Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

1) BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business—CBS Corporation (together with its consolidated subsidiaries unless the context otherwise requires, the “Company” or “CBS Corp.”) is comprised of the following segments: Entertainment (CBS Television, comprised of the CBS Television Network, CBS Television Studios and CBS Global Distribution Group; CBS Films; and CBS Interactive), Cable Networks (Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network and Smithsonian Networks), Publishing (Simon & Schuster), Local Broadcasting (CBS Television Stations and CBS Radio) and Outdoor Americas (CBS Outdoor). During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company initiated a plan to divest its outdoor advertising business in Europe, which includes an interest in an outdoor business in Asia (“Outdoor Europe”). Outdoor Europe has been classified as held-for-sale and its results have been presented as a discontinued operation in the Company's consolidated financial statements for all periods presented.

Basis of Presentation—The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the more detailed financial statements and notes thereto, included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal and recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company for the periods presented. Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Use of Estimates—The preparation of the Company's financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Net Earnings (Loss) per Common Share—Basic earnings (loss) per share (“EPS”) is based upon net earnings (loss) divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS reflects the effect of the assumed exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and market-based performance share units (“PSUs”) only in the periods in which such effect would have been dilutive. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, stock options to purchase 3million and 12million shares of Class B Common Stock, respectively, were outstanding but excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

The table below presents a reconciliation of weighted average shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted EPS.

		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
(in millions)			2013	2012
Weighted average shares for basic EPS			621	650
Dilutive effect of shares issuable under stock-based
	compensation plans		17	17
Weighted average shares for diluted EPS			638	667

Other Liabilities—Other liabilities consist primarily of the noncurrent portion of residual liabilities of previously disposed businesses, participants' share and royalties payable, program rights obligations, deferred compensation and other employee benefit accruals.

Additional Paid-In Capital—For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded dividends of $75million and $66million, respectively, as a reduction to additional paid-in capital as the Company had an accumulated deficit balance.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (“FASB”) guidance which requires disclosure of significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component and their corresponding effect on the respective line items of net income (See Note 9).

Recent Pronouncements

Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements

In February 2013, the FASB issued guidance on the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. Under this guidance the Company is required to measure its obligations under such arrangements as the sum of the amount it agreed to pay in the arrangement among its co-obligors and any additional amount the Company expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The Company is also required to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements, which is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013.