NEW YORK – CBS Corporation 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 a widely distributed professional content provider on the web, the company said. 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 CEO, CBS Corporation, in a statement. “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. “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 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, as well as classic programming from the library of CBS Television Distribution.
CBS already has content distribution arrangements with Yahoo!, Apple iTunes, Microsoft’s Xbox, and Amazon UnBox.
CBS also announced that Akamai Technologies will serve as the content delivery network to power the CBS Interactive Audience Network.
