CBS announces sweeping distribution deals

Cory Bergman April 12th, 2007

CBS will distribute selected primetime shows as well as CBS Evening News to a new host of online distribution partners: MSN, AOL, Joost, CNET (TV.com), Comcast (Comcast.net and Fancast), Bebo, Brightcove, Sling Media, Veoh and Netvibes. It’s part of a new CBS initiative dubbed the CBS Interactive Audience Network. All content will be free and ad-supported, and the Wall Street Journal reports distributors will get a 10 percent cut of the revenue. “Today marks an important step in our strategy to distribute content broadly across the online interactive landscape on an open, non-exclusive basis,” said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS. And that’s not all: the WSJ reports that CBS is in discussions with the News Corp-NBCU video venture, as well.

So in essense, you’ll soon be able to watch CBS shows just about everywhere online. Lost Remote reader Jeff sent us a note earlier this morning about his experiences with Joost, and his comments carry even more weight when you consider the new CBS distribution deals: “This demonstrates that for local TV, the license no longer is an exclusive franchise to print money. And for cable MSOs, this should further drive home that maybe they should have an alternative business plan to just provide a lot of bandwidth to the consumer and let them have at it.” It’s a new world, folks.

Press release with a lot more details on the CBS announcement below…

PRESS RELEASE — April 12 — CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS, CBS.A)
announced today the creation of the CBS Interactive Audience
Network which will initially include new content deals with a host of
online distributors including AOL, Microsoft, CNET Networks, Comcast,
Joost, Bebo, Brightcove, Netvibes, Sling Media and Veoh. The agreements,
building on the Company’s existing arrangements, solidify CBS’s position as
the most widely distributed professional content provider on the Web.

All content will be advertiser supported and free to the consumer. CBS
will begin selling the CBS Interactive Audience Network in the coming
weeks, including the upcoming Upfront marketplace. Advertising revenue will
be shared between CBS and its partners. All content will be available
domestically with select clips and full-length sports programming
distributed worldwide.

“Today marks an important step in our strategy to distribute content
broadly across the online interactive landscape on an open, non-exclusive
basis,” said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS
Corporation. “Each of these partners offers value to our audience and our
advertisers, who can now come to CBS not only for the most watched network
on television, but for the most widely distributed professional content
online.”

“CBS’s ability to partner with leading next-generation interactive
platforms is the best way for CBS to evolve from a content company to an
audience company,” said Quincy Smith, President, CBS Interactive. “It’s
really all about the user and in building the CBS Interactive Audience
Network, we are bringing our content to each unique platform of their
choice. In remaining open to all online distributors and community builders
- big and small - we can learn more about our existing audience, be exposed
to new ones, and flexibly cater to their changing consumption habits.”

A rotating list within a specified viewing timeframe of programming
from entertainment, news and sports will be offered including:

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION,
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN,
SURVIVOR, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING,
CSTV GAME OF THE WEEK,
CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC,

among others, including classic programming from the vast library
of CBS Television Distribution.

CBS has previously entered into existing and ongoing content
distribution arrangements with Yahoo!, Apple iTunes, Microsoft’s Xbox,
Amazon UnBox and many others.

Mirroring the online strategy, CBS Mobile also employs direct
agreements with each of the three largest US wireless carriers -
AT&T/Cingular, Verizon Wireless and Sprint - as well as leading next
generation platforms such as Qualcomm MediaFLO.

“This is definitely a progressive approach to content distribution, not
only due to its scope, but also because it allows consumers to share and
engage with content,” said Curt Hecht, chief digital officer at GM
Planworks and a leading digital expert across Starcom MediaVest Group, one
of the world’s largest media communications organizations and a division of
Publicis. “By pushing beyond simple cable and satellite as distribution
outlets, CBS is finding new ways to leverage the reach and scale of the
portals, while also giving consumers the control they increasingly demand
to share content. This is an exciting new business model and valuable to
SMG as we pursue new and enduring consumer connections.”

Rino Scanzoni, Chief Investment Officer with Group M, a leading global
media investment management company under WPP, one of the world’s largest
communications services groups, added, “Our clients are looking for quality
content to resonate their message and for maximum distribution to activate
results. CBS will clearly achieve both these objectives, hands down.”

Online partners included in the CBS Interactive Audience Network include:

— AOL - AOL is one of the largest Web networks in the United States and
attracts more than 108 million unique visitors a month.
“CBS produces some of the best shows on television, and has one of the
richest libraries of classic programs anywhere, so their decision to
make their content available on AOL is very exciting for consumers,”
said Kevin Conroy, Executive Vice President, AOL. “We are delighted to
be a distribution partner for CBS. This will further increase the
amount of high quality content available on Video.AOL.com and across
our network of Web properties.”

— Microsoft - CBS content will be available on MSN Video, one of the
leading licensed content sites on the internet. MSN Video consumers
will be able to search for, browse and play content from CBS as well as
other MSN Video content partners in the MSN Video player, a seamless
and easy-to-use experience. MSN Video streams hundreds of millions of
videos every month, to an MSN worldwide audience that is over 460
million unique users monthly.

“With one of the most popular programmed video services on the web, MSN
video is the best place to go for access to all the best high quality,
licensed video content in one place,” said Kevin Johnson, President,
Platforms and Services Division, Microsoft. “Our alliance with CBS
will allow us to provide consumers an amazing array of video content in
a safe and legal manner. The addition of CBS’s most popular content is
another great win for MSN customers, for our content partners at CBS,
and for our advertising customers.”

— CNET Networks, Inc. - TV.com, a popular brand in the CNET Networks
(NASDAQ: CNET) portfolio and a leading content and community site for
TV fans will create an interactive environment for the hit television
franchise CSI where TV.com’s audience can discuss the latest buzz
around the show.

“TV.com attracts today’s most passionate and engaged TV fans by
creating a community that enables viewers to deepen their bonds with
their favorite shows and connect with other fans,” said Neil Ashe,
CEO, CNET Networks. “We have millions of people coming to the site each
week to discuss CSI and create buzz about a show that they love. We’re
excited to work with CBS to feed our audience’s desire for more content
and interactivity for one of today’s hottest television franchises.”

— Comcast - CBS content will appear on Comcast’s entertainment sites,
including Comcast.net, the company’s video-rich portal and Fancast, a
new national entertainment site scheduled to launch this summer, where
people will be able to search and discover television and movie
content, while managing their viewing experience across multiple
devices. Comcast is the nation’s leading provider of cable,
entertainment and communications products and services.

— Joost - Through Joost, the world’s first broadcast-quality Internet
television service, viewers can watch CBS programs through a
customizable platform with advanced television viewing features such as
links that lead to more information or related websites based on the
content; and a variety of plug-in applications, such as instant
messaging, message boards and news tickers.

“Joost is a long-term solution for content owners seeking to expand
their audiences in the online world. A state-of-the-art global
distribution platform, Joost is the perfect place for CBS to offer its
channels, brands and premium programming to online audiences,” said
Yvette Alberdingkthijm, executive vice president of content strategy
and acquisition for Joost. “By working with Joost, CBS can get closer
to its audiences while retaining maximum programming flexibility and
control over its channels.”

— Bebo - Bebo is a global social networking website which aims to bring
together like-minded individuals who are creative, expressive and
socially aware. Bebo has over 31 million members worldwide and is the
largest social network in the U.K., Ireland and New Zealand and one of
the top 3 social networks in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

“Bebo is committed to providing the best environment for people to
express themselves, discover their passions and communicate and
collaborate with others”, said Michael Birch, Co-founder and CEO, Bebo.
“Bebo users spend more time on Bebo than on any other website and our
partnership with CBS ensures that its favorite CBS content reaches this
highly engaged audience.”

— Brightcove - Brightcove will feature ad-supported CBS video channels on
its popular consumer destination, Brightcove.com. Fans of hit CBS
programs will be able to post comments and interact with other viewers,
remix content through interactive editing tools, and share videos
through personal channels on Brightcove.com. For long-form CBS content,
Brightcove will also provide a full-screen theatre-mode viewing
experience.

“The CBS commitment to open and broad distribution across the Web marks
another major milestone in the evolution of Internet TV,” said Jeremy
Allaire, chairman and chief executive officer, Brightcove. “We are
thrilled CBS has chosen Brightcove.com to expand the distribution of
award-winning news and entertainment programming. The partnership will
bring our community exciting new opportunities to engage deeply with
some of the most compelling shows on television today.”

— Netvibes - Four CBS Universes will debut on the new Netvibes Universe
Network, leveraging the power of Netvibes to distribute and provide
personalized content to users. All CBS content will also be published
across the Netvibes Ecosystem, the web’s leading collection of user-
generated feeds, modules, and personalized homepages. Starting Monday,
CBS Universes will be available for:
CBS News ( http://www.netvibes.com/cbsnews ),
ShowBuzz ( http://www.netvibes.com/showbuzz ),
CSTV ( http://www.netvibes.com/cstv ),
and SportsLine ( http://www.netvibes.com/sportsline ).

“Netvibes Universe makes it easy for everyone to collect, customize and
share rich media content online, throughout over 150 countries and 80
languages. Anyone who visits the new CBS Universes can instantly access
their favorite CBS shows, sports, and news feeds, and personalize it
exactly the way they want it,” said Netvibes Founder and CEO, Tariq
Krim.

— Sling Media - Sling Media will distribute free, ad supported, full
length as well as clip-based video content from CBS via Sling’s
forthcoming video destination and its enhanced SlingPlayer software,
which will be launched for both Slingbox and non-Slingbox customers
this summer. In addition, Sling Media plans to integrate the same CBS
content into additional platforms including its forthcoming
SlingCatcher.

“We are excited to extend our business relationship with CBS by
offering our current and future audiences access to great long form
programming from CBS that covers the spectrum from drama and comedy to
sports and news,” said Jason Hirschhorn, president of the Sling Media
Entertainment Group. “CBS is proving they are a leader in the digital
media space by embracing new platforms for content distribution. The
announcement is an example of true ubiquity as evidenced by the cast of
both new and established partners. We are proud to be working with them
on this endeavor.”

— Veoh - CBS content will be made available to viewers on the Veoh
Network through branded, customized channels on Veoh.com and the Veoh
Player application. Utilizing Veoh’s state-of-the-art peer-to-peer
technology, CBS fans will be able to watch their favorite shows in a
full-screen, DVD-quality format for a truly unique viewing experience
that makes Veoh a leader in Internet Television.

“We welcome CBS to our growing stable of media partners. CBS is one of
the most respected entertainment brands in the business and we are
excited to offer its vast and impressive catalog of high quality,
entertaining and original programming to our viewers as part of the CBS
Interactive Audience Network,” said Dmitry Shapiro, CEO of Veoh
Networks. “Veoh’s large and growing audience and unique technology
enable traditional media to expand their brands through increased
audience distribution by enabling viewers to watch when and where they
want.”

CBS also announced that Akamai Technologies, Inc. will serve as the
content delivery network to power the CBS Interactive Audience Network.

“Akamai is excited to extend its long-standing relationship with CBS by
providing comprehensive media delivery and syndication technologies that
will support CBS’s new offerings for online viewers,” said Robert Hughes,
Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Services and Marketing, Akamai
Technologies, Inc. “Syndicating thousands of digital assets online requires
a solution that ensures business policies and rights associated with the
content stay intact. By leveraging Akamai’s advanced media delivery
solutions, CBS is able to maintain control of their high-value media, while
providing online consumers around the world with a consistently
high-quality experience.”

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
The CW - a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros.
Entertainment), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local
television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication
(CBS Paramount Network Television and CBS Television Distribution), radio
(CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing
(Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS Interactive), music (CBS
Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS Consumer Products), video/ DVD
(CBS Home Entertainment) and motion pictures (CBS Feature Films). For more
information, log on to http://www.cbscorporation.com .