CBS

CBS is a prominent global media and entertainment company that produces and distributes a wide array of content across multiple platforms. It operates the most-watched television network in the United States and possesses one of the industry's largest libraries of entertainment content. CBS's diverse operations include cable networks, publishing, radio, local television, film production, and outdoor advertising. The company engages in the production and distribution of various programming, including news, sports, and entertainment shows, as well as theatrical motion pictures. CBS also manages a significant portfolio of local broadcasting assets, including numerous television and radio stations. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in New York, CBS continues to innovate in the media landscape, offering streaming services and digital products while maintaining a focus on high-quality content for audiences around the world.

David Bank

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

Julie Forsythe

Vice President, Investments

Joseph Ianniello

President and Acting Chief Executive Officer

27 past transactions

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Network Ten

Acquisition in 2017
Network Ten is one of Australia’s leading entertainment and news content companies, with assets across free-to-air television, online and digital platforms. Our corporate vision is simple: “We create innovative and authentic multi-platform content that entertains and engages the young at heart.”

247 Sports

Acquisition in 2015
247Sports is a digital media enterprise focused on delivering original sports and entertainment news on a team-by-team basis to sports fans across the world through a spectrum of platforms. Launched in 2010 by the founders of Rivals.com (acquired by Yahoo!), 247Sports creates innovative and unique technology and data-driven products designed for more engaging consumption of team-specific sports news, like the Bolts Team News feed, Crystal Ball prediction engine, Industry Composite Rankings and the Internet’s best Player Database. With more than 20 million monthly unique users according to Google Analytics, more than 20 million social followers, and more than 2 million daily newsletter subscribers, 247Sports reaches fans via team-specific online publications and websites, VIP insider subscription services, online news feeds, social platforms, daily newsletters and mobile apps as well as through its exclusive partnership with CBSSports.com. Milestone: 247Sports registered 22.754 million unique users according to comScore in January 2016, reaching 8.8% of the total U.S. internet audience and placed No. 10 overall in the sports category.

Xcar

Angel Round in 2014
XCar Power Technology & Trade Co., Ltd. operates an online portal that provides independent reviews and information for consumers considering car purchases. It also provides original and user-generated content, and a database of car and related product information in China. The company offers news, reviews, and information regarding the auto market for consumers considering car purchases. The company is based in Beijing, China. XCar Power Technology & Trade Co., Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of CBS Corporation.

Syncbak

Series C in 2013
Syncbak powers the broadcast industry's most successful OTT solutions, including CBS All Access and live TV for Hulu, fuboTV and other vMVPDs. Broadcasters use Syncbak's end-to-end platform for live stream transcoding, cloud-based rights resolution, cloud-based DVR, device filtering, geo-location services, content management, stream monitoring and dynamic ad insertion.

POP TV

Acquisition in 2013
PoP tv operates as a television entertainment network.

Clicker

Acquisition in 2011
Clicker is the ultimate guide to Internet television. As massive amounts of programming move online, consumers are entering a world of infinite choices, all on-demand. Great! Finding the show you want to watch? Painful. Thousands of episodes from thousands of shows are housed on thousands of different sites, mixed amongst billions of random videos. Clicker culls all broadcast programming, and TV-quality Web originals, from these silos and delivers them in one seamless, organized experience so you can easily find, save, share and even contribute content for any show or episode online.

EcoMedia

Acquisition in 2010
EcoMedia is an environmental media firm. Since the founding of the company in 2001, our team has worked tirelessly to develop and hone an advertising model that would transform this ideal into reality.

CNET

Acquisition in 2008
CNET is an online platform that provides tech product reviews, news, prices, videos, forums, podcasts, how to's, and more. Their global team works 24/7 to explore and explain the changing world. They encourage lively conversation and open exchange of information but reserve the right to respond to and/or delete comments at their discretion. It was launched by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie in 1994.

International Outdoor Advertising Group

Acquisition in 2008
International Outdoor Advertising Group operates as an out-of-home advertising company.

TargetSpot

Series B in 2008
TargetSpot is the largest internet radio advertising network in the United States, specializing in connecting brands and local businesses with online listeners through a range of interactive advertising solutions. The company offers a software-as-a-service platform and full-service account management to help advertisers create targeted campaigns based on geography, listening preferences, and demographics. This allows for the delivery of high-impact audio, display, and pre-roll video ads across thousands of online audio properties. TargetSpot boasts over 85 distribution partners, including notable companies like CBS RADIO and Cox Media Group. Based in New York City, TargetSpot is supported by investors such as Union Square Ventures and Bain Capital Ventures.

SignStorey

Acquisition in 2007
CBS Outernet provides in-store digital media networks to the grocery industry in the United States. The company's media distribution platform helps grocery retailers, advertisers, and content providers to market their products to individual shoppers. It also offers a range of implementation and production services. The company, formerly SignStorey, Inc., was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut. CBS Outernet is a former subsidiary of Gerber Scientific, Inc. As of October 5, 2007, CBS Outernet is a subsidiary of CBS Corporation.

Dotspotter

Acquisition in 2007
Dotspotter was an all in one Celebrity and Pop Culture junction where Britney and Angelina obsessed fans could get the latest updates on gossip, celebrity sightings, haute couture taboo and could see the most news worthy photos of videos. It was a site for the true celebrity voyeur, Dotspotter has garnered serious fandom from the same crowd reading Perez Hilton and other tabloid blogs. Users are equally involved in the site's community. They are encouraged to submit photos and other media as well as post recent celeb sightings. CBS acquired Dotspotter 10 months after their launch. The acquisition marked a new interest for CBS to augment its celebrity gossip projects such as The Insider TV show. In June of 2008, Dotspotter was rebranded as The Insider, a CBS property that had both a web and TV presence.

FirstDIBZ

Venture Round in 2007
FirstDIBZ, founded in 2001, is dedicated to providing passionate buyers an entirely new and compelling way to gain access to the things which they most desire, while providing the world's most sought after brands an entirely new capability by which they can reach and delight these passionate buyers.

WallStrip

Acquisition in 2007
A financial news video blog hosted by perky actress Lindsay Campbell, Wallstrip went strong for 8 months or so before being acquired by media giant CBS. Taking a non-traditional approach to the news, Campbell tells stories and inserts humor whenever possible. In ways similar ways to John Stewart's Daily Show, Wallstrip appeals to an audience of knowledgeable viewers who would like to be entertained. Competitors include other video blogs such as [RocketBoom](http://crunchbase.com/organization/rocketboom), [WebbAlert](http://crunchbase.com/organization/webbalert) and [TeXtra](http://textra.podshow.com/).

Joost

Series A in 2007
Joost Operations SA is a web video streaming service that allows users to watch videos, music, TV shows, and movies over the Internet. Founded in 2006 and based in Luxembourg, with offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Joost offers a peer-to-peer on-demand video player featuring professional programming similar to traditional television. The service is free but includes video advertisements during programming. Joost has secured content partnerships with major media companies, including CBS, Viacom, CNN, and the NHL, enhancing its offerings with a variety of shows and films. Unlike many online platforms, Joost initially required users to download a desktop client, although it has since transitioned to streaming via Adobe Flash Player, compatible with multiple operating systems. Joost also provides interactive features, enabling users to chat with friends while watching and access behind-the-scenes content. The company aims to reduce streaming costs for content providers through its peer-to-peer technology and is exploring potential partnerships with hardware manufacturers to integrate its platform into TV set-top boxes.

Last.fm

Acquisition in 2007
Last.fm is a social networking platform focused on music discovery and recommendations. It features a music recommendation engine that distinguishes itself from competitors by using user-generated data to create personalized internet radio stations, rather than relying solely on musical attributes. Users submit their listening habits through a process known as "scrobbling," which can be done via over 600 devices and media players. In addition to its music recommendations, Last.fm provides various community features, including artist profiles, discographies, events, and forums. A key aspect of Last.fm's offering is its extensive API, which allows third-party applications, such as Spotify and SongKick, to integrate user data into their services. This API has fostered a diverse developer community that creates innovative music-related tools, enhancing the overall user experience and engagement on social networking platforms.

MaxPreps

Acquisition in 2007
MaxPreps is America's Source for High School Sports. They are proud to be involved with America's hometown heroes – the young men and women working hard to improve their skills, place team above self, and serve as inspirations to their local communities. MaxPreps aspires to cover every team, every game and every player. They do this in partnership with nearly 25,000 varsity coaches throughout the United States.

The Electric Sheep

Series A in 2007
The Electric Sheep Company creates Web-enabled social and virtual world experiences through strategy, design, production, and technology. Since 2005, ESC has worked with the world's largest brands, media companies, and agencies to design and implement great consumer virtual experiences. Our clients include MTV, CBS, Showtime, NBC, Warner Bros, NBA, MLB, WWE, AOL, IBM, Intel, Reuters, Pepsi, Geek Squad, Procter & Gamble, Nissan, Bantam Dell and many more.

Mahalo

Series B in 2007
Mahalo is a human-powered search engine founded by entrepreneur Jason Calacanis. It differentiates itself by generating search results through a team of profile builders who create detailed pages for approximately 10,000 unique queries, with plans to expand to 25,000 queries. The search results are non-algorithmic, resulting in deep and useful content, although the process is slower than automated engines. For queries without a dedicated page, Mahalo supplements results with information from Google. The layout combines elements of traditional search engines and Wikipedia, with factual information provided alongside categorized links. Users can submit their own links for consideration, which are voted on before publication. Despite its slow growth due to the manual curation process, Mahalo functions without revenue for several years, positioning itself as an alternative to major search engines and knowledge-sharing platforms.

Spot Runner

Series B in 2006
Spot Runner is an Internet based ad agency that focuses on making it easy and affordable for local businesses to advertise on TV. Traditionally making commercials has been too expensive and complex for small businesses. The ones that have gotten past these obstacles often end up showing an ad that looks terrible in comparison to those produced for major corporations. Spot Runner is looking to change the television ad industry by offering everything needed to get your commercial on TV at a reasonable price. The entire process takes just days and is a fraction of the cost (as little as $500) of what it otherwise would be. They've done all of this by creating a library of stock TV ads. Once users find one they like, they can customize it by adding voiceovers, a logo and business information. After an ad has been purchased it remains in Spot Runner's library, but won't be sold to anyone else in the same area.

CSTV Networks

Acquisition in 2005
CSTV Networks, Inc., doing business as CBS Sports Network, operates a sports television channel. It televises men’s and women’s sports, live games, and live programming, such as college football, college basketball, and others. The company also operates sports radio stations; broadcasts television programs online; and sells sports apparel, accessories, and gear through its online store. CSTV Networks, Inc. was formerly known as College Sports Television and changed its name to CSTV Networks, Inc. in 2005.

College Sports Television

Acquisition in 2005
College Sports Television is a operator of a 24-hour cable television network devoted to college sports.

StoreRunner

Venture Round in 2000
In late 1998, StoreRunner.com launched as one of the first online shopping sites on the Web, offering a wide selection of products and services from the most trusted retailers, with technologies enabling users to shop online or in their own neighborhoods. In early 1999, CBS committed over $100 million in promotional support to StoreRunner in exchange for an equity stake in the business. This investment allowed StoreRunner to promote its brand across all CBS' television, radio, outdoor and interactive media properties, rapidly accelerating StoreRunner's appeal to shoppers and merchants. In May of 2000, after months of consumer research and testing, StoreRunner re-launched its own branded site with an entirely new look and feel, improved navigation, advanced search functionality, enhanced data feed capabilities for large retailers and catalogers, a suite of e-Commerce-enabling tools for small-to-mid size businesses, and an expanded database of over 1 million products in over 8,000 different categories.

iWon

Private Equity Round in 2000
iWon is a CBS-backed destination portal that combines search, content, and functionality.

King World Productions

Acquisition in 2000
King World Productions engages in the production and distribution of television programming in the United States, Canada, and other foreign countries; and related operations, as of May 31, 1999. Formerly, the company was a subsidiary of CBS Corporation.

American Radio Systems

Acquisition in 1997
American Radio Systems (ARS) is the fifth largest radio broadcasting company in the United States with 98 radio stations (including pending transactions) located in 19 predominately top 50 markets, including several major markets where CBS has existing radio and television stations.