Editing CBS Radio (section)

== History ==
The company that would become CBS Radio was founded in 1972 as '''Infinity Broadcasting Corporation''' by [[Michael A. Wiener]] and Gerald Carrus, with the acquisition of [[KOME]], an FM radio station that served the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. It became a publicly traded company twice, in 1986, and again in 1992.

[[Westinghouse Electric Corporation]] acquired CBS, Inc. in 1995 and then acquired Infinity Broadcasting in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2017/03/29/timeline-westinghouse-electric-co.html|title=Timeline: Westinghouse Electric Co.|website=The Business Journals|access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref> Westinghouse, which produced the first radio broadcast on November 2, 1920, with [[KDKA (AM)|KDKA]] in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/03/08/kdkas-historic-broadcast/|title=KDKA's Historic Broadcast|date=March 8, 2012|language=en|access-date=July 12, 2019}}</ref> would later change its name to the original CBS Corporation,<ref>{{cite news |title=Westinghouse Electric to Rename Itself CBS |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/06/business/westinghouse-electric-to-rename-itself-cbs.html |access-date=July 12, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 6, 1997 |page=D-4}}</ref> and reorganize all of its radio properties (including its own [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Group W]] stations), as well as its outdoor advertising business, under the Infinity Broadcasting Corporation name. Westinghouse acquired American Radio Systems in September 1997.<ref>{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| last = Landler| first = Mark| title = Westinghouse To Acquire 98 Radio Stations| work = The New York Times| access-date = October 25, 2015| date = September 20, 1997| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/20/business/westinghouse-to-acquire-98-radio-stations.html}}</ref> In 2000, CBS Corporation was merged into [[Viacom (1971–2005)|Viacom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/1999/09/07/deals/cbs/|title=Viacom buys CBS for $35.6 billion - Sep. 7, 1999|publisher=CNN|access-date=July 12, 2019}}</ref> On December 31, 2005, Viacom [[Viacom (2005–2019)|spun out]] its motion picture and cable television assets, with the remainder maintained as [[CBS Corporation|the second CBS Corporation]]. In anticipation of this, Infinity Broadcasting was reorganized as CBS Radio.

In August 2006, CBS Radio announced the sale of its 15 radio stations in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]; [[Memphis, Tennessee]]; [[Austin, Texas]]; and [[Rochester, New York]] to [[Entercom Communications]]. This group deal was granted [[FCC]] approval in mid-November 2007 after it faced regulatory review and numerous challenges for over a year, and officially closed on November 30. Several other stations, most in smaller markets, were also sold to companies like [[Border Media Partners]] and Peak Media Corporation.

On April 30, 2008, CBS Radio and [[AOL]] entered a partnership (following the dissolution of partnership between AOL and [[XM Satellite Radio]] due to the change in Internet royalty rates). The AOL Radio player powered by CBS Radio featured over 200 CBS Radio stations, along with over 200 AOL Radio stations, combining two of the largest online radio networks and giving millions of listeners unlimited and free access to a diverse array of music and programming including news, sports and talk. These stations were folded into the [[AOL Radio]] mobile app.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/aol-turns-the-iphone-into-an-expensive-radio/?_r=0|title=AOL Turns the iPhone Into an Expensive Radio|last=Hansell|first=Saul|newspaper=Bits Blog|date=June 13, 2008 |language=en|access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/cbs-yahoo-internet-radio,news-3076.html|title=CBS Radio to Power Yahoo's Launchcast|date=December 3, 2008|newspaper=Tom's Guide|language=en|access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref>

In 2008, CBS started the process of paring down its station holdings, with a particular focus on ridding itself of stations in mid-sized markets, and markets where there are no television stations for synergistic advantages.<ref name="variety-cbssell" /> On July 31, 2008, CBS Radio announced that it would sell 50 more radio stations in 12 mid-size markets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radio-info.com/news/first-bids-on-cbs-radio-selloffs-due-today |title=First bids on CBS Radio selloffs due today |date=September 22, 2008 |work=Radio-Info.com |access-date=May 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011022158/http://www.radio-info.com/news/first-bids-on-cbs-radio-selloffs-due-today |archive-date=October 11, 2011  }}</ref> however some companies like [[RBC Capital Markets]] said CBS Radio is a "melting icecube" and that CBS Corporation would be better off selling the entire radio unit rather than "waiting a couple of years and selling the rest for less."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2008/09/22/cbs-kicks-off-radio-station-auction/|title=CBS KICKS OFF RADIO STATION AUCTION|last=Lauria|first=Peter|date=September 22, 2008|website=New York Post|access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref>

On December 15, 2008, CBS Radio and Clear Channel Communications reached an agreement to swap seven stations. In this deal, Clear Channel acquired [[WQSR]] in [[Baltimore]], Maryland, [[KBKS]] in [[Seattle, Washington]], [[KLTH]] and [[KXJM]] in [[Portland, Oregon]], and [[KYRV|KQJK]] in [[Sacramento, California]]; and CBS Radio would get [[KHMX]] and [[KLOL]] in [[Houston, Texas]].<ref>[http://www.cbsradio.com/press_center/releases/pressrelease102342-12-15-2008.html CBS Radio to Swap Five Mid-Size Market Stations for Two Large Market Stations with Clear Channel Communications] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219194540/http://www.cbsradio.com/press_center/releases/pressrelease102342-12-15-2008.html |date=December 19, 2008 }} (retrieved December 15, 2008)</ref> The deal closed on April 1, 2009. On December 20, 2008, CBS Radio announced that it would sell the entire [[Denver]] cluster (this includes three radio stations) to [[Wilks Broadcasting]] for $19.5 Million, including [[KIMN]], [[KKSE-FM|KWOF]], and [[KXKL-FM]].<ref>[http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=809272 CBS to sell three Denver radio stations to Wilks Broadcasting for $19.5 Mln cash – Update] – RTTNews (released December 22, 2008)</ref>

On August 10, 2009, CBS Radio announced that it would sell the entire [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] cluster (this includes four radio stations) to [[Alpha Broadcasting]] for $40 Million. The stations included in the sale are [[KUFO (AM)|KCMD]], [[KINK]], [[KXL-FM|KUFO]], and [[KUPL]].<ref>[http://oregonmediacentral.com/2009/08/first-on-omc-cbs-radio-sells-portland-station-group-to-alpha-broadcasting CBS Radio Sells Portland Station Group to Alpha Broadcasting] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809130654/http://oregonmediacentral.com/2009/08/first-on-omc-cbs-radio-sells-portland-station-group-to-alpha-broadcasting |date=August 9, 2009 }} – [http://oregonmediacentral.com/ Oregon Media Central] (released August 7, 2009)</ref>

On February 4, 2010, all CBS Radio stations, as well as AOL Radio and Yahoo! Music Radio restricted all non U.S. listeners from streaming online content. CBS Radio redirected to sister property [[Last.fm]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radio-info.com/newsletter/html/tri-02152010.html |title=CBS Radio cuts off streaming access beyond U.S. borders. |last=Taylor |first=Tom |date=February 15, 2010 |work=Taylor on Radio-Info |publisher=Radio-Info.com |access-date=May 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006171209/http://www.radio-info.com/newsletter/html/tri-02152010.html |archive-date=October 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In July 2010, CBS Radio launched [[Radio.com]].

2011 saw the biggest AC format removal of the company dropping AC for [[hot adult contemporary]] on [[Washington, D.C.]]'s [[WIAD]] in March, followed by [[New York City]]'s [[WWFS]] on October 12 (both in the [[Eastern Time Zone]]). On August 1, [[WCFS-FM]] [[Chicago]] removed its AC format for all-news to simulcast [[WBBM (AM)]]. By November 2011, WLTE in [[Minneapolis]]/[[St. Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] removed the AC format for [[Christmas music]], only to transition to [[country music]] as [[KMNB]] on December 26.

On April 9, 2012, CBS Radio announced that it was selling its West Palm Beach cluster of stations to Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 Million.<ref>[http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/104667/cbs-sells-west-palm-beach-cluster CBS Sells West Palm Beach Cluster] – All Access Music Group (released April 10, 2012)</ref>

On December 1, 2014, CBS Radio traded 14 stations—its [[Charlotte, North Carolina]] and [[Tampa Bay Area|Tampa Bay]] clusters as well as WIP (now [[WTEL (AM)]]) in [[Philadelphia]]—to [[Beasley Broadcast Group]] in exchange for WRDW-FM (now [[WTDY-FM]]) and [[WXTU]] in Philadelphia and [[WKIS]], [[WPOW]], and [[WQAM]] in [[Miami]].<ref name=ri-cbsbeasleycomplete>{{cite news|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=CBS Beasley Deal Closes|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/91003/cbsbeasley-swap-updates/|access-date=December 1, 2014|work=RadioInsight|date=December 1, 2014}}</ref>

In May 2016, [[Percy Anderson (judge)|Judge Percy Anderson]] ruled in favor of CBS Radio in a lawsuit filed by ABS Entertainment over the use of pre-1972 sound recordings, which are subject to [[common law copyright|common law state copyright]] and not federal law, on CBS Radio's oldies stations. ABS argued that because pre-1972 works are not subject to federal copyright, they are not subject to the federal laws providing [[compulsory license]]s for performing the recordings on terrestrial radio and via non-interactive digital streams, and require permission. CBS, however, argued that it did not play pre-1972 sound recordings, but remastered versions of recordings published from compilations with copyrights registered after 1972, making them separate works subject to federal copyright and eligible for compulsory licenses. The court ruled that the remastered recordings contained "multiple kinds of creative authorship, such as adjustments of equalization, sound editing and channel assignment", with [[Threshold of originality|a level of creativity]] suitable enough to generate a new copyright.<ref name="thr-cbsremaster">{{cite web|title=CBS Radio Has Novel Argument to Legal Demand to Stop Playing Pre-1972 Songs|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/cbs-radio-has-novel-argument-833596|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 21, 2015 |access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref><ref name="thr-cbs1972">{{cite web|title=CBS Beats Lawsuit Over Pre-1972 Songs With Bold Copyright Argument|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/cbs-beats-lawsuit-pre-1972-898633|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 2016 |access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref>

=== Merger with Entercom ===
On March 15, 2016, CBS Corporation CEO [[Leslie Moonves]] stated that the company was exploring strategic alternatives that could result in the sale or spin-off of CBS Radio. Cumulus Media had been named as one of the potential buyers.<ref name="variety-cbssell">{{cite web|title=CBS Plans to Sell Radio Station Group|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/cbs-radio-stations-sale-investors-1201730033/|website=Variety|date=March 15, 2016 |access-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref> In July 2016, CBS Radio filed for a planned IPO, which would have spun off the subsidiary as a separate, publicly traded company.<ref name="bloomberg-cbsradioipo">{{cite news|title=CBS Radio Files for IPO as Parent Plans to Jettison Business|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-08/cbs-radio-files-for-ipo-after-broadcaster-fails-to-find-a-buyer|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=July 8, 2016 |access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref> On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced that it had agreed to merge with [[Entercom]], at the time the fourth-largest radio broadcaster in the United States; the sale was to be conducted using a [[Reverse Morris Trust]] so that it would be tax-free. To comply with federal ownership limits Entercom had plans to divest 14 stations.<ref name="sacbee-moving">{{cite web|title=It's the end of The End 107.9. Format will move down the dial ahead of planned merger.|url=http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article130697129.html|website=Sacramento Bee|access-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Entercom/CBS Radio Place Future Spin-Offs In Divestiture Trust – RadioInsight|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/117047/entercomcbs-radio-place-future-spin-offs-divestiture-trust/|website=RadioInsight|date=March 21, 2017}}</ref>

The transaction closed on November 17, 2017,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8039439/entercom-cbs-radio-merger-finalized-no-2-radio-operator|title=Entercom Finalizes Merger With CBS Radio, Becoming No. 2 Radio Operator in US|magazine=Billboard|first=Cherie|last=Hu|date=November 11, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref> ending the era of network-owned radio stations in America involving the original [[Big Three (American television)|Big Three]] ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[NBC]], and [[CBS]]). ABC, however, still owned a few stations outside its original network at the time, primarily under the [[ESPN Radio]] umbrella. Following the purchase, Entercom became the second-largest owner of radio stations in the United States in terms of revenue, with a total of 244 stations, and operations in 23 of the top 25 markets.<ref name="variety-cbsentercom">{{cite web|title=CBS Sets Radio Division Merger With Entercom|url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/cbs-entercom-radio-division-merger-1201976392/|website=Variety|date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/02/02/cbs-entercom-radio-merger/|title=CBS and Entercom Are Merging Their Radio Stations|website=Fortune|access-date=February 2, 2017}}</ref>

The CBS News Radio and [[CBS Sports Radio]] networks were not included in the sale. However, CBS Sports Radio was continued to be broadcast by Entercom stations that carried its national programming.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cbssportsradio.radio.com/stations|title=Stations|website=CBS Sports Radio|language=en|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> Hosts and employees of CBS Sports Radio (which has since rebranded as [[Infinity Sports Network]]) are now employees of [[Audacy, Inc.]] (formerly Entercom).