The original Viacom began life as CBS Films, Inc., the television syndication division of CBS. In 1971, the division was renamed VIACOM (VIdeo & Audio COMmunications), and in 1973 it was spun off, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed).
Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to The CBS Corporation. The present firm known as Viacom was also es...
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The original Viacom began life as CBS Films, Inc., the television syndication division of CBS. In 1971, the division was renamed VIACOM (VIdeo & Audio COMmunications), and in 1973 it was spun off, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed).
Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to The CBS Corporation. The present firm known as Viacom was also established at that date and is a new spin-off company created during the CBS-Viacom split.
Viacom was highly profitable during the 1970s and 1980s distributing old CBS classics to syndication, including such landmark shows as I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show and All in the Family (which was later owned by Embassy/Columbia Pictures Television, now called Sony Pictures Television). They also syndicated shows for others, the biggest examples being The Cosby Show and Roseanne (which were produced by Carsey-Werner Productions. Carsey-Werner...
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