Revenues principally comprised of affiliate fees received from cable television operators, direct broadcast satellite operators, telephone companies and other distributors of cable program services; retransmission revenues, subscriber fees for online content and fees received from affiliated TV stations.

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Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Interest expense									$ (363,000,000)us-gaap_InterestExpense	$ (375,000,000)us-gaap_InterestExpense	$ (401,000,000)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Interest income									13,000,000us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNonoperating	8,000,000us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNonoperating	5,000,000us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNonoperating
Net loss on early extinguishment of debt (Note 9)									(352,000,000)	0	(32,000,000)
Other items, net									(30,000,000)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	7,000,000us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	7,000,000us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) of investee companies									2,164,000,000	2,665,000,000	2,357,000,000
(Provision) benefit for income taxes									(762,000,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(878,000,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(812,000,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity in loss of investee companies, net of tax									(48,000,000)	(49,000,000)	(37,000,000)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	402,000,000	72,000,000	418,000,000	462,000,000	422,000,000	431,000,000	435,000,000	450,000,000	1,354,000,000	1,738,000,000	1,508,000,000
Net earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 4)									1,605,000,000	141,000,000	66,000,000
Net earnings (loss)	413,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,639,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	439,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	468,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	470,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	494,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	472,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	443,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	2,959,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,879,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,574,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(3,681,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,367,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,188,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,570,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,571,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,302,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,369,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(3,763,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(13,806,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(14,005,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues	(12,820,000,000)us-gaap_Revenues
Segment OIBDA	778,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	814,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	801,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	862,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	808,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	834,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	848,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	845,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	3,255,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	3,335,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure	3,114,000,000cbs_SegmentOperatingMeasure
Operating income (loss)	707,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	668,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	730,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	791,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	715,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	764,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	775,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	771,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	2,896,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	3,025,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	2,778,000,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Restructuring charges									(26,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(20,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(19,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Impairment charges									52,000,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	11,000,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Depreciation and amortization									281,000,000us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	290,000,000us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	306,000,000us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Stock-based compensation									154,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	222,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	147,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Capital expenditures									206,000,000	212,000,000	200,000,000
Total assets	24,072,000,000us-gaap_Assets				26,387,000,000us-gaap_Assets				24,072,000,000us-gaap_Assets	26,387,000,000us-gaap_Assets
Long-Lived Assets	18,209,000,000us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets				20,702,000,000us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets				18,209,000,000us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets	20,702,000,000us-gaap_NoncurrentAssets
Revenues by Type [Abstract]
Advertising									7,204,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingRevenue	7,525,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingRevenue	7,191,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingRevenue
Content licensing and distribution									3,990,000,000us-gaap_LicensesRevenue	3,997,000,000us-gaap_LicensesRevenue	3,468,000,000us-gaap_LicensesRevenue
Affiliate and subscription fees									2,362,000,000cbs_AffiliateAndSubscriptionFees	2,221,000,000cbs_AffiliateAndSubscriptionFees	1,921,000,000cbs_AffiliateAndSubscriptionFees
Other revenues									250,000,000us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet	262,000,000us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet	240,000,000us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									(12,013,000,000)	(12,178,000,000)	(11,275,000,000)
Long-Lived Assets	17,881,000,000				20,169,000,000				17,881,000,000	20,169,000,000
International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									(1,793,000,000)	(1,827,000,000)	(1,545,000,000)
Long-Lived Assets	328,000,000				533,000,000				328,000,000	533,000,000
Operating segments [Member] \| Entertainment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(2,260,000,000)	(1,911,000,000)	(1,835,000,000)	(2,303,000,000)	(2,214,000,000)	(1,884,000,000)	(2,008,000,000)	(2,539,000,000)	(8,309,000,000)	(8,645,000,000)	(7,694,000,000)
Segment OIBDA	287,000,000	335,000,000	376,000,000	457,000,000	418,000,000	431,000,000	429,000,000	480,000,000	1,455,000,000	1,758,000,000	1,549,000,000
Operating income (loss)	253,000,000	294,000,000	341,000,000	420,000,000	368,000,000	394,000,000	391,000,000	440,000,000	1,308,000,000	1,593,000,000	1,381,000,000
Restructuring charges									(8,000,000)	(12,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									139,000,000	153,000,000	161,000,000
Stock-based compensation									56,000,000	56,000,000	49,000,000
Capital expenditures									94,000,000	101,000,000	92,000,000
Total assets	10,469,000,000				9,657,000,000				10,469,000,000	9,657,000,000
Operating segments [Member] \| Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(499,000,000)	(624,000,000)	(516,000,000)	(537,000,000)	(477,000,000)	(596,000,000)	(518,000,000)	(478,000,000)	(2,176,000,000)	(2,069,000,000)	(1,772,000,000)
Segment OIBDA	247,000,000	272,000,000	219,000,000	259,000,000	199,000,000	261,000,000	207,000,000	231,000,000	997,000,000	898,000,000	811,000,000
Operating income (loss)	241,000,000	266,000,000	213,000,000	254,000,000	193,000,000	255,000,000	202,000,000	227,000,000	974,000,000	877,000,000	785,000,000
Restructuring charges									0	(1,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									23,000,000	20,000,000	26,000,000
Stock-based compensation									9,000,000	8,000,000	6,000,000
Capital expenditures									16,000,000	16,000,000	18,000,000
Total assets	2,113,000,000				1,968,000,000				2,113,000,000	1,968,000,000
Operating segments [Member] \| Publishing Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(215,000,000)	(199,000,000)	(211,000,000)	(153,000,000)	(225,000,000)	(224,000,000)	(189,000,000)	(171,000,000)	(778,000,000)	(809,000,000)	(790,000,000)
Segment OIBDA	27,000,000	43,000,000	24,000,000	13,000,000	37,000,000	43,000,000	21,000,000	12,000,000	107,000,000	113,000,000	89,000,000
Operating income (loss)	25,000,000	41,000,000	23,000,000	11,000,000	35,000,000	41,000,000	20,000,000	10,000,000	100,000,000	106,000,000	80,000,000
Restructuring charges									(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									6,000,000	6,000,000	6,000,000
Stock-based compensation									4,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000
Capital expenditures									4,000,000	4,000,000	5,000,000
Total assets	990,000,000				1,026,000,000				990,000,000	1,026,000,000
Operating segments [Member] \| Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(785,000,000)	(680,000,000)	(665,000,000)	(626,000,000)	(719,000,000)	(641,000,000)	(698,000,000)	(638,000,000)	(2,756,000,000)	(2,696,000,000)	(2,774,000,000)
Segment OIBDA	313,000,000	214,000,000	238,000,000	200,000,000	263,000,000	181,000,000	255,000,000	199,000,000	965,000,000	898,000,000	957,000,000
Operating income (loss)	292,000,000	126,000,000	215,000,000	179,000,000	236,000,000	161,000,000	234,000,000	176,000,000	812,000,000	807,000,000	848,000,000
Restructuring charges									(14,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									87,000,000	86,000,000	90,000,000
Stock-based compensation									28,000,000	27,000,000	24,000,000
Capital expenditures									65,000,000	64,000,000	64,000,000
Total assets	9,585,000,000				9,600,000,000				9,585,000,000	9,600,000,000
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment OIBDA	(96,000,000)	(50,000,000)	(56,000,000)	(67,000,000)	(109,000,000)	(82,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(77,000,000)	(269,000,000)	(332,000,000)	(292,000,000)
Operating income (loss)	(104,000,000)	(59,000,000)	(62,000,000)	(73,000,000)	(117,000,000)	(87,000,000)	(72,000,000)	(82,000,000)	(298,000,000)	(358,000,000)	(316,000,000)
Restructuring charges									(3,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									26,000,000	25,000,000	23,000,000
Stock-based compensation									57,000,000	127,000,000	65,000,000
Capital expenditures									27,000,000	27,000,000	21,000,000
Total assets	876,000,000				661,000,000				876,000,000	661,000,000
Corporate and Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	78,000,000	47,000,000	39,000,000	49,000,000	64,000,000	43,000,000	44,000,000	63,000,000	213,000,000	214,000,000	210,000,000
Intersegment eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									225,000,000	225,000,000	222,000,000
Intersegment eliminations [Member] \| Entertainment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									206,000,000	208,000,000	203,000,000
Intersegment eliminations [Member] \| Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									1,000,000	0	0
Intersegment eliminations [Member] \| Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									18,000,000	17,000,000	19,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	39,000,000				3,475,000,000				39,000,000	3,475,000,000
Segment reconciling items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	0	(26,000,000)	0	0	(20,000,000)	0	0	0	(26,000,000)	(20,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Impairment charges	0	52,000,000	0	0					52,000,000	0	11,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	$ 71,000,000	$ 68,000,000	$ 71,000,000	$ 71,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ 70,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ 74,000,000	$ 281,000,000	$ 290,000,000	$ 306,000,000