. [2]
William S. Paley developed the CBS radio and television networks.
Contents
History
1927: Founded as United Independent Broadcasters.
1928: Name changed to Columbia Broadcasting System.
1938: Acquires the American Recording Corporation, which would become Columbia Records.
June 1969: CBS cancelled The Smothers Brothers Show after the comedians regularly use their show to protest the Vietnam War.
May 2000: Merged with Viacom Inc.
December 31, 2005: Separated from Viacom Inc.
Political contributions
CBS gave $18,500 to federal candidates in the 2006 election cycle through its political action committee - 43% to Democrats, 57% to Republicans. [3]
Personnel
Key executives with 2006 pay: [4]
- Sumner M. Redstone, Founder and Executive Chairman, $10,370,000
- Leslie Moonves, Chief Executive Officer, President, $20,610,000
- Fredric G. Reynolds, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, $5,500,000
- Louis J. Briskman, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, $3,070,000
- Susan C. Gordon, Chief Accounting Officer, Corporate Controller and Senior Vice President, $1,250,000
Directors
Accessed December 2007: [5]
- Leslie Moonves
- Sumner Redstone
- Shari Redstone - Vice Chairman of the Board
- David R. Andelman
- Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
- William S. Cohen
- Gary L. Countryman - Chairman Emeritus of Liberty Mutual
- Charles K. Gifford - Chairman Emeritus of Bank of America
- Leonard Goldberg
- Bruce S. Gordon
- Linda Griego
- Arnold Kopelson
- Doug Morris
- Fred Salerno - Retired Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Verizon
Contact details
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-975-4321
Fax: 212-975-4516
Web: http://www.cbscorporation.com
Resources and articles
Related Sourcewatch articles
- Frank Stanton - former president
- Richard S. Salant - started in television in 1952, as vice president and general executive of CBS
- Gene F. Jankowski
- John R. Purcell
References
- ↑ CBS Profile, Hoovers, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ CBS Separation, Viacom, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ 2006 PAC Summary Data, Open Secrets, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ CBS profile, Yahoo Finance, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ Directors, CBS, accessed December 9, 2007.
External links
- David Blum, "The Struggle at 60: What 60 Minutes does matters. But this season it has fallen short of the standard set by its legendary (and aging) staff. Can the program reinvent itself?, Columbia Journalism Review, May/June 2005.
- "60 Minutes: Shelving a Story to Boost Bush?", Action Alert, Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, September 28, 2004.
- Jim Naureckas, "From the Top: What Are the Politics of Network Bosses?", Extra!, July/August 1998.
