 Logo used since January 11, 2021 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Broadcast syndicationAdvertising sales |
| Predecessors | |
| Founded | January 17, 2006; 19 years ago (2006-01-17) inLos Angeles,California, US |
| Headquarters | , US |
Key people | Wendy McMahon (president and CEO) |
| Parent | CBS Studios |
| Website | Official website |
CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerlyCBS Paramount Domestic Television andCBS Television Distribution) is thetelevisionbroadcast syndication arm ofCBS Studios, a division of theCBS Entertainment Group, in turn a division ofParamount Skydance Corporation,[1] founded on January 17, 2006 byCBS Corporation from a merger of CBS Paramount Domestic Television andKingWorld.
On launch, the division was led by King World CEORoger King, who had his own production company merged into the division, until his death on December 8, 2007. It was formerly the main distribution arm ofParamount Media Networks (now handled byParamount Global Content Distribution), while currently acting as the flagship distribution arm forCBS, and partnering withWarner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution forThe CW. The division also consists of CBS's home entertainment arm,CBS Home Entertainment.
The division has distribution rights to acquired television series, mini-series and films from the following libraries:
The remainder of Paramount Global's content library is distributed for U.S. television by Paramount Pictures (with some films licensed toTrifecta Entertainment & Media) andParamount Media Networks.
AsCBS Television Distribution, the division formerly distributed the films from the libraries fromRepublic Pictures andCarolco Pictures. Until 2021, it was responsible for international television distribution rights to a few episodic serial programs which aired onHBO byRysher Entertainment through its Paramount Global Content Licensing division; it has since being handled by Paramount Global Distribution Group (both of these are currently known as Paramount Global Content Distribution). It also acted as an advertising sales representative forDebmar-Mercury, which is now owned byLionsgate.[2]
This is the sixth distribution name for CBS: CBS Television Film Sales (1952–58) was the first,[3] CBS Films, Inc. (1958–68) was the second,[4] CBS Enterprises (1968–70) was the third,[5]Eyemark Entertainment (1995–99) was the fourth and CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006–07) was the fifth. The first 3 CBS distribution monikers were also used for a separate media company-turned-conglomerate connected to CBS which evolved to what is now historically known asthe first/original incarnation ofViacom Inc..
The current moniker for the overseas distribution arm CBS Media Ventures since 2009 isCBS Studios International, now Paramount Global Content Distribution.
On January 17, 2006, CBS Paramount Domestic Television became an interim syndication arm.
The previous distribution arm of CBS, CBS Paramount Domestic Television, merged withKing World Productions to form CBS Television Distribution on September 26, 2006.[6] It was distributed Paramount movies until May 2009. On January 16, 2007, the studio launched a separate home video division,CBS Home Entertainment, for release of in-house-made shows on home video which would be distributed through the second incarnation of Viacom via Paramount Home Entertainment (which continues till date).[7]
On February 25, 2007, CBS Television Distribution sold shows produced byShowtime toits parent subsidiary for self-syndication and broadcast.[8] Later that year on August 18, CBS Television Distribution acquired a 50% stake in online talent search serviceBig Shot from Madison Road Entertainment and Maverick Television.[9]On November 20, 2007, CBS Television Distribution began carrying first-run episodes ofEverybody Hates Chris on its-owned stations and those of Fox in 2009,[10] with CBS signing a deal with Nickelodeon on March 2, 2008 to bring reruns ofEverybody Hates Chris to air for cable broadcast on itsNick at Nite channel.[11]
On October 6, 2012, John Nogawski left his role as president of CBS Television Distribution[12] with programming president Aaron Meyerson following in his footsteps a week later.[13] On October 22, 2013, former executive ofTelepictures Productions, Hilary Estey McLoughlin, joined CBS Television Distribution as head of creative affairs.[14] On March 2, 2015, CBS Television Distribution renewedJudge Judy through to the end of the 2019–20 television season.[15]
With a growing international syndication business, CBS sought to split the group. On July 9, 2016, CBS hired former executive vice president and general sales manager for20th Television's syndication arm andMyNetworkTV, Paul Franklin, as head of CBS Television Distribution with Nuñez returning to just being president of CBS Studios International.[16]
On October 30, 2018, Armando Nuñez was named chief content licensing officer for CBS Corporation, replacing Scott Koondel who stepped down for a production deal with the CBS network, and president and chief executive officer for CBS Global Distribution Group, replacing outgoing executive Paul Franklin, which he added to his presidency at CBS Studios International.[17]
On April 3, 2019,Debmar-Mercury signed an advertising sales deal with CBS Television Distribution as a replacement for 20th Century Fox Television (now20th Television) which wasacquired byThe Walt Disney Company.[2] CBS Television Distribution Media Sales is now responsible for the advertising sales for the Lionsgate/Revolution Studios television libraries,Family Feud, andThe Wendy Williams Show.[16] In June 2019, CBS Television Distribution announced that it would launchDabl, a lifestyle broadcasting network on September 9, 2019.[18]
On January 11, 2021, CBS Television Distribution was renamed CBS Media Ventures as part of an ongoing rebranding of all CBS properties; the new name was announced as reflecting businesses beyond syndication, including ad sales and digital content production.[19]
In November 2024, CBS Media Ventures was sued bySony Pictures Television, alleging that the company was engaging in preferential treatment of CBS-owned programming that prevented it from meeting its obligations to maximize the value ofWheel of Fortune andJeopardy! on the syndication market. The company cited the bundling of lower-rated CBS shows withWheel andJeopardy! (such asThe Drew Barrymore Show andHot Bench), prioritizing the clearance of its wholly owned shows (such asEntertainment Tonight) on the highest-rated stations in markets at the expense of the game shows, and laying off their dedicated marketing teams during layoffs associated with the CBS/Viacom merger. Sony argued that the cutbacks had "kneecapped its ability to meet its contractual obligations".[20]
Sony Pictures Television announced on February 3, 2025 that the week's episodes would be the last ones it would feed to CBS Media Ventures and that it would begin distributing episodes of those shows directly to affiliates beginning with the week of February 10.[21] CBS sought and received arestraining order blocking Sony from doing so on February 6.[22] However, on April 10, it was reported that the court had ruled in favor of Sony, thus resulting in CBS losing the distribution rights. CBS then confirmed they would submit an appeal immediately; on May 29, theCalifornia Courts of Appeal ruled that CBS would remain distributor of the two shows while the trial is in progress.[23][24] On November 7, 2025, Sony and CBS announced that they had reached a settlement; Sony will assume the international distribution rights toWheel andJeopardy! beginning January 1, 2026, marketing and affiliate relations duties beginning in the 2026–27 season, and fully assume the domestic distribution rights after the 2027–28 season. CBS Media Ventures will, in turn, become the exclusive seller of advertising during the programs through the 2029–30 season.[25][26]