Paramount Media Networks
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File:ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks Logo.png | |
Formerly |
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Company type | Division |
Industry | Entertainment, cable and satellite television |
Predecessor | Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment |
Founded | July 19, 1984 |
Founder | Robert Pittman |
Headquarters | MTV Studios, One Astor Plaza, 1515 Broadway, Times Square, Manhattan, New York City, New York 10036, United States |
Key people |
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Brands | |
Parent | ViacomCBS |
Subsidiaries |
Part of a series on |
MTV |
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![]() |
Programs on MTV |
MTV personalities |
Censorship on MTV |
MTV Generation |
MTV News |
ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks[1] (formerly known as MTV Networks and Viacom Media Networks) is an American mass media division of ViacomCBS that oversees the operations of many of its television channels and Internet brands. Its sister international division is ViacomCBS Networks International.
History
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2019) |
The company was founded in 1984 after Warner Communications and American Express decided to divest the basic cable assets of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, renaming it as MTV Networks, Inc.[2] Warner-Amex had originally created and owned Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1 and The Movie Channel. Viacom acquired 66% of the company in 1985 and then acquired the remaining 34% interest in 1986. MTV Networks was renamed Viacom Media Networks in 2011.
In 2000, following Viacom's acquisition of CBS Corporation, The Nashville Network and CMT, the two channels owned by CBS by that time, became part of MTV Networks, with The Nashville Network becoming The National Network.
In 2001, Viacom purchased Washington-based Black Entertainment Television, and integrated it into MTV Networks, which later separated BET from MTV to a new group BET Networks.
In 2003, Comedy Central became part of MTV Networks after Viacom's acquisition of the remaining shares of the latter from Time Warner. The joint dates back to 1991, when HA! and Time Warner's The Comedy Channel merged.
In January 2006, the remnants of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment (MTV Networks and Showtime Networks) were separated following Viacom's split into two entities: CBS Corporation, which retained Showtime, and a spun-off company under the Viacom name, which took ownership of Paramount Pictures and MTV Networks.
In the fall of 2012, media analysts began to report that ratings among some of Viacom's leading brands in the U.S were experiencing declines in viewership.[3][4] MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon were of most concern to investors as the three account for roughly 50% of Viacom's operating profit, estimated David Bank of RBC Capital Markets.
In 2017, Viacom announced a five-point restructuring plan, in which the company would pour most of its resources behind six "flagship brands". These were MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., BET, and Paramount Pictures.[5][6][7][8] In February 2017, cable channels CMT and TV Land were moved from the Kids and Family Group to the Global Entertainment Group under Kevin Kay, joining up with Spike TV.[9] During the same month, it was announced that Spike would be relaunched as Paramount Network in 2018, aligning with the namesake film studio and being positioned as Viacom's main general entertainment outlet.[10][11]
In October 2018, Kevin Kay was announced to be leaving his position as head of the Entertainment Group. CMT was transferred from the Entertainment Group to the Music Group under president Chris McCarthy, with his exit. Executive Kent Alterman would take charge of Paramount Network and TV Land to go with his current leadership of Comedy Central and Bellator MMA.[12]
In 2019, after acquiring the free streaming service Pluto TV, Viacom would launch several channels on the service branded after its Media Networks and company-owned IP.[13][14][15][16]
In August 2019, Viacom announced that it will re-merge with CBS Corporation, reuniting the two entities under the new name ViacomCBS.[17][18] The merger is slated to close in early December 2019.[19][20] Announced on November 11, 2019, as part of the re-merger, the Media Networks division will be renamed ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks, and would be reorganized. MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo were reorganized into the "Entertainment & Youth Group",[21] with the addition of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, and TV Land. BET Networks was merged with Showtime Networks under CEO David Nevins, who also temporarily gained oversight of Pop TV;[22] Pop TV was transferred to the Entertainment & Youth Group on January 15, 2020.[23]
Channels list
Current channels
Category | Name | Notes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Entertainment and Youth Group | |||||
CMT | CMT | 5 | |||
CMT Music | 6 | ||||
MTV | MTV | 1 | |||
MTV2 | |||||
MTV Classic | |||||
MTV Tres | |||||
MTVU | |||||
Other | Comedy Central | 2 | |||
Logo | 4 | ||||
Paramount Network | 3 | ||||
Pop TV | 15 | ||||
Smithsonian Channel | 13 | ||||
TV Land | 14 | ||||
VH1 | |||||
Premium Content Group | |||||
BET Networks | BET | ||||
BET Gospel | |||||
BET Her | |||||
BET Hip-Hop | |||||
BET Jams | |||||
BET Soul | |||||
BET+ (streaming service) | |||||
Showtime Networks | Showtime
|
12 | |||
The Movie Channel
|
18 | ||||
Flix | 16 | ||||
Kids and Family Group | |||||
Nickelodeon | Nickelodeon | 7 | |||
Nick Jr.
|
8 | ||||
NickMusic | 9 | ||||
Nicktoons | 10 | ||||
TeenNick | 11 |
Former channels
Notes
1Channel was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment originally tested as Sight on Sound until 1981 when it was officially launched as MTV.
2Channel started as Ha!, merged with HBO's The Comedy Channel the following year, became fully owned by Viacom in 2003.
3Originally TNN from 1983 to 2003 (as The Nashville Network until 1997; as The National Network until 2003) and was known as Spike until January 2018.
4Channel was originally known as VH1 MegaHits before being discontinued in July 2005 to facilitate Logo launch.
5Channel originally owned by CBS, became part of MTV Networks when CBS merged with Viacom.
6Created as VH1 Country prior to Viacom/CBS merger.
7Channel was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment originally tested as Pinwheel until 1979 when it was officially launched as Nickelodeon.
8Channel was originally known as Noggin before being rebranded as Nick Jr. in 2009. Co-owned with Sesame Workshop from 1999 to 2002.
9Channel was originally known MTV Hits until 2016 when it was rebranded as NickMusic.
10Channel was originally known as Nicktoons TV until 2003 when it was rebranded as Nicktoons which was rebranded again as Nicktoons Network in 2005 and finally rebranded yet again as Nicktoons once more in 2009.
11Channel was originally known as The N before being rebranded as TeenNick in 2009.
12Channel originally owned by the first incarnation of Viacom, and earlier with former partner Warner-Amex, and later became part of CBS Corporation following Viacom's split in 2006. Showtime was established in 1976, and The Movie Channel was established in 1973 as Star Channel, and relaunched under its current name in 1979.
13Co-owned with the Smithsonian Institution. ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks handles operations; is supported through commercial advertising.
14Channel was originally a block on Nick at Nite.
15Previously owned by CBS Corporation, and prior to 2019, half of the share owned by Lionsgate. Formerly known as TVGN, and TV Guide Network.
16Established by Viacom's Showtime Networks in 1992, and later became part of CBS Corporation following Viacom's split in 2006.
17Channel will be rebranded into SHO*BET in summer 2020, featuring African American content from Showtime and BET.
18Channel was originally known as "Star Channel" until it was bought by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment before becoming "The Movie Channel" in 1979.
Other properties
Internet
Through its Domestic Media Networks division, ViacomCBS also owns internet properties, such as MTV News and AwesomenessTV. The company ran a virtual world system, Virtual MTV, in the late 2000s.[24] It formerly owned Neopets, Atom Entertainment, RateMyProfessors.com, and other web properties before shutting them down or selling them to other companies in the 2000s and 2010s.
Gaming
In 2006, Viacom acquired Harmonix, a video game studio oriented towards music video games and the original developer of the Guitar Hero franchise, for $175 million.[25] The two subsequently collaborated on the creation of Rock Band.[26] That year, Viacom also acquired the gaming-oriented communications platform Xfire.[27]
In 2010, Harmonix was divested to an investment firm to become an independent studio,[28][29] and Xfire was sold.[30]
In 2011, Viacom established a in-house studio known as 345 Games, which is dedicated primarily to developing games based on Comedy Central and MTV properties.[31]
ViacomCBS Networks International
ViacomCBS Networks International is a division of Viacom International. Its headquarters are in New York, London, Warsaw and Buenos Aires. It consists of MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Channel 5, Network 10, Telefe and Colors.
The ViacomCBS Networks International networks consists of:
- ViacomCBS Networks EMEA
- ViacomCBS Networks Northern Europe
- ViacomCBS Networks Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa
- ViacomCBS Networks Asia Pacific
- ViacomCBS Networks Americas[32]
Former brands include TMF and VIVA which, along with digital properties Nitrome Limited, Shockwave, Addicting Games, Atom Films and Xfire, have either since merged with other networks, were shut down, or were sold off.
See also
References
- ^ Lafayette, Jon. "Viacom-CBS Merger Done Creating Larger TV Company". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
- ^ "BUSINESS PEOPLE ; A Chief Is Named By MTV Networks". The New York Times. July 19, 1984. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
- ^ Jannarone, John (October 28, 2012). "Audiences Fall for MTV, Comedy Central". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
- ^ Flint, Joe (October 10, 2012). "MTV has big ratings issue, analyst warns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
- ^ Lieberman, David (February 9, 2017). "Viacom CEO Supports Paramount And Non-Core Networks – But For How Long?". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "Viacom Stock Rises on Restructuring". Multichannel. February 9, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ "Viacom Unveils Five-Point Turnaround Plan (MESA)". February 9, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ "Viacom outlines five point turnaround plan". TBI Vision. February 9, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (February 1, 2017). "Viacom Restructure: CMT, TV Land Moved to Kevin Kay's Global Entertainment Group". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 9, 2017). "Spike President On Channel's Rebranding As The Paramount Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 9, 2017). "Spike To Change Name & Become The Paramount Network In Viacom Rebranding". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ Holloway, Daniel; Otterson, Joe (October 25, 2018). "Kevin Kay Exits Paramount Network as Viacom Reorganizes Cable Channels". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
- ^ "Viacom Acquires Free Streaming Platform Pluto TV for $340 Million". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ "Viacom Announces Completion of Pluto TV Acquisition". www.businesswire.com. March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (April 29, 2019). "Viacom Launching 14 Free Channels on Pluto TV, Sets Broad Digital Originals Slate". Variety. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
- ^ Peterson, Tim (April 16, 2019). "Viacom will debut 15 channels on Pluto TV to bolster its upfront pitch". Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ Szalai, George; Bond, Paul; Vlessing, Etan (August 13, 2019). "CBS, Viacom Strike Deal to Recombine". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ "CBS and Viacom To Combine" (PDF). CBS. August 12, 2019.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (October 28, 2019). "Viacom, CBS Set to Merge in Early December". Variety. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ Weprin, Alex (October 29, 2019). "Viacom-CBS Merger Now Expected to Close in 'Early December'". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- ^ "ViacomCBS shakes up its content leadership teams following merger". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
- ^ Viacom and CBS Announce Content and Digital Leadership
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (January 15, 2020). "ViacomCBS Shuffles Oversight of Pop TV, Bellator MMA Amid Post-Merger Restructuring (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
- ^ "Virtual MTV Launches Alpha of Browser-Based Experience". Engage Digital. February 5, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- ^ "MTV acquires Harmonix for USD $175 million". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- ^ Kohler, Chris (September 14, 2007). "A Glimpse Into Harmonix's Punk-Rock Design Process". Wired. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
- ^ "Viacom to acquire Xfire". GameSpot. April 24, 2006. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- ^ Halliday, Josh (December 24, 2010). "Viacom sells Rock Band game studio". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ Marie, Meagan (December 23, 2010). "Viacom Sells Harmonix To Columbus Nova". Game Informer. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ Wauters, Robin. "Exclusive: Titan Gaming Takes Xfire Off Viacom's Hands". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- ^ "MTV Networks Group Launches 345 Games". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- ^ "MTV Latin America Confirms Rock Band Thirty Seconds to Mars to Perform at MTV World Stage Mexico" (Press release). Mexico: Prnewswire.com. Retrieved May 31, 2012.