CBS rebrand set for December

Broadcasters Chello Zone and CBS Studios International will launch newly rebranded CBS channels across Europe, Middle East and Africa on December 3 after receiving regulatory approval from the relevant competition authorities. 

Chellomedia announced an agreement in August to create new CBS-branded channels from Chello Zone’s existing bouquet of channels in 83 territories across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The new agreement with CBS extends the UK-only deal struck between Chellomedia and the US broadcaster three years ago.

The new-look channels, including CBS Reality, CBS Drama, CBS Action and CBS Europa will be reprogrammed to include series and TV movies from CBS’s library of over 70,000 hours of titles.

The channels are also undertaking a branding update that will also be introduced in the UK in 2013.

Chello Zone’s chief programming officer, Chris Sharp, said: “It’s an exciting time for the channels and our partnership with CBS. The CBS expansion into the EMEA territories will offer a greater depth and variety of programming from a library we know well. We’re sure our audiences will enjoy and embrace the new programming and the new branding.”