CBS News and Stations
The CBS division responsible for CBS News and a portfolio of owned-and-operated television stations.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
CBS News and Stations is the CBS division that combines the network's news organization with its group of owned-and-operated television stations. The unit is part of CBS Entertainment Group, itself within Paramount Skydance Corporation. Its activities span national and local television news, broadcast station operations, digital news distribution, network-affiliated programming, and the management of station brands and local media businesses. The division's station operations trace their roots to CBS's early television activity. CBS began experimenting with television in New York City during the early 1930s and launched commercial station WCBW in 1941. That station, later renamed WCBS-TV, remains the only station in the present portfolio originally built and signed on by CBS. Most of the other stations were added through acquisitions, ownership partnerships, asset exchanges, or corporate mergers rather than by direct construction of new outlets. CBS expanded its television presence in major American markets during the 1950s, acquiring or taking interests in stations in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Some holdings were later sold because of regulatory restrictions, technical limitations, or strategic changes. The company also developed important relationships with station owners, especially Westinghouse Broadcasting, whose KDKA-TV and KPIX were already CBS affiliates and whose broader station group joined CBS in a major affiliation realignment during the 1990s. The 1995 acquisition of CBS by Westinghouse brought the Group W station portfolio into the CBS corporate structure. The combination was followed by further transactions involving station licenses, affiliations, and ownership limits. In 2000, the CBS-Westinghouse company merged with Viacom, combining CBS's stations with Viacom's Paramount Stations Group and its UPN outlets. After the 2005–2006 corporate split, the station group was renamed CBS Television Stations in January 2006. The group later adopted the CBS News and Stations name in 2021 to emphasize the closer integration of local stations with the CBS News organization. As described in reference material from the early 2020s, the division operated 28 stations: 15 primary CBS network stations, two CW affiliates, ten independent stations, and one station whose primary channel carried Start TV. The portfolio has included major-market outlets such as WCBS-TV in New York, KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, WBBM-TV in Chicago, WXYZ-related Detroit operations through WWJ-TV, KTVT in Dallas–Fort Worth, KPIX in San Francisco, WBZ-TV in Boston, WFOR-TV in Miami, KYW-TV in Philadelphia, and WUSA in Washington, D.C., although ownership and affiliation arrangements have changed over time. The division also maintained a half-interest in Start TV with Weigel Broadcasting as of 2018. CBS News and Stations operates as both a national news enterprise and a local broadcasting group. Its strategic value lies in combining CBS News programming and reporting resources with the reach of local stations, allowing the company to distribute news across broadcast television and related digital channels while maintaining local-market identities. Its history reflects the broader consolidation and restructuring of American broadcast television, including affiliation realignments, regulatory constraints, mergers, network launches, and the transition from standalone station ownership toward integrated national and local news operations.
History
CBS's involvement in television began with experimental broadcasting in New York City in 1931. The company received authorization for commercial station WCBW in 1941; the station was later renamed WCBS-TV and became the only station in the modern CBS portfolio that CBS originally built and launched itself. Subsequent station expansion primarily came through acquisitions, ownership interests, affiliation arrangements, and corporate transactions. During the 1950s CBS sought greater control over distribution in major markets. It acquired stations or interests in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, although some holdings were later divested because of ownership rules, market overlap, or business considerations. CBS also experimented with UHF ownership in Milwaukee and Hartford, but sold those outlets when UHF's technical limitations reduced their commercial value. Its relationship with Westinghouse became particularly important after Westinghouse acquired Pittsburgh station WDTV, renamed it KDKA-TV, and affiliated it with CBS. The station landscape changed substantially in the 1980s and 1990s. In Miami, CBS acquired WCIX during a complicated affiliation transition after WTVJ moved to NBC. In 1992 it acquired Midwest Communications, adding WCCO-TV in Minneapolis and WFRV-TV in Green Bay. The 1994 New World-Fox affiliation agreements then forced CBS to find replacement outlets in markets such as Detroit and Atlanta, leading it to acquire WGPR, later WWJ-TV, and WVEU, later WUPA, among other transactions. A decisive restructuring followed in 1995, when Westinghouse acquired CBS. Westinghouse Broadcasting's stations, including WBZ-TV, WJZ-TV, KDKA-TV, and KPIX, became part of the CBS station operation. The transaction involved a complex set of station swaps and license transfers with NBC, including changes affecting Philadelphia, Miami, Denver, and Salt Lake City. Westinghouse later changed its corporate name to CBS Corporation. In 2000 CBS Corporation merged with Viacom. CBS's station division was combined with Viacom's Paramount Stations Group, which controlled stations associated with UPN. The merger produced several CBS-UPN station combinations in the same markets and expanded the company's holdings. Viacom subsequently bought, exchanged, and sold various stations, including KCAL-TV in Los Angeles and KOVR in Sacramento, while divesting other outlets to comply with strategy and ownership requirements. After Viacom and CBS separated into independently traded companies in 2006, the station operation was renamed CBS Television Stations. The launch of The CW that same year caused another national affiliation realignment: CBS committed several former UPN stations to the new network, while other stations became independent, joined MyNetworkTV, or changed affiliations. Further divestitures followed, including the sale of WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV in 2007 and the transfer of several smaller-market stations to Four Points Media Group, a holding company formed by Cerberus Capital Management. The group was renamed CBS News and Stations in 2021. The new identity reflected an organizational emphasis on connecting national CBS News resources with local television stations. In the early 2020s, the division was described as operating 28 stations, including CBS network outlets, CW affiliates, independent stations, and a station carrying Start TV. Its development illustrates the consolidation of American television broadcasting and the continuing importance of station ownership, network affiliation, local news, and national distribution.
- 2021
CBS News and Stations name adopted
[1]CBS renamed the division to highlight the integration of national news and local station operations.
- 2006
Station group renamed CBS Television Stations
[1]The operation received the CBS Television Stations name after the CBS and Viacom corporate split.
- 2000
CBS merges with Viacom
[1]CBS stations and Viacom's Paramount Stations Group were combined into one television-stations operation.
- 1995
Westinghouse acquires CBS
[1]The acquisition integrated Westinghouse Broadcasting's television stations into the CBS station portfolio.
- 1992
CBS acquires Midwest Communications
[1]The transaction added WCCO-TV in Minneapolis and WFRV-TV in Green Bay to CBS's station holdings.
- 1953
CBS acquires Chicago station WBKB
[1]CBS purchased WBKB in Chicago and changed its call sign to WBBM-TV.
- 1950
CBS expands into major television markets
[1]CBS acquired or developed interests in stations in markets including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
- 1941
WCBW receives commercial authorization
[1]CBS's New York television operation received commercial authorization and later became WCBS-TV.
- 1931
CBS begins experimental television broadcasting
[1]CBS began television experiments in New York City through station W2XAB.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated American broadcast-news and television-station division combining national CBS News capabilities with local owned-and-operated stations.
National news
CBS News
The division's national news operation, producing television and digital journalism for CBS platforms and supplying reporting, programming, and editorial resources across the wider CBS news and station network.
Broadcast television · 1941
CBS owned-and-operated television stations
A portfolio of local stations that carry CBS network programming while producing market-specific newscasts, weather, traffic, public-affairs programming, and locally oriented digital content.
Broadcast television
Independent and CW-affiliated stations
The broader station portfolio has also included independent outlets and CW affiliates, allowing CBS to operate television properties outside the core CBS network-affiliate model.
Digital broadcast network · 2018
Start TV
CBS maintained a half-interest in Start TV with Weigel Broadcasting as of 2018. The division's station portfolio included an Indianapolis outlet whose primary channel carried the digital subchannel network.
Brand decisions
2021
Integration of CBS News and station operationsStrategyBackground
CBS sought to present its national news organization and local station group as a more integrated media operation.
Action taken
The CBS Television Stations division was renamed CBS News and Stations.
Aftermath
The new structure and name emphasized coordination between national reporting, local newsrooms, broadcast distribution, and digital publishing.
2006
Participation in the launch of The CWStrategyBackground
The CW was created to replace UPN and The WB, prompting a nationwide restructuring of broadcast affiliations.
Action taken
CBS committed 11 former UPN stations to affiliation agreements with The CW, while other stations moved to different networks or became independent.
Aftermath
The decision reshaped the company's station portfolio and contributed to the creation of new local-market duopolies and affiliation patterns.
2000
Merger with ViacomM&ABackground
CBS and Viacom combined their broadcasting assets, including CBS stations and Viacom's Paramount Stations Group and UPN outlets.
Action taken
The companies formed a consolidated television-stations group with CBS and UPN properties in several overlapping markets.
Aftermath
The group was later renamed CBS Television Stations after CBS and Viacom separated in 2006.
1995
Westinghouse acquisition of CBSM&ABackground
Westinghouse sought a broad network affiliation arrangement and ultimately acquired CBS, bringing the Group W television stations into the CBS corporate structure.
Action taken
The transaction combined CBS's network and station operations with Westinghouse Broadcasting's television assets and required related station swaps and divestitures.
Aftermath
The combined company operated under the CBS identity and later became part of the 2000 Viacom-CBS merger.
Recent events
- 2021
CBS Television Stations is renamed CBS News and Stations[1]
Leadership change
The station group adopted the CBS News and Stations name as CBS aligned its national news operation more closely with its local television portfolio.
- 2006
Viacom Television Stations Group becomes CBS Television Stations[1]
Other
Following the split of Viacom and CBS Corporation, the combined station operation was renamed CBS Television Stations.
- 2006
CBS and Time Warner announce The CW[1]
M&A
CBS and Time Warner announced the replacement of UPN and The WB with The CW, with CBS committing a number of former UPN stations as affiliates.
- 2000
CBS combines its stations with Viacom's Paramount Stations Group[1]
M&A
The Viacom-CBS merger created a combined television-stations group incorporating CBS owned-and-operated stations and Viacom's Paramount and UPN station holdings.
Sources1 sources
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