Retro Raunch Revisit

H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y  T O
SEP 18, 1927: The Columbia Broadcasting System first debuts on the air in Manhattan, New York as a radio network. Its origins began as the United Independent Broadcasters, Inc. founded in Chicago in Jan 1927, and in Apr had an investment from a parent Record company resulting in its rebranding as the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System. In 1928, CPBS was sold to the WCAU Philadelphia affiliate who changed the name again to CBS. In Sep 1929, Paramount Pictures bought 49% of the company's stock shares but during the Great Depression, sold them back to the network in Mar 1932. Operating independently as one of the largest radio organizations in the USA, its popular programs included Lux Radio Theater; comedies such as Jack Benny, Duffy's Tavern & Amos 'n' Andy; mystery & chiller programs; detective serials such as The Shadow, and Westerns. CBS then expanded its horizons into television starting in the 1940's eventually becoming one of the big 3 national broadcasters alongside ABC & NBC also both in New York. In Oct 1951, the trademark circular eye-logo was designed and in Mar 1952, CBS began its syndication division which became Viacom in Jul 1970 which in itself spun off into its own separate company in Jan 1971. In Jan 1974, another name change followed this time becoming CBS, Inc. Its biggest TV programs have been its political talk show Face the Nation; news programs & 60 Minutes; late night talk shows such as Ed Sullivan; sitcoms such as The Honeymooners & I Love Lucy; Star Trek; The Twilight Zone; pro football & golf; daytime soap operas; games shows; Westerns such as Gunsmoke & Rawhide; children's programming & Saturday morning cartoons; the Miss USA beauty pageant; National Geographic specials; and animated primetime holiday specials. In Nov 2017, CBS sold its radio division to Entercom which became Audacy, Inc. in Mar 2021. To date, CBS has 15 owned & operated stations, as well as current & pending affiliation agreements with 228 additional TV stations in all 50 US states. Its programs are aired in 91 countries through cable, digital, video-on-demand streaming, and satellite.