Editing NFL on CBS (section)

===1950s===
In August 1956, the [[DuMont Television Network]], the NFL's primary [[NFL on DuMont|television partner]], ended network operations after years of decline. DuMont had already sold the rights to the NFL Championship to [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] in [[1955 NFL Championship Game|1955]], and when DuMont ended its regular season coverage, CBS acquired the rights.

CBS's first attempts to broadcast the [[NFL on television]] were notable for there being no broadcasting contract with the league as a whole. Instead, CBS had to strike deals with individual teams to broadcast games into the teams' own markets, many of which CBS had purchased from the moribund DuMont Television Network. Every club but Cleveland joined forces with CBS. Meanwhile, in order to show regional games to regional audiences, CBS set out to divide its network into nine regional networks: [[1956 New York Giants season|New York]], [[1956 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia]], [[1956 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore]], [[1956 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh]], [[1956 Washington Redskins season|Washington]], [[1956 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay]], [[1956 Chicago Bears season|Chicago]] and on the Pacific Coast ([[1956 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles]] and [[1956 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco]]).

Often the games would be broadcast with "split audio" – that is, a game between two franchises would have the same picture in both teams' "networks" (the visiting team's home city and [[affiliates]] of the home team's "network" beyond a 75-mile radius of the home team's television market). Each team's "network" had different announcers (usually those working in their home markets).

The [[1957 Pro Bowl]] was offered to [[NFL on NBC|NBC]], then CBS. Both declined to carry the game. [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] was then offered to televise and accepted, but could not gain enough clearance of [[List of ABC television affiliates (table)|affiliates]] in time to make it a profitable venture. Thus they also dropped out and the game was not televised.

By [[1959 NFL season|1959]], CBS had at least 11 teams under contract. The [[1959 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] were still the lone exception.