CBS has a brand new hit on its hands with the broadcast run this fall of Paramount Network drama “Yellowstone.” Nearly 22 million viewers tuned in to at least one episode of the Taylor Sheridan drama. Paired with Paramount Global’s cross-network promotions, the show’s ratings success could be a blueprint for legacy media companies looking to leverage hit shows across both linear and streaming platforms.
It wasn’t some genius strategy. The broadcast network’s decision to air the series — which first premiered on the cable channel Paramount Network in 2018 — was prompted by this summer’s Hollywood double strikes, which halted production of scripted shows and left broadcasters scrambling to fill their fall schedules.