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CBS Studios
CBS Studios enters the post-Skydance-Paramount merger era as broadcast television's dominant supplier, with leadership intact and a long-runway development strategy now firmly in place.
Current mandate
CBS Studios is operating from a position of unusual stability inside a restructured Paramount Global. Leadership (Cheeks, Reisenbach, Stapf) was kept intact post-Skydance-Paramount merger, a signal of institutional confidence in CBS' performance. Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf each signed new three-year contracts as President of CBS Entertainment and President of CBS Studios, respectively. The studio's primary mandate remains supplying the CBS broadcast network, which finished the 2024-25 season as the most watched broadcast network in primetime for a 17th straight season. Paramount President Jeff Shell has publicly identified CBS prime as one of two areas that are "working," placing it alongside Taylor Sheridan's output as a strategic priority.
Over the past 12 months, CBS Studios has pursued a deliberate long-runway development model: ordering series well in advance to allow stronger promotional pushes and longer lead times. The studio has renewed overall deals with key talent, including a renewal with director Larry Teng (November 2025), and has attached talent such as Justina Machado to upcoming projects. The dual-platform performance test, linear plus streaming, is now an explicit filter applied to the 10 PM hour in particular, with CBS 10 PM dramas cited as meeting that bar.
Writers and producers seeking access to CBS Studios should note that the studio operates through established overall-deal relationships and a network-first supply model. Unsolicited material is not a standard entry point. The most viable pathway is representation by an agency or management company with existing CBS Studios relationships, or attachment to a project already in development within the studio's pipeline. The studio's upcoming slate (Starfleet Academy for Paramount+, a Little House on the Prairie reboot for Netflix, Boston Blue, and Sheriff Country for CBS) signals openness to franchise extensions, reboots, and spinoffs as preferred development vehicles at this time.
Signature peaks
- #1 new show, 3 straight seasons New Broadcast Show Launches — Fire Country, Tracker, and Matlock; plus 4 of top 5 new shows last season including #1 new comedy Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
- 39 consecutive seasons at #1 Daytime Dominance — CBS daytime lineup holds the longest active winning streak in the daypart; launched new daytime drama Beyond the Gates
- 106 Decision Makers Tracked — Active decision makers tracked across CBS Studios and CBS Entertainment per ScriptMatch activity data
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- Not disclosed
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- CBS Studios sources material through overall-deal talent relationships and established representation pipelines. The studio does not maintain a public open-submission process. The most reliable access pathway is agency or management representation with existing CBS Studios relationships. Franchise extensions, spinoffs, and reboots are currently the most active development vehicles, as evidenced by Boston Blue, Sheriff Country, and the Little House on the Prairie reboot.
- Deal structure
- Budget terms on recent CBS Studios deals are not publicly disclosed. Talent arrangements follow overall-deal structures (as with the Larry Teng renewal) and project-specific attachments (as with Justina Machado). The studio co-produces for outside streamers including Netflix and Paramount+, indicating flexibility in rights and financing structures depending on the platform partner. No specific financial terms are available in current records.
Recent acquisitions
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Blue Bloods (Season 14 renewal by CBS)
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Justina Machado
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Larry Teng overall deal renewal with CBS Studios
Market context
programs in the hour have to perform both on the linear network and on streaming to keep the time slot viable
CBS Studios is operating from a position of unusual stability inside a restructured Paramount Global. Leadership (Cheeks, Reisenbach, Stapf) was kept intact post-Skydance-Paramount merger, a signal of institutional confidence in CBS' performance. Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf each signed new three-year contracts as President of CBS Entertainment and President of CBS Studios, respectively. The studio's primary mandate remains supplying the CBS broadcast network, which finished the 2024-25 season as the most watched broadcast network in primetime for a 17th straight season. Paramount President Jeff Shell has publicly identified CBS prime as one of two areas that are "working," placing it alongside Taylor Sheridan's output as a strategic priority.
Common questions about CBS Studios
Does CBS Studios accept unsolicited scripts?
CBS Studios does not operate an open submission policy for unsolicited scripts. The studio sources material primarily through established overall-deal relationships with writers and producers, and through representation. Talent deals such as the Larry Teng overall deal renewal (November 2025) and the Justina Machado attachment illustrate the typical entry mechanism. Writers without representation should prioritize securing agency or management before approaching the studio.
What budgets does CBS Studios work with?
CBS Studios has not publicly disclosed budget ranges for individual projects. No price indicators were attached to recent acquisitions in available records. The studio's slate spans broadcast network procedurals, streaming originals for Paramount+ (Starfleet Academy), and co-productions for outside streamers such as Netflix (Little House on the Prairie reboot), suggesting a wide internal range. Budget conversations are handled through representation and are not publicly benchmarked.
Does CBS Studios acquire projects from film festivals?
There is no indication in recent coverage that CBS Studios uses film festivals as a primary acquisition channel. The studio's model is network-supply-first, built around long-lead development ordered well in advance of air. Festival acquisitions are more consistent with the studio's film-side or streaming partners. Producers with festival titles seeking a CBS Studios relationship are better served approaching through representation rather than festival market activity.
How do I reach CBS Studios decision makers?
CBS Studios has 106 decision makers tracked in current ScriptMatch data, with the latest signal recorded as of early June 2026. The most direct access pathway is through talent representation with existing CBS Studios relationships. The studio's leadership (David Stapf as President of CBS Studios, Amy Reisenbach as President of CBS Entertainment) are both under new three-year contracts, indicating stable points of contact. Cold outreach is not a documented entry point.
What genres is CBS Studios prioritizing right now?
CBS Studios' current slate points to procedural drama, franchise extensions, and reboots as the dominant genres. Upcoming projects include the Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue, the Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country, and a Little House on the Prairie reboot for Netflix. Starfleet Academy for Paramount+ extends the Star Trek franchise. The studio has publicly flagged that 10 PM dramas must perform on both linear and streaming, making dual-platform procedural drama the clearest active priority.
Is CBS Studios actively acquiring new projects right now?
CBS Studios recorded 87 total activity signals in the past 12 months per ScriptMatch data, though unique deal activity in the most recent 30 and 90-day windows shows limited closed transactions. The studio's long-runway development model means orders are placed well in advance, so active acquisition windows may not surface as frequent short-term signals. The latest tracked signal is dated June 5, 2026, confirming ongoing market activity. Deal velocity in the 30-day window is rated at 1.
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Related reading
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