CBS’s syndication division, CBS Television Distribution, has been rebranded to CBS Media Ventures. The divison is set to oversee production, distribution, ad sales, and partnerships. “Syndication has traditionally meant distribution, but as the media landscape has evolved so have we,” said Steve LoCascio, President of CBS Media Ventures, in a statement. “This new name better reflects who we are and positions us for limitless opportunities in the future.”
Alongside the name change is a new brand identity that better correlates with CBS’s new overall brand strategy and unification program, developed by CBS President and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Benson and his team. “It was important for us to evolve CBS Media Ventures’ name, look and feel under the new CBS brand strategy cohesively,” Benson said in a statement. “The new brand identity of CMV will uniquely align with the other divisions of the company in a way that will emphasize our unified strength across all facets of the media industry.”
CBS Media Ventures’ new branding still features the CBS Eye with the new master CBS brand but calls out crucial CMV business areas.The division will also use its version of the new CBS five-note mnemonic on its programming, with the last note ending on a lower tone. CMV also handles national barter advertising sales for third parties including Debmar-Mercury’s syndicated programming Family Feud and Wendy Williams and Fox’s first-run series 25 Words or Less and Divorce Court. The division operates Dabl, a multiplatform, advertiser-supported lifestyle network in September lastyear in 95% of the country.
CBS Media Ventures produces and/or distributes 11 first-run syndicated TV series, including syndication’s top show in households, Judge Judy, as well as top games Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, both of which are produced by Sony Pictures Television. CMV also houses production for and distributes top talker "Dr. Phil," and produces and distributes top two magazines Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition. Also produced and distributed by CMV are "Rachael Ray," "The Doctors," "Hot Bench," "DailyMailTV," and "The Drew Barrymore Show."