|
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.
|
