I've always thought those reports about CBS network chief -- I'm sorry, CBS Corporation chief Les Moonves -- wooing Katie Couric over from NBC were a tad overheated. Now, in the form of a Women's Wear Daily article, comes some evidence that I may be right: Recent polling finds that the "Today" show hostess has a "likability rating" below that of her two NBC morning-show colleagues, behind "GMA's" Diane Sawyer and, most eyebrow-raisingly, behind Mrs. Les Moonves. Of course, Julie Chen may drive a harder bargain at home than Katie would at the office, but let's not go there, shall we?
Link: WWD Article.
January 3, 2006
CBS CORPORATION UNVEILS NEW COMPANY LOGO
Iconic CBS Eye To Become Identity of New Company
CBS Corporation Also Rebrands TV Stations and Outdoor Division
with the CBS Name
The CBS Corporation, which today became its own publicly traded company after the separation of Viacom Inc., unveiled this morning its new logo: the iconic CBS eye, one of the most recognized and revered corporate symbols in the world. The logo, which has been the face of the CBS Television Network for 55 years, will now represent the entire CBS Corporation, one of the most dynamic, integrated companies in media today, with interests in television, radio, digital media, publishing, outdoor advertising and theme parks.
Additionally, the company will rebrand its local TV station division and U.S. outdoor media operations with the CBS name. Effective today, the Viacom Television Stations Group will become CBS Television Stations, and the U.S. territory of Viacom Outdoor will be known as CBS Outdoor. Both announcements were made today by Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation.
“Very few logos offer the history, trust and goodwill of the CBS Eye, and we are extremely proud to have it represent the new CBS Corporation,” said Moonves. “We have in our portfolio the best, most venerable brands in all forms of media, from radio to TV to publishing, and it was extremely important to us to have a corporate identity that reflects the value and significance of those combined assets. The CBS Eye does that and more.”
“We’re also very proud to extend the CBS name to our local TV and U.S. outdoor media divisions,” Moonves continued. “Our station group has grown by leaps and bounds over the past four years, in not only ratings and revenues but in the quality of programming and talent, and it’s important that they carry a brand that reflects those achievements. Additionally, adding the CBS name to our fixtures in the United States will give our company even greater exposure throughout the country.”
The CBS Eye made its official debut on Oct. 17, 1951 as the new logo for the CBS Television Network. It was designed by William Golden, who was then Creative Director of CBS’s Advertising and Sales Promotion Department. His inspiration came while driving through Pennsylvania Dutch country, where he became intrigued by the hex symbols resembling the human eye drawn on Shaker barns to ward off evil spirits. He also came across a drawing in a Shaker art book from the 1850s that also looked like an eye. With the help of graphic artist Kurt Weiss, the first Eye logo was drawn. Over the years, the Eye has been seen in many different colors, sizes and dimensions. But to this day, the perfectly balanced design remains unchanged.
The local TV station group, to become CBS Television Stations, was previously known as the Viacom Television Stations Group, a name it took in 2001 to reflect the combined assets of the CBS Television Stations Group and the Paramount Stations Group. The division was then headed by Fred Reynolds, who has since become the CBS Corporation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Recently, Tom Kane, a veteran TV executive who had previously overseen the operations of major market stations WABC-TV New York and WPVI-TV Philadelphia, was named Reynold’s successor. The group’s last two major purchases included KOVR, the CBS station in Sacramento, and KCAL Los Angeles, one of the country’s most successful independent TV stations. In 1995, the group expanded dramatically when the station assets of the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company (Group W), including Boston’s WBZ, Philadelphia’s KYW, San Francisco’s KPIX, Pittsburgh’s KDKA and Baltimore’s WJZ, were merged with the CBS Television Stations Group. Today, the division is one of the largest network-owned TV station groups in the country, with 39 outlets (21 CBS, 15 UPN, one WB and two stations not affiliated with major networks) and 10 markets where it owns multiple stations, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and West Palm Beach. The division was started in 1941, when CBS purchased its very first station – WBCN New York, which later became WCBS-TV.
And the U.S. operations of Viacom Outdoor will be re-branded CBS Outdoor. Wally Kelly, currently Chairman and CEO of Viacom Outdoor, will become Chairman and CEO of CBS Outdoor, overseeing the U.S. territory, in addition to Canada and Mexico operations. Tom Goddard, President and CEO of Viacom Outdoor International, will continue to oversee the European territories, which include United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and China. Both will report directly to Moonves. The division, the world’s third largest out of home media enterprise whose billboards and outdoor signage are seen by tens of millions of people every day, was formed in 2001 when Viacom combined the properties of TDI with Infinity Outdoor (formerly OSI) to create Viacom Outdoor. Though that name is changing, its underlining principles are not. With both traditional outdoor and transit properties, CBS Outdoor and Viacom Outdoor International give advertisers both breadth of coverage across vast geographies and depth of coverage, providing multiple media opportunities in key markets.
CBS Corporation 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 UPN), cable television (Showtime),
local television (CBS Television Stations), television
production and syndication (Paramount Television and King
World), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home
media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster),
theme parks (Paramount Parks), digital media (CBS Digital
Media Group and CSTV Networks, transaction pending) and
consumer products (CBS Consumer Products). For more
information, log on to www.cbscorporation.com.
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