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Network | |
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Launched | September 28, 2013 |
Country of origin | United States |
Owner | Hearst Media Production Group |
Format | Weekend morning educational program block |
Running time | 3 hours |
Original language(s) | English |
CBS Dream Team (suffixed with ...It's Epic! before October 3, 2020; to be renamed CBS WKND effective October 7, 2023)[2] is an American programming block that is programmed by Hearst Media Production Group (formerly Litton Entertainment), and airs weekend mornings on CBS under a time-lease agreement as a replacement for the WildBrain-produced animation block Cookie Jar TV. The block features six half-hours of live-action documentary and lifestyle series aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, which are designed to comply with educational programming requirements defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Children's Television Act.[3]
On July 24, 2013, CBS announced that it had entered into a programming agreement with Litton Entertainment to launch a new weekend morning block featuring live-action lifestyle, wildlife, and documentary series aimed at preteens and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 18.[3] Litton recently 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 (now WildBrain) was done in part to comply to secure educational content and advertising regulations in the Children's Television Act.
The CBS Dream Team, launched 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 weekends 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.[4] 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 five more seasons ending in 2023.[5]
On September 21, 2023, CBS announced that the block would be renamed "CBS WKND" ("WKND" being a disemvoweled abbreviation of "weekend") as of its 11th season premiere on October 7, with an updated logo adhering to the current CBS corporate branding. While no information about a new long-term contract was announced, Hearst will continue to program the block for at least the 2023–24 season.[2]
Although programs featured on CBS Dream Team are designed to meet federally mandated educational programming guidelines,[6] 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 Saturday Morning or other programs of local interest (such as real estate or lifestyle programs). This is Litton Entertainment's only block to currently air its first programs. Lucky Dog is the longest-running series on the block as of September 2021. Another series on the block, All In was in production from 2013 to 2015, but did not air for the next five seasons; it returned for reruns starting in the 2020–21 season.
Program | Premiere date | Replaced | Notes | References |
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Lucky Dog | September 28, 2013 | See Cookie Jar TV for information. | Originally hosted by Brandon McMillan.
Series would air twice on select stations Longest-running series on the block and the flagship series Eighth season is hosted by dog trainers Eric and Rashi Wiese starting January 2, 2021. Rebroadcasts of seasons 8 and 9 are now airing in place of All In as of January 7, 2023. |
[7][8] |
The Henry Ford Innovation Nation | September 27, 2014 | profiles of inventors and their efforts to create their inventions, hosted by Mo Rocca
Replaced Jamie's 15 Minute Meals |
[9] | |
Hope In the Wild | September 29, 2018 | Dr. Chris: Pet Vet (rebroadcast) | ||
Mission Unstoppable | September 28, 2019 | The Inspectors | hosted by Miranda Cosgrove
profiles of female inventors in science including Kellyn LaCour-Conant |
[10][11] |
Did I Mention Invention? | October 1, 2022 | Pet Vet Dream Team | profiles of inventors and their efforts to create their inventions, hosted by Alie Ward
Originally aired on The CW and The CW Plus |
Program | Premiere date | Will replace | Notes | References |
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Lucky Dog Reunites | October 7, 2023 | Lucky Dog | ||
Tails of Valor | October 7, 2023 | Lucky Dog (rebroadcast) | ||
Recipe Rehab | October 7, 2023 | Did I Mention Invention? |
Program | Premiere date | End date | Replaced | Replaced by | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jamie's 15-Minute Meals | September 28, 2013 | September 20, 2014 | See Cookie Jar TV for information. | Innovation Nation | cooking series, hosted by Jamie Oliver | [7] |
Recipe Rehab | September 26, 2015 | Hidden Heroes | cooking competition series focusing on healthy alternatives to family recipes, hosted by Evette Rios and previously aired on Litton's Weekend Adventure | [7][12] | ||
Game Changers with Kevin Frazier | September 24, 2016 | profiles of the accomplishments of athletes in and outside their sports | [7][13] | |||
Dr. Chris: Pet Vet | May 25, 2019 | Pet Vet Dream Team (nationally)
Hope in the Wild (rebroadcasts) |
documentary series, hosted by Dr. Chris Brown | [7] | ||
All In with Laila Ali | September 24, 2022 | Lucky Dog (rebroadcasts) | profile series
Ended, but still aired for reruns for two years until October 2022 Removed in the 2015–2016 season for 5 years; When re-aired in 2020, it was placed in the timeslot of Best Friends Furever. |
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Chicken Soup for the Soul's Hidden Heroes | October 3, 2015 | June 24, 2017 | Recipe Rehab | a hidden camera series focusing on people doing good deeds; hosted by Brooke Burke-Charvet | [12] | |
The Inspectors | September 21, 2019 | All In | Mission Unstoppable | drama series centering on Preston Wainwright (played by Bret Green), a paralyzed teenager who helps his postal inspector mother (played by Jessica Lundy) solve crimes
First scripted program |
[14] | |
Pet Vet Dream Team | April 7, 2018 | September 24, 2022 | Dr. Chris Pet Vet (nationally) | Did I Mention Invention? | Replaced national runs of Dr Chris: Pet Vet on June 1, 2019
Timeslot replaced with All In, replaced by Did I Mention Invention? |
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Best Friends Furever | September 28, 2019 | September 26, 2020 | Tails of Valor | All In | [10] |