Dimension was a programming concept launched in 1960 by the CBS Owned Radio Stations, a group of seven AM stations including WCBS in New York, KNX in Los Angeles, WBBM in Chicago and KMOX in St. Louis. The service offered short, entertaining vignettes designed to raise audience levels and address the distinction between foreground and background listening identified in CBS research dating back to 1957. [1]
Design and History
The Dimension symbol was designed by Franz Wagner in 1960. [2] The mark is described as a three-dimensional geometric form, categorized among hexagon and cube-shaped logos of the period. [2]
Dimension launched in September 1960, following more than three years of CBS research and planning. [1] The programming concept was promoted in trade publications of the era, with advertisements describing it as “a program service of the CBS Owned Radio Stations.” [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The name “Dimension” reflected the programming concept’s goal of adding a new layer to radio listening. CBS Radio executives described the service as “a way to preserve that distinction” between foreground and background listening, a key finding from their audience research. [4] The three-dimensional geometric form of the logo visually echoed this idea of adding depth to the listening experience, though no official documentation of the symbol’s intended meaning has been located.
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