CBS creates sports radio network in the US

MUMBAI: In order to form what it says will be the US? most listened sports radio network across the top 50 markets, US media conglomerate CBS has created CBS Sports Radio, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week lineup of national programming from premier entities CBS Radio and CBS Sports.

Cumulus Media, the largest pure-play radio broadcaster in the US, is the network?s exclusive syndicator and sales partner to secure affiliate agreements and ad sales with radio stations nationwide through Cumulus Media Networks.

In addition, Cumulus will make CBS Sports Radio programming available on 67 of its owned stations.

At launch, CBS Sports Radio will reach listeners in nine of the nation?s Top 10 markets, with a cumulative audience reach at debut close to 10 million listeners - nearly 90 per cent of them located in Top 50 markets.

CBS president, CEO Leslie Moonves said, "As one of the leading media companies in the world, and a dominant force in sports programming, we look forward to bringing to bear the full resources of CBS and capitalising on an exciting new growth opportunity for the company. CBS Sports and CBS Radio have been widely recognised for their outstanding contributions to sports broadcasting. This next step in their evolution will serve an ever-expanding audience of sports fans from coast to coast."

Cumulus Media chairman, president, CEO Lew Dickey said, "We are pleased to partner with CBS to deliver the leading entrant into the sports radio market. CBS Sports Radio is an exciting opportunity for us to offer compelling sports content to listeners nationwide, and unique sports marketing opportunities for our advertisers."

CBS Sports Radio is designed to enhance CBS?s existing sports properties and extend the national reach of the CBS Sports and CBS Radio brands to additional outlets across the country. Programming will be led by the team at CBS Radio, owners and operators of such sports stations WFAN-AM in New York, WSCR-AM in Chicago, WIP-FM in Philadelphia, WBZ-FM in Boston and WXYT-FM in Detroit, among others.

CBS Radio president, CEO Dan Mason said, "This is a great day for CBS Radio and sports fans nationwide. For more than two decades we have owned local sports radio and appreciate great talent and programming that resonates with listeners and elicits passionate dialogue and debate. We are bullish our expertise and prior achievements will allow us to successfully complement our existing businesses while expanding into what until now has been a largely unchallenged sector of the radio business."

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said, "In this era of growing multimedia platforms, the addition of a national radio network to CBS Sports? broadcast, cable and digital properties allows us to extend the storied CBS Sports brand to radio listeners across the country. We are pleased CBS Sports Radio will allow fans to consume CBS Sports content on a different platform from some of the most recognizable and respected broadcasters in the industry."

Elements of CBS Sports Radio will include:

• 24/7 all-sports talk radio lineup to debut on 2 January, 2013. Original programmes across multiple weekday and weekend time periods will feature expert sports commentary and interviews with major sports figures along with listener calls and fan interaction. All shows will broadcast live with an array of hosts, anchor teams and contributors.
  Opportunities for affiliates to regionalize their lineup by choosing from select programs currently featured on CBS Radio or Cumulus sports stations.
• Beginning on 4 September, CBS Sports updates can be heard on all network affiliate stations (see attached list). Headlines, breaking news and scores from the day?s major events and stories will be heard hourly.
• Contributions from sport-specific experts, as well as a prominent role on the network from CBS Sports, CBS Sports Networks and CBSSports.com?s roster of high-profile personalities delivering analysis, features and special reports.
  Online streaming of live network broadcasts.