CBS Dream Team

CBS Dream Team (with the additional slogan of ...It's Epic! which was dropped on October 3, 2020 and the block was renamed to just Dream Team) is an American programming block that is programmed by Litton Entertainment, and airs weekend mornings on CBS under a time-lease agreement as the successor to the DHX-produced animation block Cookie Jar TV. The block features six half-hour live-action documentary and lifestyle series aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16, which are designed to comply with educational programming requirements defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Children's Television Act.[2]

CBS Dream Team
Network
LaunchedSeptember 28, 2013 (2013-09-28)
Country of originUnited States
OwnerLitton Entertainment
FormatSaturday morning educational program block
Running time3 hours
Original language(s)English

History
Original logo, used from September 28, 2013 to January 28, 2017.

On July 24, 2013, CBS announced that it had entered into a programming agreement with Litton Entertainment to launch a new Saturday morning block featuring live-action lifestyle, wildlife and documentary series aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16.[2] Litton already programmed a Saturday morning block for ABC, Litton's Weekend Adventure, which debuted on September 3, 2011 in an agreement in which the block was syndicated to that network's owned-and-operated stations and affiliates (it subsequently began producing a similarly formatted block for CBS sister network The CW on October 4, 2014). CBS' decision to restructure the block away from the traditional fare of animated and live-action scripted series – which it had been airing at the time of the deal as part of Cookie Jar TV (which had aired on the network in various forms since 2006), a block produced by Canada-based Cookie Jar was done in part to comply to tightened educational content and advertising regulations in the Children's Television Act.

The CBS Dream Team, debuted on September 28, 2013 being the successor to Cookie Jar TV, this marked the second time that CBS carried an exclusively live-action block for younger audiences on Saturday mornings, having previously produced an E/I-compliant block called Think CBS Kids from September 13, 1997 to September 26, 1998. The Dream Team block's initial lineup consisted mainly of newer series; however, the cooking series Recipe Rehab also migrated to the Dream Team from Litton's Weekend Adventure for its third season.[3] Shortly before the block debuted, Litton reached a distribution agreement with the American Forces Network to televise the block to provide educational content to military children overseas.[1] All of the block's programming features Descriptive Video Service for the visually impaired on the second audio program channel.

On March 20, 2018, CBS and Litton announced that the block was renewed for four more seasons, with the current contract scheduled to end in 2023.[4]

Programming

Although programs featured on CBS Dream Team are designed to meet federally mandated educational programming guidelines,[5] some CBS stations may carry syndicated educational programs to provide supplementary E/I content. Some programs aired within the block may be deferred to Sunday morning slots, or (in the case of affiliates in the Western United States) Saturday afternoons due to breaking news, severe weather coverage, or regional or select national sports broadcasts (especially in the case of college football and basketball tournaments) scheduled in earlier Saturday timeslots as makegoods to comply with the E/I regulations. Some stations may air the entirety of the Dream Team block on tape delay to accommodate local weekend morning newscasts, CBS This Morning Saturday or other programs of local interest (such as real estate or lifestyle programs).

Current programming
  • Lucky Dog (September 28, 2013 – present) – hosted by Brandon McMillan.[6] Eighth season to be hosted by dog trainers Eric and Rashi Wiese starting January 2, 2021.[7]
  • All In with Laila Ali (September 28, 2013 – September 26, 2015 and October 3, 2020 – present) – profile series[6][8]
  • The Henry Ford Innovation Nation (September 27, 2014 – present) – profiles of inventors and their efforts to create their inventions, hosted by Mo Rocca[9]
  • Hope In the Wild (September 29, 2018 – present)
  • Pet Vet Dream Team (June 1, 2019 – present)
  • Mission Unstoppable – hosted by Miranda Cosgrove (September 28, 2019 – present)[10]

Former programming

References
  1. Marc Berman (September 27, 2013). "New CBS Saturday Morning Line-Up Available Via American Forces Network". TV Media Insights. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  2. Meg James (July 24, 2013). "CBS partners with Litton Entertainment for Saturday teen block". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  3. Smith, Vicki (September 7, 2013). "Former Greenbrier chef now stars in 'Recipe Rehab'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  4. "CBS and Litton Entertainment Extend Partnership with Five-Year Renewal of the CBS Dream Team Block" (Press release). Litton Entertainment. March 20, 2018. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  5. Nordyke, Kimberly (July 24, 2013). "CBS Sets New Saturday Morning Block With Shows Hosted by Jamie Oliver, Laila Ali". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  6. Matt Webb Mitovich (July 24, 2013). "CBS Unveils New Saturday Morning Programming Block Targeting Young Teens". TVline. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  7. "Eighth season of "Lucky Dog," part of the "CBS Dream Team" Saturday morning lineup, to introduce new hosts Eric and Rashi Wiese in new episodes premiering Jan. 2, 2021". ViacomCBS Press Express. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  8. Logan, Michael (July 30, 2015). "CBS Adds New Crime Drama and Some Chicken Soup to Saturday Mornings". TV Insider. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  9. Sherri Welch (September 11, 2014). "The Henry Ford to get national exposure with new weekly show on CBS". Crain Detroit Business. Crain Communications Inc. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  10. "The Seventh Season of "CBS Dream Team… It's Epic!" Premieres Sept. 28" (Press release). CBS Press Express. September 4, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  11. "The CBS Dream Team, It's Epic!" Adds New Series to Its Saturday Morning Lineup, When the Fourth Season Premieres Oct. 1" (Press release). July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  12. Logan, Michael (July 30, 2015). "CBS Adds New Crime Drama and Some Chicken Soup to Saturday Mornings". TV Insider. Retrieved August 13, 2015.

Notes
  1. In addition to being the first original scripted series to air on the CBS Dream Team block, The Inspectors was the first scripted program produced by Litton Entertainment since the 1998-2001 syndicated series Critter Gitters.
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