Viacom

Posted on October 16, 2016 by eamccann

Beth McCann, Divya Yeleswarapu, Hugh Sims

http://hoitalent.com/positions/content-operator/

Viacom Logo [1]

VIACOM, INC.

1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

(212) 258-6000

viacom.com

ABOUT

Viacom Networks [3]

American media conglomerate Viacom, Inc. is a media company home to television, cinema, online and mobile networks and brands in over 160 countries and territories, reaching approximately 700 million subscribers around the globe.

Their leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, BET, Nickelodeon and its various channels, Comedy Central, Spike, and Paramount Channel. Viacom owns Paramount Pictures as well, which is a major producer and distributor for movies [2].

HISTORY

Viacom and CBS Logos [21]

Viacom got its start in 1971. Viacom acquired its various networks over the course of 30 years, purchasing various channels including MTV, Nickelodeon, and BET. In the 1990s they entered a merger with CBS [4]. However, the two separated into two companies in 2005, now known as CBS Corporation and today’s Viacom Inc. The split was made to separate radio and television from the rest of the company [21]. Today, Viacom continues to create new shows for their various networks and launch new ideas.

CURRENT AND FUTURE MEDIA

Recently, Viacom has been concerned with attracting younger viewers from children’s ages to young adults aged 18-25. They are trying to stay relevant in the developing world of streaming content but still trying to pull in viewers for live shows.

Rocko’s Modern Life Poster [5]

On Nickelodeon, Viacom is attempting to draw in new and old audiences alike with programming reminiscent of shows on in the 1990s. Viacom announced in August they would have an hour long special of the classic 90s Nickelodeon cartoon Rocko’s Modern Life [5].

In October they announced there would be a special of Double Dare, a game show from the 1980s and 1990s [6]. They later said they would be releasing Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Movie to come out based off of the popular 1990s Nickelodeon show [7]. They are attempting to appeal to a younger generation who has never seen this content as well as nostalgic young adults.

Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Movie-Official Trailer [8]

DirectTV Now Logo [15]

Viacom is also launching some of its networks on DirecTV Now, AT&T’s streaming service. They want to deliver more content to fans in more places and allow them to stream content at their own convenience [9].

However, Viacom is also developing tactics to aid in the live viewing experience for consumers. Viacom Labs created what they called a “breakthrough television format” that they hope to launch in 2017 on MTV Music. They have created a TV format that pulls livestreams of fans in a real time feed during the scheduled television show [10]. It creates an interactive and unique experience for fans and will help to motivate people to watch shows in real time rather than stream them days later.

MANAGEMENT

Philippe Dauman-Former CEO and President [11]

Within the last few months, Viacom has gone through some major changes in management. As of August 20^th, Chief Executive Philippe Dauman resigned which ended the legal fight between members of the Viacom board and Redstone’s National Amusements Inc. This is a privately held company that holds 80% of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS Corp. Under the agreement, Dauman received about $72 million and was replaced by previous COO Thomas Dooley who served as interim CEO until the end of Viacom’s fiscal year [16].

Robert Bakish-New CEO of Viacom [12]

Recently, Viacom declared that Robert Bakish will be acting chief executive replacing Tom Dooley. Bakish, a 19-year company veteran who headed the company’s international media networks, has also been named President and CEO of a newly created group called Viacom Global Entertainment Group [17]. The group will run Viacom’s most popular networks including MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Spike and others [18].

FUTURE OF THE COMPANY

whats-next-for-the-tv-industry-find-out-from-cbs-ceo-les-moonves-at-ignition-2015

Leslie Moonves- CEO of CBS [13]

In terms of Viacom’s future, there is a lot leaning on this merger with CBS. According to The Hollywood Reporter the Viacom special committee who is working exclusively on the merger hopes to wrap everything up by the year’s end [19]. It is planned that CBS Corp. President and CEO Leslie Moonves would eventually oversee the combined entity. However, the company is determined to move forward whether as a stand-alone company or in a potential combination with CBS. Newest interim CEO Bob Bakish has a lot of goals and wants to push the company forward in terms of speed, sharing, and a global outlook. He is planning to invest in new content and to deliver significant audiences on genres other than high-dollar programming. Bakish said, “We’re not going to stand still while the CBS merger is being evaluated. I believe there’s a lot of work we can do in the near-term to make us stronger, no matter what the next chapter of Viacom is. It’s time to move forward [20].”

FINANCES

The first day of trading since the split between Viacom and CBS Corporation showed a 2.8 percent increase in the shares of CBS Corp. to $26.20, and a 1.1 percent increase in the shares of Viacom, to $41.59 [21]. In the current year 2016, they averaged out their most recent 50-day span at $41.47 per share. As of November 2016, Viacom has a 6.1% market share and is among the top 5 competitors in the cable and entertainment industry [24]. Due to the ongoing internal management battle, Viacom’s stock performance has gone down with -8.06% in the last 90 days, compared to the industry average of -0.22%. However, in comparison to CBS Corporation, Walt Disney Company, and Comcast Corporation, Viacom’s recent one day and five day stock performance, 3.58% and 1.4% respectively, has exceeded them all [22].

Viacom 52 Week Share Price [14]

This major media company has had declining performance over the last 11 years, however, it has never made negative profits and instead managed to stay afloat, but the drop in total revenue has been alarming. Over the last year their 52 Week High was $47.17 and their 52 Week Low was $38.61 [23].

Their total revenue has capped off at 13.05 B which is not where they want to be, considering that their profit margin is 15.85% and the typical average for a media company is usually around 23% [22]. In 2012, revenue increased about 16.7% because NBC Universal merged with Comcast Corporation, which provided Viacom with unforeseen and extra production materials, allowing mega growth through 2013 and the year-end stock price to cap off at $87.34 [23].

The revenue has seen a sharp decrease over the last five years by dropping 3.74% and ending the year 2015 with a drop of 44.36% to a monetary outcome of $6.18B as their gross income. It was the lowest value over the defined period. That left them with a free financing cash flow of $2.17B, which was a 12.75% decrease from the previous year 2014. However, the little glimmer of hope that Viacom took from its bleak financials into the current year 2016 is that the net operating cash flow has only been seeing growth over the last five years, and capped at a 17.43% increase coming in [22][24]. Therefore, this media conglomerate has cash to grow and operate its company through the many bumps in the reel.

OVERVIEW

Despite turmoil within the company and stress from the possible CBS, Viacom continues to move forward by creating new content for their networks and trying to reach as large an audience as possible.

SOURCES

[1] Viacom-HoiTalent. Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://hoitalent.com/company/viacom/

[2] About Viacom. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/default.aspx

[3] Dampier, Phillip. April 1, 2014. Stop the Cap! Viacom Demands 100% Rate Increases for Hundreds of Small Cable Systems, Military Bases. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://stopthecap.com/2014/04/01/viacom-demands-100-rate-increases-for-hundreds-of-small-cable-systems-military-bases/

[4] Viacom Timeline. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/history.aspx

[5] Acquire Media. August 11, 2016. Nickelodeon Brings Back Rocko’s Modern Life for Brand-New, Original One-Hour TV Special Based on the Classic ‘90s Hit Animated Series. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=984177

[6] Acquire Media. October 6, 2016. Nickelodeon Announces Brand-New Double Dare Special Commemorating Iconic Game Show’s 30th Anniversary Year, Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=992484

[7] Acquire Media. October 6, 2016. Nickelodeon’s Original TV Movie Event, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Bows Saturday, Nov. 26, at 8 P.M. (ET/PT). Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=992490

[8] July 23, 2016. Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Movie l First Official Trailer I Nick – YouTube. Retrieved November 25, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7eHPW7n7Ko

[9] Acquire Media. October 4, 2016. Viacom Networks to Launch on DIRECTV NOW. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=992023

[10] Acquire Media. October 24, 2016. First Ever Livestream-to-TV Format Pioneered by Viacom Labs, Greenlit for On-Air Series. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=995056

[11] January 15, 2015. Viacom Extends Employment Agreement with President and Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman Through 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2016. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150115006254/en/Viacom-Extends-Employment-Agreement-President-Chief-Executive

[12] Senior Management. Retrieved November 26, 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/seniormanagement.aspx

[13] Salem, Yasir. November 19, 2015. What’s next for the TV industry? Find out from CBS CEO Les Moonves at IGNITION 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2016. http://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-ceo-les-moonves-to-speak-at-ignition-2015-7

[14] Viacom, Inc. Retrieved November 26, 2016. https://www.google.com/finance?cid=703770

[15] DirectTV Now Logo. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://www.multichannel.com/sites/default/files/public/styles/blog_content/public/DirecTV%20Now%20400×300.jpg?itok=Mb9HjA3j

[16] Reuters. August 20, 2016. Viacom Says CEO Dauman to Resign Post Immediately; Dooley Steps In. Retrieved November 12, 2016. http://fortune.com/2016/08/20/viacom-ceo-to-resign-immediately/

[17] Reuters. October 31, 2016. Viacom names Bob Bakish acting CEO. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://fortune.com/2016/10/31/viacom-has-a-new-acting-ceo/

[18] Yu, Roger. November 1, 2016. Viacom names Bakish as acting CEO. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/31/viacom-names-bakish-acting-ceo/93083054/

[19] Masters, Kim. November 10, 2016. CBS-Viacom Merger Intrigue as Les Moonves Pushes for Clear Control. Retrieved November 14, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cbs-viacom-merger-intrigue-as-les-moonves-pushes-clear-control-945477

[20] Lieberman, David. November 9, 2016. Viacom’s Bob Bakish Vows To Accelerate Growth As It Weighs CBS Merger. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/11/viacom-bob-bakish-accelerate-growth-plans-consider-cbs-merger-1201851548/

[21] Alfano, Sean. January 3, 2006. CBS, Viacom Formally Split. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-viacom-formally-split/

[22] List of VIA’s Competitors and Stock Performance. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://csimarket.com/stocks/competitionNO2.php?code=VIA

[23] Viacom Inc. – Stock Performance. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/stockquote.cfm

[24] IBISWorld US – Industry, Company and Business Research Reports and Information. Retrieved November 16, 2016. http://clients1.ibisworld.com/reports/us/industry/majorcompanies.aspx?entid=1245

Viacom

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Rachel Roth

Rachel Roth

Viacom Logo [19]

Viacom

1515 Broadway – 52nd Floor

New York, NY 10036

(212) 846-6700

http://www.viacom.com/

Background

Viacom is an American entertainment company that holds some of the world’s most dominant brands. It connects with its following through television, motion picture and online and mobile platforms. Viacom has 23 major and minor cable television networks and airs in more than 160 countries. Viacom’s most well-known and influential brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TVLand, Spike and Comedy Central. Paramount Pictures and Viacom have connected to produce and distribute films together globally. [2] [4]

Sumner Redstone, Executive Chairman of the Board and Founder, is currently in declining health, but refuses to retire despite his questionable state. Shari Redstone is Viacom’s Non-Executive Vice Chair of the Board. President and Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman, Chief Operating Officer Thomas Dooley and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wade Davis are also influential assets to this company. [3] [4]

Executive Chairman of the Board and Founder, Sumner Redstone [20]

Non-Executive Vice Chairman of the Board, Shari Redstone [21]

President and Chief Executive Officer, Philippe Dauman [22]

Chief Operating Officer, Thomas Dooley [23]

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Wade Davis [24]

History

June 4th 1971- Viacom broke away from Columbia Broadcasting System Inc. (CBS) and became a public company. [1]

1985- Viacom acquired more than half of MTV Networks. [1]

By 1986- Viacom fully owned MTV Networks. This was an enormous feat for Viacom, as MTV has become one of the company’s leading brands today. [1]

MTV Logo [29]

1994- Viacom had a $9.9 billion merger with Paramount Communications Inc. to produce and distribute films. [1]

1999- Viacom began trading on the New York Stock Exchange as a publicly traded company. [1]

2000- $39.8 billion merger with CBS Corporation. [1]

2006- Paramount Pictures acquires DreamWorks L.L.C. [1]

2010- MTV Networks and Warner Music Group (WMG) formed a partnership, creating the music dynasty that most people think of today when they refer to MTV. [1]

Warner Music Group Logo [30]

2011- Viacom formed Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), bringing MTV Networks International, BET International and Paramount television channels under one entertainment umbrella. Today, Viacom’s largest competitors include The Walt Disney Company, Time Warner Inc. and NBC Universal Media L.L.C. [1] [5]

Recent News

Hulu

Hulu Logo [25]

In October 2015, Viacom struck a deal with video on demand streaming service, Hulu, to exclusively stream Viacom shows. Hulu will be the only place that fans can view Comedy Central and MTV content such as “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Broad City,” “Drunk History,” “Key & Peele,” “Faking It” and “Finding Carter.” Since the initial deal in October, Viacom has since extended the contract and is planning on adding more exclusive video on demand content. This should be a mutually beneficial move for both Viacom and Hulu, because Viacom will be able to stream their shows online as the viewership of cable television is declining, and Hulu will have exclusive access to Viacom programming. [6]

Cablevision

Cablevision Logo [26]

In 2012, Cablevision claimed that Viacom made the company carry 14 lesser-watched channels because they were already carrying MTV, Comedy Central, BET and Nickelodeon, also known as Viacom’s “core channels.” Viacom referred to this as a “complete sham,” therefore leading to an antitrust litigation. On October 16th 2015, Cablevision and Viacom came to a settlement on the carriage agreement, and Viacom said in a press release that the companies “are simultaneously entering into mutually beneficial business arrangements.” This should benefit both companies because Viacom will be able to air its channels again through Cablevision and Cablevision will be able to provide more channels to its subscribers. [8] [11]

Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon Logo [27]

On November 16th 2015, Nickelodeon announced the premiere of their new docu-series “The Halo Effect,” which will spotlight teens and young adults who are helping and leading others their own age and even older. The 30-minute episodes of “The Halo Effect” will premiere in January of 2016 and will depict young, motivated individuals eager to make a positive change in the world around them. [13]

Additionally, Nickelodeon hosted its annual HALO Awards on November 29th 2015, where they honor teens that are making a difference in their communities and put on a concert. Artists such as Fifth Harmony, Joe Jonas, Tori Kelly and Flo Rida performed as Nick Cannon hosted. [7] [12]

BET (Black Entertainment Television)

BET Logo [28]

In an attempt to reach viewers through other platforms than just cable television, BET, Black Entertainment Television, announced on November 2nd, 2015 that they will launch an emotional documentary, “Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church,” exclusively on the BET NOW app. The documentary will explore homophobia in black circles and will show the way that the church treats members of the LGBT community. BET has prided itself on shedding light on issues that matter most to the African American community; so diving into the black LGBT world is definitely a step that the company is taking to bring light to a relevant matter. [14]

BET launched their 5th annual breast cancer awareness campaign in October 2015, titled BET GOES PINK: “Where Do You Do It?” This campaign encourages BET females to join the conversation and share where they perform breast self-exams. BET GOES PINK was designed to educate the black community on the dangers of breast cancer and to encourage younger viewers to get checked for breast cancer. [9]

To celebrate influential artists in the black community, the annual BET “Hip Hop Awards” was held on October 9th 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. The awards show also included live performances by Future, Sean Combs, T.I., Kid Ink, among others. [10]

Financials

The growth of alternative video-viewing platforms is taking a large toll on how Viacom is performing. Video on Demand and online-streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, tablets and smartphones are changing the way people view media and are contributing to a decline in the level of viewership of cable television. Viacom’s success is heavily reliant on television ratings. According to Nielsen, ratings at Comedy Central, BET, VH1, Nickelodeon, Spike, and TVLand have declined by double digits over the last year. [4] [15] [16]

At the end of the fourth quarter, the market price of Viacom’s stock was extremely low in comparison to what it has been over the last five years, priced at about $50.90 per share. Viacom’s fourth quarter revenues declined 5% from the third quarter, totaling $3.79 billion. Although these numbers aren’t strong, President and CEO Phillippe Dauman is staying positive, viewing this outcome as an opportunity for improvement. Dauman said “Viacom’s fourth quarter and year-end results are indicative of our progress in key areas, including recent ratings improvement and renewals of important distribution agreements. [15] [18]

Viacom’s cable television prime-time ratings among the 18-49 year-old demographic have fallen 19% from last year, whereas overall ratings among 18-49 year old viewers for this category have only dropped 7%. This shows that in comparison to the rest of cable television, Viacom’s ratings have taken a significant turn for the worse. [4] [15]

The Future of Viacom

Seeing as Viacom’s revenues for home entertainment, theatrical, filmed entertainment, domestic ad and overall fourth quarter revenues have all been on a rapid decline, the future of this company is extremely questionable and shaky. [15] [16]

Viewership and demand for cable television is at an all-time low, and audiences are more interested in consuming content on demand than ever before. Viacom’s future is moving in the direction of remodeling the company entirely to better fit the future and its consumers. [4] [16] [17]

With the decline of Executive Chairman Sumner’s health, it is important that successors are prepared to make changes to Viacom. Viacom executives are looking to connect more with their younger viewers via alternative media and social media platforms and to engage their younger audience through video on demand companies and streaming services. [4] [17]

Sources

[1] Viacom Timeline. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[2] About Viacom. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[3] Board of Directors. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[4] Viacom Is Having A Midlife Crisis. Bloomberg Business. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[5] Viacom Inc. Competition. Hoovers. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[6] Hulu Expands Viacom Deal To Exclusively Stream “Inside Amy Schumer,” Other Shows. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[7] Halo Awards 2015 ABOUT. Nick. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[8] Cablevision, Viacom Settle Lawsuit Over Channel Bundling. Variety. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[9] BET Launches New Public Service Announcement “Where Do You Do It?” For 5th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[10] Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Big Sean Are The Big Winners Of The Night As They Tie With Three Wins At The 2015 BET “Hip Hop Awards.” Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[11] Cablevision and Viacom Resolve Litigation. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[12] Justin Bieber, Fifth Harmony, DNCE, Flo Rida, Tori Kelly, WALK THE MOON and More Join Nick Cannon for 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards, Concert Special Honoring Young Community Leaders, Sunday, Nov. 29, at 7 P.M. (ET/PT). Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[13] Nickelodeon Launches “The Halo Effect,” New Pro-Social-Themed Series Highlighting Teens Who Are Helping and Leading Others. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[14] BET Networks Launches New Original Groundbreaking Documentary “Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church” Exclusively on the BET NOW App Monday, November 2. Viacom. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[15] Viacom Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results. Viacom News. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[16] Will Viacom Be Here In A Decade? Big Media’s Digital Dilemma. The Daily Beast. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[17] Why Viacom’s Philippe Dauman Needs An Heir Apparent, Soon. Deadline. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[18] How Viacom’s Share Repurchase Strategy Fell Flat. Trefis. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[19] Verizon FiOS and Viacom Renew Carriage Agreement. Verizon. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[20] Sumner Redstone Picture 5. Ace Show Biz. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[21] Shari Redstone. Dld Conference. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[22] Philippe Dauman Attends A Ceremony Honoring Sumner Redstone With The 2,467th Star On The Hollywood Walk. Top News Stars. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[23] 25 Highest Paid Men. Fortune. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[24] Viacom Promotes Wade Davis to CFO. POST Online Media. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[25] Hulu Selling Japanese Operation To Nippon TV. TechnoBuffalo. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[26] Cablevision Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Viacom Over Package Deals. Slash Gear. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[27] Nickelodeon Announces Panels, Appearances & Signings for SDCC, Oh My!. Blurppy. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[28] BET Awards 2011: And The Winners Are… College DJ. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[29] MTV Networks’ Mobile App Study Reveals The Life Cycle of an App: From Discovered to Discarded. Frequency News. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

[30] Warner Music Offers $11.5 Million Settlement to Royalty-Rate Victims. Music Times. Retrieved: December 1, 2015

Viacom

Posted on December 1, 2014 by htfergus

by Timothy Chew

[1] Viacom Logo

About Viacom

Viacom is an American mass media company that specialises in entertainment content in over 160 countries across television, film, mobile and online platforms. Viacom is the parent company to many of the world’s most elite entertainment brands including MTV Networks, Nickelodeon, VH1, BET Networks, Comedy Central, SPIKE, TV Land, CMT, Paramount Pictures and many more [2 ].

Reaching approximately 700 million global subscribers, Viacom’s media networks have become one of the largest media conglomerates in the world [3].

Television Networks

[4] Viacom’s Media Network Brands

Viacom is home to a wide variety of television networks and has successfully developed original entertainment content that has reached a diverse audience [4]. MTV is best known for producing the MTV Video Music Awards, Nickelodeon is one of the most influential television channels in children’s entertainment and Comedy Central is America’s number one comedy channel. Viacom has produced many popular television shows including MTV’s Awkward and Teen Wolf, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants and many more [4].

Film

[5] Paramount Pictures Logo

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a film production and distribution studio that is also a subsidiary of Viacom. Paramount is the distributor for DreamWorks Animation, Marvel, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Classics and Paramount Vantage [4]. In 2014, Paramount grossed $953.6 million, becoming the sixth highest grossing film studio in the box office [6]. Paramount has produced many major blockbusters films including “Titanic“, “Transformers“, “Forrest Gump“, “Shrek” and “Iron Man” [7].

Financials

Viacom has remained well positioned financially this year. In the fourth quarter of 2014, Viacom’s revenue has increased 9% from $3.6 billion to $3.9 billion [8]. Viacom’s Media Networks annual year-end revenue has rose significantly from $9.6 billion to 10.1 billion [8]. However, Viacom’s film entertainment’s suffered a decrease in annual year-end revenue dropping from $4.2 billion to $3.7 billion [8]. Viacom’s year-end operating income has rose to 5% to a record breaking $4.13 billion from $3.9 billion in 2013 [8].

Key Executives

[9] Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer

[10] Thomas E. Dooley, Chief Operating Officer

[11] Wade Davis, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development

Recent News

[12] Viacom Acquires Channel 5

Viacom Closes Acquisition of UK’s Channel 5

After announcing a deal on May 1st, Viacom has closed acquisition of British’s broadcaster Channel 5 for $725 million on September 10th [12]. This deal was made to expand Viacom’s investment in its entertainment content produced in the UK. In addition, Nickelodeon will be partnering with Channel 5’s pre-school program, Milkshake. Viacom and Channel 5 will collaborate to produce a new animated series called “Nella the Knight“, their first co-production which is under Viacom’s wing [12]. Viacom and Channel 5 will co-fund “Nella the Knight“, which will be produced in the UK. Channel 5 will also air episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [12]. Besides that, MTV UK and Channel 5 are partnering to commission a new series called 10,000 BC. In 10,000 BC, 20 participants leave the comforts of their modern life and travel back to the Stone Age. This 10 episode series is set to premiere on Channel 5 in 2015 [12].

[13] Viacom and Sony Partnership

Viacom and Sony Inks Internet Distribution Deal

Viacom announced a major programming deal with Sony to license live and on demand programming for at least 22 Viacom cable networks including Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, SPIKE, and VH1 for Sony’s cloud-based TV service [13]. This agreement marks Viacom’s first deal to provide its networks for an Internet based live TV and Video On Demand service. Sony’s new cloud-based TV service will integrate live TV content with a dynamic experience people are accustomed to look for form their network. This new service will provide access to hundreds of hours of Viacom programming to over 75 million Internet-enabled Sony devices in the U.S [14].

Releases

[15] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Jonathan Liebasman

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is an action comedy film that made tremendous success in the box office this summer. The film was produced by highly acclaimed “Transformers” producer Michael Bay and directed by Jonathan Liebasman. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” was a recreation of the original comic series. On its opening weekend, this summer blockbuster locked in a staggering $65 million [16]. Since its release, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” has made $191 million in the US and $286 million in the international market. This film surprisingly remained number 1 in the box office on its first two weeks of release [16].Unlike many films released this summer, this film managed to surpass its budget within 3 weeks of its release, proving to be a major success [16].

[17] Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan

Interstellar

“Interstellar” is a Sci-Fi thriller starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. The film is based on a team of explorers who travel to space on an adventure to search for a habitable planet that could potentially save the human race [17 . The film was director by Christopher Nolan. Unfortunately, “Interstellar” failed to reach its predicted $50 million on its opening weekend, and only made $47.5 million instead [18]. Although, “Interstellar” has not done quite as well domestically by only making $138 million since its premiere, it has been a major success in the foreign market making a whopping $331 million, surpassing its $165 million budget. Since its opening weekend, the film has made over $468 million worldwide proving to be a global success [19].

Upcoming Releases

[20] Eye Candy, MTV’s New Thriller

MTV Announces New Scripted Thriller

MTV announced a new scripted thriller series called “Eye Candy.” The new series is based on R.L Stine’s popular novel “Eye Candy.” The series is produced by Jason Blum and Catherine Hardwicke. “Eye Candy” revolves around tech genius, Lindy who is played by Victoria Justice [21]. Lindy begins online dating and suspects one of her strange suitors to be a potential serial killer. Lindy then partners with a team of hackers to solve these mysterious murders on the streets of New York. “Eye Candy” is an 10-episode, hour-long thriller that is set to premiere on January 12, 2015 [21].

Trailer [22].

Mission-Impossible-5-starring-Tome-Cruise

[23] Mission Impossible 5, directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Mission Impossible To Release Fifth Film

The fifth instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise is hitting theatres next winter. The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie and written by Drew Pearce. “Mission Impossible 5” is produced by Paramount and J.J Abrams’ Production Company, Bad Robot. In “Mission Impossible 5“, Tom Cruise will be returning to his role of Ethan Hunt. The previous film, “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” set the record very high after grossing a staggering $695 million globally [24]. Mission Impossible 5 is set to release on December 25th, 2015. The film’s trailer has not been released [25].

Sources

[1] Viacom’s Logo, Variety.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[2] About Viacom, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[3] “Advertising Revenue Drive Media Networks Business“, Marketrealist.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[4] Viacom Brands, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[5] Paramount Pictures’s Logo, Paramountguilds.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[6] Studio Market Share, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[7] Paramount’s All Time Box Office Results, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[8] Viacom’s Fiscal Report 2014, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[9] Philippe Dauman, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[10] Thomas E. Dooley, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[11] Wade Davis,Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[12] Viacom Closes Acquisition of Channel 5, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[13] Viacom and Sony Partnership,Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[14] Viacom Inks Pact with Sony, Variety.com, 9/10/2014, RT: 11/30/2014

[15] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Poster, Teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[16] Box Office Results, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[17] Interstellar Poster, Interstellar-movie.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[18] “Interstellar Final Box Office Fails to Hit $50 Million Estimates”, Variety.com, 11/10/2014, RT: 11/30/2014

[19] Box Office Results, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[20] Eye Candy Poster, Hollywoordreporter.com, 11/02/2014, RT: 11/30/2014

[21] MTV’s New Scripted Thriller, Viacom.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[22] Eye Candy Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[23] Mission Impossible 5 Poster, Screenrant.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[24] Box Office Results, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[25] “Mission: Impossible 5 to Hit Theaters in December 2015”, Hollywoodreporter.com, 11/13/2014, RT: 11/30/2014

Viacom

Posted on October 5, 2014 by nawhite

by Nalae White

Viacom Inc. 1515 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

United States

Phone: (212)-258-6000

http://www.viacom.com [1]

Key Executives:

Philippe Dauman, CEO

Sumner M. Redstone, Founder & Executive Chairman

Thomas E. Dooley, COO

Wade Davis, CFO

Company Overview:

Viacom Inc. is an American mass media company that mainly produces films and cable television shows. Viacom is the fifth largest broadcasting and cable company in the country. Their network reaches approximately 700 million subscribers internationally, throughout about 160 countries and territories. It is estimated that Viacom owns and operates roughly 170 networks, in addition to Paramount Studios, America’s oldest film studio and distributor. Viacom’s networks are largely content based, satisfying more niche markets. Viacom operates hundreds of online, mobile, and app experiences across a wide range of media platforms, including both traditional and new forms of media. [2]

Viacom Owned Networks [i]

Viacom’s history as an independent company has been complicated. Viacom began as a spin-off network from what was then CBS, Inc., establishing itself as a public company in 1971. In 1987, National Amusements acquired the controlling shares of Viacom, owning 83% of the company. However, in 2000, Viacom formed a $39.8 billion merger with CBS Corporation, uniting the two companies once again. Then, in 2005, the companies parted ways again and Viacom rebranded itself as Viacom Inc. Along the way, Viacom had acquired and created over 100 channels through MTV Networks and otherwise. The company has experimented with joint ventures like EPIX, partnerships with music groups like Warner Music Group, feeding into more targeted markets with channels like mtvU, and of course new and innovative ideas for creating and distributing content. [3]

Current Ongoings:

Rendering of Columbia Square [4]

Viacom recently made the decision to relocate and consolidate several of its big name networks to one building in Columbia Square on Sunset Boulevard. MTV, Spike TV, Comedy Central, and BET will all operate out of the $420 million complex within 180,000 square feet of space. The move will put the networks closer to Paramount Studios, which operates a mile from the building. Viacom’s 12-year lease states that the company will capacitate nearly the entirety of a 6-story building within the complex. The lease is the largest to be signed in Hollywood in the last 10 years. Viacom is expected to poster sizable graphics that will be visible from far distances on the building. The purchase is instrumental in what is seen as a revamping of Hollywood, with the complex being the largest “media-tenant” since the construction of the Capitol Records Tower in the 1950s. [4]

Viacom’s network continues to expand, opening new channels to satisfy new markets. This year, Viacom renewed an existing distribution deal with Hulu, an online media streaming service. The contract allows Hulu to use Viacom’s existing repertoire of cable networks to substantiate Hulu’s own library. The renewal will also allow Hulu a wider range of material to choose from, including networks that were not previously available to the streaming service before, such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. The deal will contribute largely to the “Hulu Kids” section of the website, reviving older series accompanied by a sense of nostalgia like “Ren & Stimpy” and “Hey Arnold!” which currently air on Viacom’s TeenNick channel. The deal also greatly amplifies the number of Viacom’s past reality shows that will be featured on Hulu. It is speculated that the deal is an attempt by Hulu to compete with Amazon Prime’s Instant Video Inventory. However, the deal barely rivals the existing subscription-streaming deal between Amazon and Viacom, which was the largest sum Amazon has paid for a streaming deal thus far.[5]

Channel 5 Logo [ii]

Viacom has, additionally, closed a £450 million deal, acquiring UK’s Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited from Northern & Shell Media Group. Channel 5 and Viacom’s existing networks have begunexperimenting with joint programming, airing Nickelodeon originated shows on Channel 5, as well producing new content with children’s shows like “Nella the Knight” and a reality show called “10,000 B.C.”[6]

Recent Legal Incidents:

In 2007, Viacom filed a $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube, claiming that the website was perpetuating Copyright Infringement. The judge ruled in YouTube’s favor in 2010, and Viacom filed for an appeal. The suit litigated for a total of 6 years until in 2013, the judge ruled again that YouTube “did not have to police itself”, and that it was Viacom’s responsibility to find infringing videos and alert YouTube to their presence. In March of 2014, Viacom made the decision to cut their losses, reaching an undisclosed settlement in which no money was exchanged with Google, YouTube’s parent company. Since the settlement, the two companies have been in contact about “seizing opportunities”, with the allusion of possible collaborations and close interactions between them.[7][8]

Promotional still for VH1’s TLC Biopic, CrazySexyCool [11]

In April of 2014, Viacom was sued by Perri “Pebbles” Reid, former manager of 90’s R&B group TLC, for claims of defamation. In 2013, the 2-hour biopic “CrazySexyCool”, following the lives and fame of the popular R&B group, premiered on VH1, a channel owned by Viacom Inc. The biopic was reported to have given VH1 its highest ratings in 5 years. The lawsuit calls for $40 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a request to ban the movie or associated promotional materials from being publicized. Reid believes that the movie disparaged her reputation both as an entertainer and businesswoman, and that “Viacom abandoned journalistic and literary integrity and ignored fundamental canons of journalistic and literary conduct by publishing false and defamatory accusations with actual malice.” The former manager claims that she was presented as “conniving and dishonest”, as it demonstrated that she deceived her clients and robbed them of their royalty money. Reid claims that she had no control over the group’s lawyer’s or accountants. Viacom has refused to comment. [9][10][11]

In February of 2013, Cablevision filed an antitrust lawsuit against Viacom, alleging illegal channel tying during program negotiations; Cablevision claims that Viacom threatened a “10 figure penalty” if Cablevision did not agree to carry smaller suites in addition to must-have cable programming. Viacom counters that the “10 figure penalty” in question is the difference between standard rates and a negotiation between Viacom and Cablevision as the result of “good-faith negotiations” since the two have worked together in the past. The lawsuit was filed three months after a carriage deal between Cablevision and Viacom. Viacom moved to have the case dismissed, however the judge ruled that there was viable evidence on Cablevision’s behalf to review an antitrust claim. There is no trial date set.[12]

Financial Information

Fiscal 2014 Report:

Revenues: $13.78B

Adjusted Operating Income: $4.13B

Adjusted Net Earnings: $2.38B

Adjusted Diluted EPS: $5.4M

Viacom’s fiscal year came to a close on September 30^th, 2014. The company demonstrated an impressive fiscal year. While Viacom’s total revenue showed a negligible change in comparison to the previous year, other factors were notable. Both the company’s Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share reached all time highs, rising 5% and 15% respectively. The company’s Adjusted Net Earnings also increased by 3.8% from the previous year.[13]

Sources:

1 Yahoo! Finance: Viacom Financial Profile Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

²Viacom Website: About Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

3 Viacom Timeline: History of Viacom Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

4 LA Times: Viacom Signs 12-Year Lease at Columbia Square in Hollywood Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

5 LA Times: Hulu Extends Streaming Deal With Viacom, Expands Library Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

6 Viacom News: Viacom Closes Acquisition of Channel 5 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

7 Bloomberg BusinessWeek Technology: Viacom Gives Up On Its YouTube Copyright Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

8 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Viacom and Google Settle YouTube Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

9 Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Former TLC manager sues Viacom For Defamation Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

10 The Root: Pebbles Files $40,000,000 Lawsuit Against Viacom Over TLC Biopic Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

11 Eurweb: TLC Biopic Gives VH1 Its Highest Ratings in 5 Years Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

12 The Hollywood Reporter: Viacom Can’t Escape Cablevision’s Antitrust Lawsuit Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

13 4^th Quarter ’14 Earnings Press Release: Viacom Reports Record Profit For Fiscal 2014 Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Photo Sources:

i Stop the Cap: Viacom Demands 100% Rate Increases Date Acquired: December 1st, 2014

ii Deadline.com: Channel 5 Sale Speculations Date Acquired: December 1^st, 2014

Viacom

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Samantha Mackoff

By Sam Mackoff

[1] Viacom Logo

ABOUT VIACOM

Viacom, short for Video and Audio Communications, is a mass media company that produces content globally across television, movies, online and mobile platforms. Viacom’s media networks reach about 700 million global subscribers, making it one of the world’s largest media conglomerate [2]. Viacom operates about 170 leading entertainment brands including MTV Networks, VH1, BET Networks, Comedy Central, CMT, SPIKE, Nickelodeon Networks, Paramount Pictures and more [3].

Television Networks

[4] Viacom’s Media Brands

Viacom has a large variety of networks that represent a diverse collection of programming. From Nickelodeon, the leading brand in children’s entertainment, to Comedy Central, the number one brand in comedic television, Viacom continues to produce original content that is relevant to all different audience members [4]. Some of Viacom’s leading shows are Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants, MTV’s Teen Wolf and Awkward, Comedy Central’s South Park and many more [5].

Film

[6] Paramount Pictures Logo

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a production and distribution studio for film. It is a subsidiary of Viacom. Paramount distributes content from DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Marvel Studios, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies [4]. Paramount is ranked as the fourth highest grossing film distributor [7]. Some of Paramount’s notable films are, “Transformers”, “Indiana Jones”, “Star Trek”, “Titanic”, and “Forrest Gump” [8].

FINANCIALS

Viacom is a publicly held. This year, Viacom did well financially with its media networks revenue, but did not do well financially in film entertainment. The media networks revenue had a $462 million increase to $9.7 billion by the end of 2013 [9]. The film entertainment revenues had a $538 million decrease from the previous year to $4.3 billion by the end of 2013 [9]. Viacom’s net earnings still increased 2% from 2012 to 2013, from $2.3 billion in 2012 to $2.4 billion in 2013 [9].

KEY EXECUTIVES

[10] Philippe Dauman,
President and Chief Executive Officer

[11] Thomas E. Dooley,
Chief Operating Officer

RECENT NEWS
Viacom and Google Call a Truce

[12] Google Vs. Viacom

After seven years of battling in court, Viacom and Google have settled the copyright infringement lawsuit, in which neither company exchanged money to the other. Viacom filed a $1 billion lawsuit in 2007 against YouTube, which is owned by Google, stating that there were billions of dollars in damages for copyright infringement by uploading unauthorized clips from Viacom programming. After years of arguing, Viacom and YouTube released a settlement statement saying, “This settlement reflects the growing collaborative dialogue between our two companies on important opportunities, and we look forward to working more closely together” [13].

Viacom Teams Up with Tumblr

[14] Tumblr and Viacom Partnership

Viacom announced an exclusive partnership with the popular blogging website, Tumblr. The two companies together will offer co-branded campaigns and content for shows and events for Viacom’s networks through the 2014 Upfront Season. This partnership marks Viacom as the first television programmer to develop a marketing partnership with Tumblr. Viacom’s partnership with Tumblr creates a unique opportunity for Viacom to use this creative platform with its advertisers in order to reach a large audience because of its major social activity. On the consumer end, it allows users to view content in a fun and interactive way [15].

RELEASES

[16] “The Wolf of Wall Street”, directed by Martin Scorsese

The Wolf of Wall Street

The dark comedy, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort’s life. The film takes you through the New York stockbroker’s journey from rags to riches, starting in penny stocks to running an extremely successful firm. This film has had major success worldwide. The high admiration has earned the film a Golden Globe and five Academy Award nominations [17]. Surpassing all Christmas sales in theaters on its holiday release date [18], the film made $10 million on its opening day and over $18 million on its opening weekend [19]. This film has accumulated grosses of $116.9 million domestically and $272.7 million in the foreign market [19].

[20] “Noah”, directed by Darren Aronofsky

Noah

The recent release of the biblical inspired film, “Noah”, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Russell Crowe, is inspired by the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. Noah is chosen by God to take on a mission to rescue the innocent before an apocalyptic flood hits the world. This film ranked #1 at the box office on its opening weekend on March 28^th [21]. “Noah” brought in a diverse audience including men and women of all ages that were Christian, Catholic Latino and African American [22]. “Noah” has faced a sizable decline with a 68% drop since its release [23]. Predictions say that this number will increase during the weekend of Easter because of the faith based audience [24]. “Noah” has made $93.3 million domestically and $197.4 million in the foreign market [21].

UPCOMING RELEASES

Nickelodeon Introduces a New Awards Show

8-Kids-Choice-Sports-Awards-2014-350x348

[25] Michael Strahan, Future Host of Kids Choice Sports

Nickelodeon announced a new award show called Kids Choice Sports, hosted by former football player, Michael Strahan, set to debut this summer. Kids Choice Sports give viewers the opportunity to have a voice in the show by voting for their favorite teams, players and sports moments as well as selecting the stars to get slimed. In additions to the awards, the event will also have a musical performance, competitions against athletes and slimed filled sports stunts [26]. Kids Choice Sports has the potential to bring in a whole new audience of parents and children who are interested in sports, as well as other viewers who want to be a part of the additional events of the awards show.

Candid Camera Returns After 66 Years

: [27] Allen Funt, the Original Host of Candid Camera

TV Land announced that it is bringing back a new version of the 1940’s show, Candid Camera. Candid Camera is a show that captures the reactions of people in unusual situations using hidden cameras. Peter Funt, the son of the host and creator of the original show, will be co-producing Candid Camera. There are 10 new episodes that are set to air this summer [28].

Transformers To Release Fourth Film

The fourth Transformers film called, “Transformers: Age of Extinction”, is hitting the theater this summer. This film was directed by Michael Bay and has notable actors staring in it such as Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, and Jack Reynor [29]. This popular franchise has earned $2.6 billion in the global box office. The bar for this film was set very high after the last film, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”, earning $1.1 billion globally. This film is set to release June 27^th [30].

Trailer [31]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Recreated in a Live Action Film

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is returning to the screen in a live action film this summer. Producer Michael Bay and director Jonathan Liesmasman, are working together to recreate the story that was originally based off of a comic series [32]. Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount said, “Michael Bay is committed to making sure young audiences have a reason to flock back to your theaters” [33]. This action comedy film is about four trained ninja turtles that work together to fight off evil. This summer blockbuster, starring Megan Fox, Noel Fisher, Will Arnet, Jeremy Howard and Alan Ritchso, is set to release August 8^th [32].

Trailer [34]

Sources

[1] Viacom’s Logo, Adweek.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[2] About Viacom, Viacom.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[3] “Viacom: Veteran Leading the Way”, Investing Daily, 12/31/2013, RT: 4/17/2014

[4] Viacom Brands, Viacom.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[5] Most Popular TV Shows, TV.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[6] Paramount Pictures Logo, Nickelodeon.Wikia.com, RT: 4/18/14

[7] Leading Distributors- 1995-2014, The-Numbers.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[8] Paramount All Time Box Office Results, BoxOfficeMojo.com, RT: 4/18/2014

[9] Viacom Inc.- Annual Report, Viacom.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[10] Philippe Dauman, Trialx.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[11] Thomas E. Dooley, CNN.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[13] “Google and Viacom Settle Copyright-Infringement Lawsuit over YouTube”, Variety, 3/18/2014, RT: 4/19/2014

[14] Viacom and Tumblr, YourNewSticker.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[15] “Yahoo’s Tumblr First TV Ad Deal Is with Viacom”, Variety, 3/20/2014, RT: 4/19/2014

[16] Wolf of Wall Street Poster, UBCFilmSociety.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[17] Wolf of Wall Street Awards, IMDB.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[18] “‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Poised for No. 1 at Christmas Box Office with $10 Million”, Variety, 12/25/13, RT: 4/19/14

[19] Box Office Results, BoxOfficeMojo.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[20] Noah Poster, MovieFanatic.com, RT: 4/19/2014

[21] Box Office Results, BoxOfficeMojo.com, RT: 4/19/14

[22] “‘Noah’ sails to estimated $44-Million Opening at Box Office”, Los Angeles Times, 3/30/2014, RT: 4/19/14

[23] “North America: ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Sets New April Record with $96.2M”, BoxOffice.com, 4/6/14, RT: 4/19/14

[24] “‘Heaven is for Real’ Posts Strong Opening Day Returns”, BoxOffice.com, 4/17/14, RT: 4/19/2014

[25] Kids Choice Sports Picture, TVByTheNumbers.zap2it.com, RT: 4/20/14

[26] “Nick Launching Sports Award Show”, BigStory.ap.org, 3/13/214, RT: 4/20/14

[27] Allen Funt, rtvfmediastudies.tcu.edu, RT: 4/20/14

[28] “Candid Camera: TV Land Reviving Classic Series for Summer”, TVSeriesFinale.com, 4/9/14, RT: 4/20/14

[29] Transformers Cast and Crew, IMDB.com, RT: 4/20/14

[30] “‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ to Kick Start New Trilogy”, Variety, 4/11/14, RT: 4/20/14

[31] Transformers: Age of Extinction Trailer, Youtube, 3/5/2014, RT: 4/20/2014

[32] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cast and Crew, IMDB.com, RT: 4/20/14

[33] “Paramount Kicks Off CinemaCon With ‘Ninja Turtles,’ ‘Transformers’ Footage”, Variety, 3/24/14, RT: 4/20/14

[34] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Trailer, Youtube, 3/27/2014, RT: 4/20/2014

Viacom

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Amanda Al-Sayah

By Amanda Al-Sayah

Viacom

Courtesy of Dailyfinance.com

[1]

Viacom Inc.
1515 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
(212) 258-6000
www.viacom.com
@Viacom
Facebook.com/Viacom

Key Executives

Courtesy of IMDB

[2]

Sumner M. Redstone: Founder of Viacom and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is also the Executive Chairman of CBS.

Courtesy of allthingsd.com

[3]

Philippe Dauman: President and Chief Executive Officer

Courtesy of CNN.com

[4]

Thomas E. Dooley: Chief Operating Officer.

Courtesy of poandpo.com

[5]

Wade Davis: Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development

Company description:

Viacom, which stands for “Video & Audio Communications”, is a mass media company that encompasses cable television and cinema. It is the fourth-largest media conglomerate. National Amusements, Inc., owns Viacom as well as a stake in CBS Corporation. Viacom owns over 205 television stations many of which are well-known including Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Spike, Vh1, Comedy Central, etc. It also acquired Paramount Pictures which has been successful in movie releases including Bad Grandpa. [6] Viacom’s competitors include Time Warner, NBCUniversal, and Walt Disney, but still dominates in the cable television market.[7]

[8]

Since Viacom has been a company for a long time, many of its TV stations are familiar to audiences. This means that Viacom has to make a lot of content across different markets. MTV, which stands for Music Television, was bought in 1986 and still attract a younger generation and it is one of the most watched TV stations by the youth because it brings modern trends to the screen that teenagers tend to follow. Nickelodeon is for a younger crowd and BET, Spike, Comedy Central are for an older generation with more mature content. Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants is the most watched television show of this fall.

MTV’s popular TV show Headbanger’s Ball in the 1980s-early 90s was a big hit that gave rise to a slew of big name artists in rock and heavy metal including bands such as Skid Row, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, etc.

[9]

Nickelodeon has had many successful cartoons kids’ shows during the 90s

[10]

Brief History:

In June of 1971, Viacom became a public company after completing a spin-off from CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System). In 1985, Viacom formed a joint venture with Warner Communications and Warner Amex Cable Communications and acquired 66 percent of MTV Networks. [11] Viacom then merged with Paramount Communications for a deal that was about $10 billion. In 2000, CBS and Viacom merged in a deal for $40 billion and then purchased more assets. Paramount acquired Dreamworks as well and Viacom International Media Networks was created in 2011.

Financials:

Share Price:
Viacom, Inc.
NASDAQ: VIA – Nov 19 3:55 PM ET
79.65+0.01 (0.01%)
[12]

Financials for the last quarter of 2013.

[13]

Viacom has had a very successful fourth quarter of 2013. The quarterly revenues are up by 9% and adjusted net earnings by 18%. The media networks quarterly revenues increased by 7% as advertising revenues are up by 10% and operating income increased 11% to $1.04 Billion. Revenues are up by 11% and adjusted operating income grew 49% [14]. These are big numbers for Viacom and are mainly due to increased viewership and ratings. Viacom has had many must-see moments on television during the year. For instance, the incident during the annual MTV Video Music Awards included the infamous moment where singer Miley Cyrus dances inappropriately with Robin Thicke [15]. As preposterous as it sounds, this must-see moment garnered many viewers and it became a viral video as well. Additionally, many new television shows have been successful.

Catfish the TV show, a show about long-distance online relationships, has been successful on MTV.

[16]

The Daily show has been a popular show on Comedy Central where Jon Stewart satirizes the acts of the government and it garners many viewers.

[17]

Founder Sumner Redstone was very proud of what Viacom had accomplished this semester and said “Viacom’s outstanding performance proved once again the broad global demand for our valuable content. Looking forward, our world-class brands are perfectly positioned to build on this performance and achieve even greater success.” [18]
Redstone is always know for his catchphrase “content is king” meaning that people watch TV not for the TV station but to see great shows that they remember and want to watch more and that’s what makes Viacom successful.

[19]

Recent news:

Sony and Viacom Reach Tentative Deal to Stream Cable Channels

Sony’s PlayStation 4 could be used to deliver Sony’s TV service
Courtesy of New York Times

[20]

Viacom has agreed to let its popular TV channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, etc. to be carried by an internet TV service that Sony is creating which would be the PlayStation 4. This is big news to many gamers or people looking into buying a PlayStation. This could provide large competition for other game consoles that are being released such as the Xbox One and the newer version of the Wii. It could also be big competition for cable and satellite providers and would make them lose customers. It is an innovative idea but it could also be hurtful for the channels because the user can now use Hulu and other such internet TV services instead of watching traditional live television. This agreement would be the first time in which a major programmer and a technology giant try to disrupt the modes of TV delivery and a new era would begin if other programmers do the same. It would be a step closer to cutting the cord. <a href="Viacom has agreed to let its popular TV channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, etc. to be carried by an internet TV service that Sony is creating which would be the PlayStation 4. This is big news to many gamers or people looking into buying a PlayStation. This could provide large competition for other game consoles that are being released such as the Xbox one and the newer version of the Wii. It could also be big competition for cable and satellite providers and would make them lose customers. It is an innovative idea but it could also be hurtful for the channels because the user can now use Hulu and other such internet TV services instead of watching traditional live television. This agreement would be the first time in which a major programmer and a technology giant try to disrupt the modes of TV delivery and a new era would begin if other programmers do the same. It would be a step closer to cutting the cord. [20]

Nick Cannon hosts fifth annual HALO awards
[21]

Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Austin Mahone, Dax Shepard, Darren Criss, Kevin Jonas, Nikki Reed, Chloe Bennet and Jennette McCurdy and others joined host Nick Cannon in honoring four extraordinary teens at the fifth annual TeenNick HALO Awards on Sunday November 17th. The four teens included Miranda Fuentes who was paired with Shay Mitchell, Zachary Kerr who was paired with Josh Hutcherson, Rocio Ortega who was paired with Chris Paul, and Denzel Thompson who was paired with Queen Latifah. The teens were awarded $5000 for their achievements among other awards and enjoyed their times with the celebrity pairings. [22]

Comedy Central acquired @midnight with Chris Hardwick and it is doing very well.

[23]

Cablevision sues Viacom for packaging channels
Cablevision released a lawsuit against Viacom in March for basically bundling all its stations and forcing cablevision to buy them all instead of just the well-known ones. Cablevision claims that this is “tying” which is illegal. This is considered an argument that is not very strong because as economists figured out a long time ago, a monopolist can only reap a monopoly profit once. Viacom and other major conglomerates have been doing the same thing for a long time and it is seemingly odd that cablevision is suing them now. It is true that the less popular channels are not garnering views and customers are paying extra for channels they won’t watch but it is the only way that these channels will be able to get the exposure they are getting. [24]

This is a video from Wall Street Journal about Viacom being sued by Cablevision

[25]

References:
[1] Viacom Logo
[2] Sumner Redstone photo
[3] Philippe Dauman photo
[4] Thomas E. Dooley photo
[5] Wade Davis photo
[6] Viacom.com overview
[7] Viacom competitors
[8] Viacom assets logos photo
[9] Headbangers Ball photo
[10] Nickelodeon photo
[11] Viacom’s Historical timeline
[12] Share Price for Viacom from Yahoo
[13] Viacom.com financial report for 4th quarter
[14] Viacom.com financial report for 4th quarter
[15] VMAs moment Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke
[16] Catfish TV show photo
[17] The Daily Show photo
[18] Sumner Redstone quote
[19] Summner Redstone video
[20] PlayStation 4 photo
[21] Sony and Viacom Deal Article
[22] Nick Cannon HALO Awards photo
[23] Chris Hardwick photo
[24] Cablevision sues Viacom article
[25] Wall Street Journal video

Viacom Inc.

Posted on April 9, 2013 by namezaro

[1]

by Nicole Mezaros

Viacom Inc.
1515 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
(212) 258-6000
www.viacom.com
@Viacom

Sumner M. Redstone, Philippe Dauman, Thomas E. Dooley, Robert Bakish, and Brad Grey [2],[3],[4],[5],[6]

Top Executives

Sumner M. Redstone: Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2006. He also serves as the Executive Chairman of CBS [7].

Philippe Dauman: President and CEO since 2006 [8].

Thomas E. Dooley: Chief Operating Officer since 2010. He previously served as the CFO [8].

Robert Bakish: President and CEO of International Media Networks since 2011. He oversees all media networks outside of the United States [8].

Brad Grey: CEO of Paramount Pictures since 2005. Grey oversees the entire branch of Paramount Pictures [8].

A Brief History

In 1971, Viacom was formed by breaking off from CBS; it then merged with Warner Communications in 1983 [9]. It bought MTV in 1986, and then merged with Paramount Communications in a nearly $10 billion agreement [9]. The VIA stock became available to be bought and sold in the NYSE in 1999 [9]. CBS, the company it came from, and Viacom merged in a nearly $40 billion merger in 2000 [9]. In the next few years, it purchased BET, Noggin, Comedy Central, TNN, and more [9]. CBS and Viacom then split again in 2006 [25]. Also in 2006, Paramount acquired Dreamworks LLC, and MTV then partnered with Warner Music group [9]. Most recently, in 2011, Viacom International Media Networks was created [9].

General Overview

Viacom has many diverse assets, and therefore produces a lot of varied programming in different markets. It owns 205 television channels, spanning over 169 territories and in nearly 40 different languages [10]. It also owns Paramount Pictures, a big player in the film industry, and has released films of all types, such as The Adventures of Tintin and Paranormal Activity, that reach varied demographics.

Viacom’s TV Assets [11]

In the cable television market, Viacom has many different assets. These networks are very different and, again, reach many different audiences. Some of their major assets include MTV and Nickelodeon, which reach a younger audience, Comedy Central, Spike, and BET, which reach an adult audience, and TV Land, which reaches an older audience. Each network plays very different programming. VH1 and MTV play both shows about popular music and reality shows, with series such as Buckwild on MTV and Top 20 Video Countdown on VH1. Comedies of all different types are played on Comedy Central, such as The Colbert Report, and TV Land offers a lot of reruns of old shows and some original programming. Networks such as CMT (Country Music Television) and BET (Black Entertainment Television) also reach very specific demographics. Nickelodeon is the #1 cable network for seventeen years, showing the success of their networks [12].

Spongebob Squarepants, airing on Nickelodeon. [13]

Viacom has a lot of competitors, some of which include NBCUniversal, Time Warner, and Walt Disney [14]. Still, it is a leader in the cable television market .

Financials

During the first quarter of 2013, Viacom had a revenue of $3.314 billion, which includes $2.394 billion from media networks and $975 million from films [15]. This number is down 16% from last year’s first quarter [15]. However, media networks hardly decreased, down only 2%; this decrease is mainly due to filmed entertainment, which is down nearly 40% [15]. MTV is the network with the highest revenue, at around $548 million, with Nickelodeon following at around $357 million [10].

Viacom Inc. (VIAB) Interactive Chart Analysis - NASDAQ jpg

Viacom Inc. Stock 1 Year Chart [16]

The Viacom stock, sold as VIAB on NASDAQ, is currently priced at $65.49, hitting a high [16]. This is nearly $20 higher than CBS, around $7 higher than the Walt Disney Company, and nearly $25 higher than Comcast, all of which are Viacom’s competitors [17]. The VIAB stock increased greatly this year, raising from $46.75 a year ago to $65.49 today [16]. Viacom also sells class A stock, VIA, at $66; with this, stockholders have voting rights.

Recent News

Viacom has been in the news recently due to two major cases. First of all, Cablevision, a big cable TV service provider, is suing Viacom for bundling its channels and charging more for single channels [18]. This has, however, been its practice for a very long time. Also, last year, the case starting in 2007, in which Viacom sued Youtube, the popular website where users can upload their own videos, saying that some of its content infringed on Viacom”s copyright, was revived [19]. This case is still going on today.

Viacom also, however, has had a lot of positive things going on recently. VH1’s ratings in adult viewership raised 33% in 2012 [20]. It also has a lot of new shows airing this season, including Best Week Ever and The Jenny McCarthy Show, and new episodes of older shows, such as the very successful Mob Wives.

NEW SHOWS + NEW LOOK + @VH1 #plussed (:30)

Also, the 26th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards, airing on March 23rd, drew an audience of nearly 6 million viewers with just the premiere, boosting Nickelodeon’s ratings greatly [21]. The 2013 MTV Movie Awards are set to air April 13th, which should also boost MTV’s ratings.

2013 Movie Awards: VOTE NOW FOR MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

Digitally, Viacom is working on a lot of new technology in order to better the viewer experience. The new Star Trek into Darkness app allowed app users to get tickets to an early showing of the film [22]. Also, Spike TV, a cable channel, has created a new app for using while viewing Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts fighting tournament. The app allows veiwers to interact with the show in a way not used with other second screen apps, using results from judging on the app in the live show [23].