Name:	cbs_DebtInstrumentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	cbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

Bank Financing and Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Bank Financing and Debt (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Commercial paper	$ 440,000,000		$ 475,000,000
Obligations under capital leases	109,000,000		113,000,000
Less current portion of long-term debt	106,000,000		21,000,000
Long-term debt			5,940,000,000
Scheduled maturities of long-term debt [Abstract]
Increase in carrying value of debt relating to previously settled fair value hedges	17,000,000		18,000,000
Accelerated Share Repurchase [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stock repurchase plan authorized amount towards which net debt proceeds from CBS Outdoor borrowings were used	1,500,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Debt	13,000,000		13,000,000
CBS Corporation Excluding Outdoor Americas [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Carrying value of senior debt	5,860,000,000		5,861,000,000
Debt	6,409,000,000		6,449,000,000
Long-term debt	5,850,000,000		5,940,000,000
Net unamortized discount on senior debt	13,000,000		13,000,000
Face value of debt	5,860,000,000		5,860,000,000
Minimum interest rate of senior debt	1.95%
Maximum interest rate of senior debt	8.875%
CBS Corporation Excluding Outdoor Americas [Member] \| Continuing Operations [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Debt	6,396,000,000		6,436,000,000
Outdoor Americas Inc [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Carrying value of senior debt	800,000,000
Long-term debt	1,598,000,000		0
Net unamortized discount on senior debt	2,000,000
Term loan	798,000,000
Face value of debt		1,600,000,000
Minimum interest rate of senior debt	5.25%
Maximum interest rate of senior debt	5.625%
Scheduled maturities of long-term debt [Abstract]
2014	0
2015	0
2016	0
2017	0
2018	0
2019 and Thereafter	1,600,000,000
Outdoor Americas Inc Senior Notes Due 2022 [Member] \| Outdoor Americas Inc [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	5.25%
Face value of debt	400,000,000
Outdoor Americas Inc Senior Notes Due 2024 [Member] \| Outdoor Americas Inc [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	5.625%
Face value of debt	400,000,000
Outdoor Americas Inc Term Loan Due 2021 [Member] \| Outdoor Americas Inc [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Face value of debt		800,000,000
Reference rate for term loan	2.25%
Adjustment to term loan reference rate to arrive at effective rate	plus the greater of LIBOR or 0.75%
Interest rate at period end	3.00%
Outdoor Americas Inc Senior Notes Due 2022 and 2024 [Member] \| Outdoor Americas Inc [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Face value of debt		$ 800,000,000