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Viacom (1952–2005)

The original phase of Viacom Inc.[a] (derived from "Video & Audio Communications") was an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in New York City. It began as CBS Television Film Sales, the broadcast syndication division of the CBS television network in 1952; it was renamed CBS Films in 1958, renamed CBS Enterprises in 1968, renamed Viacom in 1970, and spun off into its own company in 1971. Viacom was a distributor of CBS television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and also distributed syndicated television programs. The company went under Sumner Redstone's control in 1987 through his cinema chain company National Amusements.[3]

This article is about the original media conglomerate that existed until 2005. For its successors, see CBS Corporation and Viacom (2005–2019).

Formerly

  • CBS Television Film Sales (1952–1958)
  • CBS Films (1958–1968)
  • CBS Enterprises Inc. (1968–1970)

NYSE: VIA

March 16, 1952 (1952-03-16)

December 31, 2005 (2005-12-31)

Worldwide

Sumner Redstone (chairman and CEO)
Tom Freston (co-president and co-COO)
Les Moonves (co-president and co-COO)

CBS
(1952–1971)
National Amusements
(1987–2005)

At the time of its split, Viacom's assets included the CBS and UPN broadcast networks, the Paramount Pictures film and television studio, local radio station operator CBS Radio, cable channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET and Showtime, outdoor media operator Viacom Outdoor, television production and distribution firm King World Productions, and book publisher Simon & Schuster. It also owned its IP holding subsidiary Viacom International and brand licensor Westinghouse Licensing Corporation.


In 2000, Viacom acquired the parent company of CBS, the former Westinghouse Electric Corporation, which had been renamed CBS Corporation in 1997. Viacom was split into the second incarnations of CBS Corporation and Viacom — both remained under National Amusements ownership — in 2005;[4] the split was structured with the second CBS Corporation being the original Viacom's legal successor, and the second Viacom being an entirely new company. The two companies eventually re-merged in 2019, leading to the formation of ViacomCBS, now known as Paramount Global.

1886

Lasky Feature Play Company is founded

Paramount Pictures is founded

Famous Players and Lasky merge as Famous Players–Lasky and acquire Paramount

Famous Players–Lasky renamed to Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation; CBS is founded

Paramount acquires 49% of CBS

Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation renamed to Paramount Publix Corporation

Paramount sells back its shares of CBS

Gulf+Western is founded as the Michigan Bumper Corporation

Paramount Publix Corporation renamed to Paramount Pictures

Desilu is founded and CBS distributes its television programs

CBS creates the CBS Television Film Sales division

CBS Television Film Sales renamed to CBS Films

Gulf+Western acquires Paramount

Gulf+Western acquires Desilu and renames it Paramount Television (now CBS Studios)

CBS Films renamed to CBS Enterprises

CBS Enterprises renamed to Viacom

Viacom is spun off from CBS

National Amusements acquires Viacom

Gulf+Western renamed to Paramount Communications

Viacom acquires Paramount Communications

Westinghouse acquires CBS

Westinghouse renamed to CBS Corporation

Viacom acquires UPN and CBS Corporation

CBS Corporation shuts down UPN and replaces it with The CW

CBS Corporation sells CBS Radio to Entercom (now Audacy)

CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merge as ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS renamed to Paramount Global

Two boldface asterisks appearing following a station's call letters (**) indicate a station that was purchased from Sonderling Broadcasting in 1980, which initiated Viacom's entry into radio station ownership (WAST television in Albany was also purchased through the Sonderling deal);

This list does not include stations owned by and its predecessors, Westinghouse Broadcasting and Infinity Broadcasting which were acquired by Viacom through its merger with CBS in 2000.

CBS Radio