CBS Radio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the radio group, for the radio network see CBS Radio Network.
CBS Radio Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications (which interestingly owns many of the radio stations previously owned by former CBS parent Viacom before 1997) and Cumulus Broadcasting. The corporation owns around 180 radio stations operated from 22 states located across the country. In 2002 its sales were $3.7bn, an increase of just over 1% on the previous year. It is currently part of the CBS Corporation, which also owns CBS Television and the CBS Radio Network, and jointly owns the CW television network. Infinity had operated independently of CBS until the departure of chief executive Mel Karmazin in 2004.
Until recently, the stations' websites were not allowed to stream their programs online, except for some stations like 1010 WINS, which promotes its station by stating anytime on air and online. Company officials thought that there was no profit to be made from streaming.
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[edit] History
CBS Radio merged with Infinity Broadcasting in 1997, and took on the Infinity Broadcasting moniker. On December 14, 2005, in anticipation of media giant Viacom spinning off the CBS television and radio broadcast properties, the company reverted the division's brand back to CBS Radio.
From 1995 to 2005, it was the home of controversial and top-rated talk show host Howard Stern, who left due to increasing FCC and station censorship. In January 2006, rock star David Lee Roth, Rover's Morning Glory, The Junkies, and talk show host Adam Carolla replaced Stern in most major radio markets, although Roth's show was cancelled four months later. CBS Radio announced that XM Radio shock jocks Opie and Anthony will replace Roth on the Free FM stations that carried him, despite the irony that the two were fired after the sex act controversy inside of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York.
In August 2006, CBS Radio announced the sale of its 15 radio stations in Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; and Rochester, New York to Entercom Communications. This group deal is awaiting FCC regulatory approval. Several other stations, most in smaller markets, have also been sold to companies like Border Media Partners and Peak Media Corporation.
[edit] Free FM
- For more details on this topic, see Free FM.
Free FM is CBS Radio's brand for its male-oriented talk stations. Hosts such as Opie & Anthony, KiddChris, Tom Leykis, Adam Carolla, Russ Martin, Conway and Whitman, and John and Jeff are featured on these stations. Free FM also features local hosts, depending on the market.
[edit] Jack FM
- For more details on this topic, see Jack FM.
CBS Radio owns the majority of stations in the United States that broadcast the Jack FM format, a radio format that incorporates all types of popular music from the mid-50s to the present. These include stations in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, Sacramento, Baltimore and many other cities.
[edit] Major League Baseball
CBS Radio is the largest broadcaster of local Major League Baseball broadcasts. However, in recent years, CBS has decided to drop most of its baseball contracts once they run out. This stems from MLB's deal with XM Satellite Radio. As part of that agreement, CBS and other local rights holders have to make their baseball broadcasts available to XM, but do not have to be compensated for it. In the past two years, CBS has dropped the St. Louis Cardinals from KMOX and the Pittsburgh Pirates from KDKA, ending two long relationships between the teams and their flagship stations. However, it is expected that New York Yankees games will be renewed on WCBS-AM. [1]
