CBS acquires TV Guide Digital

MUMBAI: US broadcaster CBS has wholly acquired TV Guide Digital, which includes TVGuide.com and TV Guide Mobile properties.

Under the terms of the deal, CBS Corporation acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake in TV Guide Digital shares from Lionsgate. CBS and Lionsgate?s 50-50 partnership for the highly distributed TVGN cable network, announced on 26 March will continue.

TVGuide.com and the TV Guide Mobile apps will become part of CBS Interactive?s Technology, Games and Lifestyle group, which also operates TV.com, the web?s largest social media TV site, as well as CNET, GameSpot, Last.fm, MetroLyrics, Metacritic and Chow brands, among others. Together, TVGuide.com, TV Guide Mobile and TV.com will give fans information about programming.

CBS Interactive president Jim Lanzone said, "TV Guide is one of the most-enduring and iconic brands in the world of television and video, and we?re proud to welcome TV Guide Digital to the CBS Interactive family. TVGuide.com and TV Guide Mobile have the biggest and most-engaged audiences in the valuable TV information category, making them a perfect fit for our portfolio of premium content brands."