Reorganization of College Sports Properties Will Bring the CBS Sports Brand
to Cable Television
Network to Feature New Mix of Original Programming, Including "College
Sports Tonight," A News and Information Hour Covering World of Collegiate
Athletics
NEW YORK, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CBS Sports today announced
a comprehensive reorganization of its college sports operations,
incorporating the cable, broadcast and online activities of College Sports
Television (CSTV) into its world-famous brand.
Effective March 2008, CSTV will become the CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK,
bringing the power of the CBS SPORTS name to yet another developing,
cross-platform property. In addition, CBS Sports will begin developing
proprietary programming for the cable network, and incorporate the growing
online activities of CSTV into its industry-leading online operations.
The announcement was made today by Sean McManus, President, CBS News
and Sports, and Tony Petitti, Executive Vice President and Executive
Producer, CBS Sports, who will oversee day to day operations of the
network.
As part of the reorganization, a new emphasis will be placed on
developing original programming for the CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK, drawing
on the top on-air and creative talents in the industry. Anchoring the
lineup will be COLLEGE SPORTS TONIGHT, a news and information program
examining the day's developments in the world of collegiate sports, and
providing previews of upcoming events. The program will air twice a night.
COLLEGE SPORTS TONIGHT is just one of many new programs to be featured on
the CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK. Additional programming will be announced
shortly.
"We believe this rebranding will better position our college sports
cable network in the competitive world of cable television distribution,"
said McManus. "It's hard to imagine a cable company going forward that will
not welcome the CBS SPORTS branded channel to its cable systems. In this
move, we further build on the value of this important new part of our
company."
"The ability to bring unity to the CBS Sports brand across all media --
broadcast network, cable, online and mobile -- is something we know
audiences and advertisers will continue to embrace," said Petitti. "CBS
COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK will now be easily recognized as an asset of an
already proud brand and distributor of the highest quality sports
programming."
Additionally, CSTV's existing lineup of online properties will
integrate to produce incremental value to CBS's online audience. The
combination of CSTV's assets, including Max Preps, the most recognized
information site in the high school sports business, with the interactive
resources of CBS will create the industry's most coveted collection of
sports-related Web sites.
"CSTV has developed a significant online presence within the collegiate
sports community, and CBSSports.com has become one of the leading
destinations for professional sports coverage," said Jason Kint, Senior
Vice President and General Manager of CBSSports.com. "These are two world
class operations with complementary audiences, and, taken together, will
give CBS Sports the most powerful and varied user profile in all sports
media."
"CBS SPORTS has the finest slate of college programming in broadcast
television, and that commitment has played out to build one of the most
dedicated online audiences for that aspect of our programming," said
Petitti. "Adding the power of CSTV -- the CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK -- to
the online mix can only help to build that important new audience."
The change to CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK, which will include the full
integration of the CBS Sports on air style and graphics, follows the highly
successful rebranding of the former CBS Sportsline.com to CBSSports.com
last August. In the month following that change, CBSSports.com earned a 27%
increase in users giving the site the highest growth rate among major
sports sites.
CBS Corporation acquired CSTV, the leading digital media company
devoted exclusively to college athletics, in January 2006, and last month
announced the integration of its business and programming operations into
the CBS Sports division. Its many platforms for distribution include CSTV,
a national cable network, televising regular-season and championship events
for 35 men's and women's college sports; CSTV.com and its network of nearly
215 official athletic sites; CSTV XXL and All Access, broadband services
providing live and streaming audio and video of more than 10,000 events
annually; as well as satellite television and radio, in-flight
entertainment, wireless networks and more. All will now be part of the CBS
COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK brand.
CBS Sports, a year-round leader in television sports, broadcasts a
portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including the NFL's
American Football Conference schedule and championship games; THE NFL TODAY
studio show; college basketball, including regular-season games and the
NCAA Men's Basketball Championship; the most comprehensive golf lineup on
network television, including the Masters(R) and PGA Championship; the U.S.
Open Tennis Championships; SEC college football; CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR,
including auto racing, skiing, track & field and gymnastics; and NCAA
Championships.
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company with
constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast
industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of
the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations,
combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which
provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves
audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets.
It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment,
including broadcast television (CBS and The CW -- a joint venture between
CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), cable television (Showtime
and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television
production and syndication (CBS Paramount Network Television and CBS
Television Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home
media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS
Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS
Consumer Products), video/DVD (CBS Home Entertainment), in-store media (CBS
Outernet) and motion pictures (CBS Films). For more information, log on to
http://www.cbscorporation.com.
SOURCE CBS Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.cbscorporation.com
http://CBSSports.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/965075.html /
CONTACT:
LeslieAnne Wade, CBS Sports, +1-212-975-5171,
lwade@cbs.com
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