Why the word 'Television' is disappearing from CBS Studios

Art · Published 19 October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2020, a major media giant stripped the word 'Television' from its name. It wasn't just a branding tweak; it was a strategic admission that the era of linear TV is evolving into a multi-platform reality where content must live everywhere at once.

The evolution of CBS Studios is a roadmap of the shifting media landscape. Formed in its current iteration on January 17, 2006, the company was born from a complex series of mergers involving CBS Corporation and Paramount Television. For decades, the studio operated under various identities, including CBS Paramount Television and CBS Television Studios, reflecting a period where 'television' was the primary and perhaps only destination for high-budget production. The studio's roots trace back to 1952 when CBS Productions first launched. It also inherited a massive library of programs from Paramount during the 2005 Viacom split. These assets were consolidated into a single production arm in 2004.

The 2020 rebranding to 'CBS Studios' marked a pivotal shift. The company cited that including 'Television' in the name had become antiquated. This change acknowledges that the studio's output is no longer confined to broadcast networks; it now produces programming for diverse platforms, including streaming, digital media, and international markets. This move mirrors a broader industry trend where content creators prioritize 'brand' over 'medium,' ensuring that a show's identity remains consistent whether it is watched on a living room screen or a mobile device. The studio notably does not produce content for the Showtime premium cable network. Instead, a sister company handles those specific in-house productions. However, the distribution arm still manages the syndication rights for those shows.

This transition is part of a larger corporate unification. Following a 2019 merger that created the Paramount Skydance entity, the studio has been undergoing significant reorganization. By 2025 and 2026, the studio is set to absorb labels like BET Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studio. By moving away from a TV-centric name, CBS Studios positions itself as a holistic content powerhouse, capable of managing massive intellectual properties across the entire entertainment ecosystem. The studio also manages the Terrytoons animation library through its syndication arm. Furthermore, it recently launched a dedicated animation division in 2018. These moves solidify its role as a diverse content creator.

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