哥伦比亚广播公司(CBS Inc.)

美国主要的广播和网路公司。1928年开立，当时名为哥伦比亚广播系统公司（Columbia Broadcasting System），由佩利领导。他为分台免费提供节目规画，只要它们把一部分节目时间用来播出厂商赞助的网路秀。十年内网路从1928年的二十二台成长到一百一十四台。1930年代在艾伦（Fred Allen）、克劳斯贝、史密斯等明星的参与下收听率成长。1940年代电视开始普及，哥伦比亚广播公司网罗了班尼、沙利文、鲍儿、摩尔（M. T. Moore）等明星级人物，使公司保持电视网龙头地位至1970年代晚期。1960年代和1970年代哥伦比亚广播公司分散投资书籍、杂志、乐器及工具的生产，但1985～1988年间卖掉所有这些企业，还把极成功的唱片单位卖给新力索尼公司。此後，专心经营它的广播事业。由於电视收视率跌落且分台的质、量皆降低，1995年哥伦比亚广播公司卖给了西屋电器公司，1997年西屋电器公司改名为哥伦比亚广播公司。2000年哥伦比亚广播公司又并入维康公司。

English version：

CBS Inc.

Major U.S. broadcasting company and network. It began in 1928 as the Columbia Broadcasting System, a small radio network directed by William S. Paley. By offering programming free to affiliated stations in return for their agreement to broadcast sponsored shows, Paley built the network from 22 stations to 114 in 10 years. Such stars as Fred Allen, Bing Crosby, and Kate Smith increased audience ratings into the 1940s. Jack Benny, Ed Sullivan, Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore, and Walter Cronkite made CBS the dominant television network into the 1970s. The company diversified into several other fields, but only Columbia Records was successful, and the corporation sold all its other divisions in 1985 to concentrate on broadcasting. A decline in ratings and in the number of affiliated stations led to its sale to Westinghouse Electric Corp. in 1995. CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. merged in 2000.