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

CBS Corp.

Posted on October 16, 2016 by mnreardo

CBS Corporation

By: Marlowe Reardon, Justin Rivera, and Francesca Sostar

[2] CBS Corporations Logo

Overview

Columbia Broadcasting System, known as CBS Corporation, was founded in 1927 as competition to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). CBS began as a major contributor in the radio business, then moved into television as that transition of medium was occurring [1].

Divisions of the Company

CBS Corporation branches out to all sorts of media, including radio, television, film, cable, as well as interactive media. The company owns a wide variety of operations such as its own television distribution, consumer products, television studios, home entertainment, and sports networks. CBS also has joint ventures with major companies such as Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Their deal with Warner Bros. allowed them to create the CW, a television network that has produced successful shows such as “Arrow” and “The Vampire Diaries” [3]. The partnership between Lionsgate and CBS led the the development of “Pop”, which combines both major companies talents in programming, production, and distribution.

[13] “Pop” Logo, CBS and Lionsgate joint venture

[14] The CW logo, CBS and Warner Bros Entertainment joint venture

Key Executives

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: President & CEO of CBS Corp. Les Moonves attends CBS 2013 Upfront Presentation at The Tent at Lincoln Center on May 15, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)

[4] Leslie Moonves, CEO, Chairman of the Board, and President

[6] Shari E. Redstone, Vice Chairman

[7] Jim Lanzone, Chief Digital Officer

[8] Armando Nuñez, President & CEO-CBS Global Distribution Group

[5] Sumner Redstone, Chairman Emeritus

Finances

CBS is a publicly traded company in the New York Stock Exchange, listed as CBS.A and CBS. Their stock has seen a steady increase over the past year, currently sitting at $60 per share, as opposed to $50 per share a year ago [9]. CBS had a successful third quarter this year, with revenues increasing 4 percent to $3.4 billion. Revenue is up from $3.26 billion at the same time last year. This was due to an increase in revenues and fees from CBS affiliate stations and a growth in their digital distribution platforms. There was also a negative impact in advertising revenue from the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the first Presidential debate, and the 2016 Summer Olympics [10].

[11] CBS NYSE Closing Bell, 12/9/15.

Some of the largest contributors to CBS’s success are its cable networks, such as Showtime Networks and CBS Sports Network. Their revenue increased 14% to $598 million in this third quarter, growing from $526 million in last year’s third quarter. This aspect of the company will continue to prosper, with the growth in over-the-top (OTT) streaming services across media [12].

Current Projects

Right now, CBS Corporation is attempting to close a deal in which Viacom will merge with CBS. Both Sumner and Shari Redstone, Chairman and Vice Chairman of CBS, are large supporters of the deal. However, what is halting the deal is both companies board of directors have obligations to their shareholders. These shareholders are still exploring the potential problems that could happen if the deal were to be made. Some of these issues include pricing and structure after the merger is made. Even though the deal is still in talks, it is likely that it will happen because a single family, the Redstone’s, own 80 percent of both companies [13].

With the emergence of AT&T’s aggressively priced DirectTV Now (merging internet and television like never before), CBS is left to wonder one question: Why? A deal of this magnitude essentially leaves CBS yearning to somehow affiliate itself with this mega-deal. CBS has already taken the initiative to converge with other prosperous companies, inking a small deal with Google that involves a “skinny bundle” of TV networks to be called YouTube Unplugged. The drive CBS has to concern itself with as many large companies as possible depicts its drive to remain a powerful media conglomerate [14].

[15] Youtube Logo

CBS has been in the preproduction process of a new Star Trek series titled Star Trek: Discovery. This series will only be available on CBS’s online streaming service CBS All Access, after premiering on CBS. The decision to stream the show was made because science fiction shows have historically done poorly on broadcast television. CBS believes that a majority of Star Trek fans will pay for the services of CBS All Access so they will not miss out on the new series. Star Trek: Discovery is said to have a diverse and better represented cast, with a female lead and at least one gay character [16]. The company is hoping that this new series will also bring more viewers to this service, with about 1 million subscribers already. A commercial-free option of CBS All Access is now available, which costs $9.99 a month, as opposed to the ad-supported service costing $5.99 a month [17].

[19] CBS All Access Logo

[18] Star Trek: Discovery Logo

CBS is starting to take similar approaches to that of Netflix. Leslie Moonves stated that he is a big fan of Netflix and is taking some strategies that will help with CBS All Access. Rather than just displaying old shows on All Access, CBS has decided to take the same approach as Netflix by creating its own original shows. They use this strategy in order for their viewers to keep interest in All Access and not cancel their memberships. Previously, there would only be two or three buyers to get content from CBS. Now, streaming services are benefitting CBS Corporation because they can sell their syndicated content to Netflix, as opposed to these two or three buyers.

There has also been continuing success with CBS’s subsidiary, Showtime. Showtime is another over-the-top streaming site, similar to All Access. Moonves is going to make a continual amount of original programming, aiming for once a month released series or seasons. He also wants there to be an increase from about one million to four million subscribers in the next few years [20].

CBS has added six new shows this fall season to their primetime lineup, three comedies and three dramas. The three comedies are Kevin Can Wait, Man With a Plan, and The Great Indoors. These shows have big-name stars, such as Kevin James, Matt LeBlanc, and Joel McHale. The new dramas, Bull, MacGyver, and Pure Genius attract a wide range of audiences due to the differences of the casts. These shows are doing well so far, but time will tell which ones remain on the network and which will not make the cut [21].

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[22] Kevin Can Wait poster

mv5bmtgxmdm0ndaxml5bml5banbnxkftztgwmda5ndqwmdi-_v1_ux182_cr00182268_al_

[23] Pure Genius poster

Future Endeavors

It was announced November 28th that CBS CEO and Chairman Leslie Moonves will be attending the UBS 44th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference in New York City on December 5th for a question-and-answer session [24]. This is a conference where companies join to meet and host formal presentations over a three day period [25].

Two new shows are set to premiere later in the 2016-2017 season on CBS. Training Day and Doubt are both dramas that revolve around crime and the legal system. This will hopefully help the ratings of the other dramas already showing on CBS [26]. The future of CBS Corporation looks very bright, and many changes are set for the upcoming months and years.

SOURCES

[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/CBS-Corporation,. (2016). CBS Corporation. Retrieved 24 November 2016.

[2] http://logok.org/cbs-logo/,. (2016). CBS Logo. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[3] https://www.cbscorporation.com/about-cbs/,. (2016). About CBS Corporation. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[4] http://cdn5.thr.com/sites,. (2016). Leslie Moonves. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[5] http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/4f4f62b1d3b58aebf110dff9a65dfa9cb9aa49b4/c=0-171-1994-2830&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/2015/04/16/USATODAY/USATODAY/635647883968561121-Sumner-Redstone.jpg,. (2016). Sumner Redstone Picture. Retrieved 25 November 2016

[6] http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Shari+E.+Redstone,. (2016). Shari E. Redstone Photo Stream. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[7] http://www.cbscorporation.com/2016/06/jim-lanzone-named-chief-digital-officer-of-cbs-corporation/,. (2016). Jim Lanzone named Chief Digital Officer of CBS Corporation. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[8] https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-studios-international/executives/view?id=241,. (2016). Armando Nunez. Executives. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[9] https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CBS?p=CBS,. (2016). CBS Corporation Finances. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[10] http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzU3MzQyfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1&cb=63613799985568029,. (2016). CBS Annual Results. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[11] http://www.gettyimages.com/event/the-talk-rings-the-closing-bell-at-the-new-york-stock-exchange-595510127?#sheryl-underwood-sara-gilbert-shahttps://youtu.be/bqm9HSYbf0oron-osbourne-aisha-tyler-and-julie-picture-id500711866,. (2016). CBS’ “The Talk” Rings The Closing Bell At The New York Stock Exchange. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[12] http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzU3MzQyfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1&cb=636137999855680291,. (2016). CBS Annual Results. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[13] http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/111716/heres-whats-holding-viacomcbs-merger-cbs-viab.aspx,. (2016). Here’s What’s Holding Up the Viacom-CBS Merger. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[14] http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/cbs-directv-now-launch-att-1201925053/,. (2016). CBS Won’t Be in DirecTV Now at Launch, but Talks With AT&T Continue. Retrieved 25 November 2016.

[15] https://www.youtube.com/yt/brand/downloads.html,. (2016). Youtube Logo. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[16] http://www.avclub.com/article/cbs-admits-star-trek-discovery-wouldnt-cut-it-netw-245919,. (2016). CBS admits Star Trek: Discovery wouldn’t cut it on broadcast TV. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

[17] http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/star-trek-discovery-good-wife-spinoff-cbs-all-access-premiere-date-1201860613/,. (2016). ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Delayed on CBS All Access Until May, ‘Good Wife’ Spinoff Moved Up. Retrieved 26 November 2016.https://youtu.be/bqm9HSYbf0o

[18] http://www.cheatsheet.com/,. (2016). Star Trek: Discovery Logo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[19] https://wwwimage-secure.cbsstatic.com,. (2016). CBS All Access Logo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[20] http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/10/01/why-cbs-corporation-is-a-big-fan-of-netflix.aspx,. (2016). Why CBS Corporation Is a Big Fan of Netflix. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[21] http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-fall-premieres-2016/news/1005234/get-a-first-look-at-the-2016-2017-cbs-primetime-lineup/,. (2016). Get a first look at the 2016 2017 cbs primetime line up. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[22] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjIyNDgyNDY4Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDg4NDQwMDI@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg,. (2016). Kevin Can’t Wait Poster. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[23] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxMDM0NDAxMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDA5NDQwMDI@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg,. (2016). Pure Genius Poster. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[24] http://www.cbscorporation.com/2016/11/cbs-corporation-chairman-and-chief-executive-officer-leslie-moonves-to-participate-in-the-ubs-44th-annual-global-media-and-communications-conference/,. (2016). CBS Corporation and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves to Participate in the 44th Annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. Retriever 28 November 2016.

[25] https://www.ubs.com/global/en/investment-bank/key-investor-conferences/global.html,. (2016). Global 2016 Conferences. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

[26] http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-fall-premieres-2016/news/1005234/get-a-first-look-at-the-2016-2017-cbs-primetime-lineup/,. (2016). CBS Fall Lineup. Retrieved 28 November 2016.

Viacom

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Barbara

Ryan Doody, Georgina Macdonald

Viacom’s Holdings

Viacom, Inc. (VIAB) is an American media conglomerate with particular interests in cinema with Paramount Pictures, America’s oldest film studio; and cable television as the sixth largest cable ownership company globally, in order of revenue. Viacom houses media networks that reach approximately 700 million global subscribers with leading channels including MTV, VH1, BET, COMEDY CENTRAL and Nickelodeon.

Click here to see a list of all Viacom’s holdings

National Amusements

National Amusements, Inc. have a controlling interest of the media company. National Amusements is Viacom founder and billionaire Sumner Redstone’s holding company. This company holds a majority stake in both Viacom and its sister company, CBS Corp. Viacom was originally founded by media magna Sumner M. Redstone in 1971 and then reestablished in 2005 after splitting its original format into two publicly traded companies; Viacom and CBS Corporation. Sumner Redstone then became CEO of the newly defined Viacom, Inc. until February 2016. At the age of 92, Redstone resigned from his chairmanships at both CBS and Viacom after a court-ordered psychiatric examination.

The Redstone’s Legal Battles

This court-ordered examination by a geriatric psychiatrist is just one noteworthy outcome that has come out of a continuous stream of legal battles within and around the famously fractious Redstone family. The specific inquiry into the 92 year old’s health came after the newly-dismissed Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman sued Redstone, claiming that his dismissal was proof that Sumner was under the control of his daughter, Shari Redstone. At the time there were many rumors that Sumner Redstone’s failing health had allowed his daughter to run his company for him. These rumors were further supported by his supposed successor being someone close to Shari. Dauman and the five other board members dismissed by Redstone this year have sued to prevent their ouster. Their strategy was to prove that Shari took advantage of her father’s mental incapacity in order to seize control of the billion dollar companies. Their ‘legal drama’ and public familial feuding has been highly publicized over the last few years presenting the company as volatile, unstable and, thus, detrimentally impacted their professional image.

Management

Sumner M. Redstone, Founder & Executive Chairman

Sumner Redstone, Majority Shareholder of Viacom and Nat’l Amusements ; Chairman Emeritus

Shari E. Redstone, Non – Executive Vice Chair of Board of Trustees of Viacom

Acting CEO of Viacom Inc.; President and CEO of Viacom G.E.O.

Former CEO and President of Viacom Inc.

The Country’s Oldest Movie Studio

Paramount Pictures Corporation has experienced its worst fiscal year in Brad Grey’s twelve years as Chairman and CEO of the corporation. During his comments about their dismal year, Grey painted a ‘rosier picture’ for the future of Paramount Pictures. He hinted that with the dismissal of Dauman, the era of cost-cutting and streamlined content was over. Moreover, he insinuated that this would further allow a move ahead with more inventive content by acquiring more sub companies to provide blockbuster results; as in the spirit of Disney’s buying of companies such as Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm which has set up its slates for the next decade

The development of content is certainly the main issue with Paramount Pictures. It is reported that since the departures of Marvel, DreamWorks Animation and DreamWorks SKG, the corporation has been floundering for lucrative content for development. Grey also commented on repairing Paramount’s image within the film industry. They are seen as ‘penny-pincher’ with a poor business affairs process; a destabilized management team within their production division; and an inability to successfully launch branded sequels (as seen this year with Star Trek Beyond and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

“Recently, we’ve missed more than we should have.’ Grey said to Deadline magazine; but he went on to say that Paramount has ‘a very strong, diverse slate ahead.’ A true statement, according to critics; their roster includes a huge range of films from Oscar contenders like Scorsese’s Silence to the next chapter of the billion dollar franchise; Transformers: The Last Knight (Click here for news and spoilers).

CBS Merger

Over the past year, Viacom has flirted with the idea of re-merging with CBS, and as of November 2016 it seems inevitable. Shari Redstone has said in an interview that she “think[s] it makes sense at this point in time to explore whether it’s in the interest of both companies to merge again” (13). Viacom’s poor cable performance has put it at a weak position when it will eventually negotiate the merger with CBS. While it is uncertain who will lead the company, the most likely contender is Les Moonves, CBS’s current CEO (4).

Cable Performance

Viacom’s cable holdings have not seen nearly as much success in the past year as they have had in the past. As of November 20, 2016, there are no Viacom channels in the top 5 cable networks during Primetime. In fact, in the list of the 15 top channels on cable based on total day viewership, Viacom channels – Nickelodeon and Nick at Night – only appear twice (10).

*Highlighted channels are owned by Viacom

Source: medialifemagazine.com

The two most notable absentees from this list are MTV and Comedy Central – two of Viacom’s major channels. Comedy Central has seen a drop in viewership mainly due to the end of two of its most popular shows – The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. After Jon Stewart’s departure, Comedy Central’s viewership declined a painful 37% (11); the channel has yet to see a comparable replacement.

The new era of Comedy Central programming has yet to see the same success as its predecessors. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah’s average rating of 0.32 is about half that of Stewart’s. The Daily Show’s lack of success represents the channels struggle as a whole. While Trevor Noah may be likeable, In the words of Hayley C. Cuccinello of Forbes Magazine: “His dimples and adorable South African accent just aren’t cutting it” (11)

MTV has described the channel’s cable ratings plunge as a “transitional era” where it’s largely youthful demographic access the channel’s content primarily OTT through the MTV app. Its TV ratings have fell 29% between 2014 and 2015, yet MTV can still boast over 49 million Facebook likes, which is significantly higher than channels like Fox News that have higher TV ratings. While it may have digital success, MTV as a cable network will have to seriously innovate its content if it wants to stay relevant (12).

Argentina’s Largest TV Station

Management within Viacom has been a revolving door in recent months. Following the controversial departures of Dauman in August and Tom Dooley in September of this year, Robert Bakish became the company’s third CEO in three months. Bakish is a Viacom veteran; he became the President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks in 2007 after worked for the company since 1997. (16)

Bakish’s move has already influenced many of Viacom’s strategies moving forward. He claims his desire is to strengthen the company both domestically and internationally; expected due to his background in global media networks. Bakish’s promotion moves complementarily with Viacom’s acquisition of one of Argentina’s main free-to-air channels, Telefe. The massive deal was announced in November this year, with Viacom pledging $345 million for the channel. (15) This certainly was a surprise purchase due to it’s well-known financial instability. This acquisition strengthens Viacom’s already prominent standing in South America; Telefe reaches 95% of all households in the country and reportedly has attracted 33% share of viewership year-to-date in 2016. However, the fiscal impact of a $345 million buy will be interesting to watch in a company with a reported $12 billion debt. (18)

Bibliography

James, Meg. November 8, 2016. LA Times. Sony Vue Dumps Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV and Other Viacom Channels. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-sony-vue-viacom-20161108-story.html
James, Meg. July 8, 2016. LA Times. Why Viacom Chief Philippe Dauman is fighting his longtime boss, Sumner Redstone. Retrieved November 26th, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-why-philippe-dauman-fights-sumner-redstone-20160706-snap-story.html
Cohan, William D. June 16, 2016. Vanity Fair. “It’s a Coup D’état Without a Doubt”: Is Shari Redstone Making Power Moves at Viacom? Retrieved November 26th, 2016. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/06/shari-redstone-power-moves-viacom
Fox, Emily Jane. November 2, 2016. Vanity Fair. Finally, There is a Winner in the Redstone Family Drama. Retrieved November 3rd, 2016. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/bob-bakish-viacom-compensation
Board of Directors. Retrieved November 24, 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/boardofdirectors.aspx#
Paramount Pictures. Retrieved November 1, 2016. http://www.paramount.com
Executives: Brad Grey. Retrieved November 1, 2016. http://www.paramount.com/inside-studio/studio/executives/meet-executives/brad-grey
Fleming Jr, Mike and Cieply, Michael. November 3, 2016. Deadline. Brad Grey Fights For Paramount’s Future Part Two. Retrieved November 4, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/11/brad-grey-paramount-pictures-future-sumner-redstone-shari-redstone-1201847371/
Fleming Jr, Mike and Finke, Niki. October 8, 2010. Deadline. Paramount to End Relationship with Marvel in 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2016. http://deadline.com/2010/10/disney-paramount-marvel-restructure-marketing-distruibution-deal-76534/
Media By The Numbers: This Week’s Cable Ratings. November 23, 2016. Retrieved 28, 2016. http://www.medialifemagazine.com/this-weeks-cable-ratings/
Cuccinello, Hayley C. April 28, 2016. Forbes. Trevor Noah’s ‘Daily Show’ Reaches 100th Episode, But Noah Is Still Struggling. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/hayleycuccinello/2016/04/28/trevor-noahs-daily-show-reaches-100th-episode-but-noah-is-still-struggling/#67c25575820e
Zara, Christopher. April 15, 2015. International Business Times. MTV Ratings Decline Raises Relevance Questions As Young People Cut Cable Cord For Devices. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.ibtimes.com/mtv-ratings-decline-raises-relevance-questions-young-people-cut-cable-cord-devices-1881468
Walters, Natalie. November 23, 2016. TheStreet. Viacom (VIAB) Merging With CBS Again ‘Might Make Sense,’ Shari Redstone Says. Retrieved November 29, 2016. https://www.thestreet.com/story/13890410/1/viacom-viab-merging-with-cbs-again-might-make-sense-shari-redstone-says.html
Fox, Emily Jane. October 19, 2016. The Hive. Will Les Moonves Soon Run Viacom, Too? Retrieved November 29, 2016. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/10/les-moonves-cbs-viacom-merger
Steele, Anne. November 15, 2016. Wall Street Journal. Viacom to Buy Argentina’s Telefe for $345 Million. Retrieved November 29, 2016. http://www.wsj.com/articles/viacom-to-buy-argentinas-telefe-for-345-million-1479231471
James, Meg. October 31, 2016. LA Times. Viacom Names Robert Bakish as Acting CEO. Retrieved November 28, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-viacom-ceo-20161031-story.html
James, Meg. November 9, 2016. LA Times. Paramount Quarterly Profit Plummets; Paramount Loses $137 million. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-viacom-earnings-paramount-20161108-story.html
Orr, Emma and Shaw, Lucas. August 24, 2016. Bloomberg. Viacom Said to Rethink Resistance to $12 Billion Downgrade. Retrieved November 27, 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-24/viacom-said-to-rethink-resistance-to-12-billion-debt-downgrade

Paramount Pictures- Julia Dorin

Posted on February 18, 2016 by smwarren

Paramount Pictures

5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. 90038

www.paramount.com

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Paramount Pictures, founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor, is the fifth oldest film studio on Earth. Along with Zukor, Paramount’s founding fathers include Jesse L. Lasky ad Cecil B. DeMille, whose innovation and determination have created an empire. Since its conception in 1912, Paramount has become one of the foremost production and distribution companies in the entertainment industry [1]. Owned by media conglomerate Viacom, Paramount maintains a solid reputation and has branched into various divisions including Paramount Animation, MTV Films, Comedy Central Films, Nickelodeon Movies and many others. Paramount has had multiple successful releases in 2016 so far and anxiously awaits the release of various new projects.

THE TEAM

Led by Chairman and Chief Executive Brad Grey, Paramount Pictures develops and produces iconic pictures such as “The Big Short”, ”The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Star Trek”, and many more. Grey took over the company in 2005, leading it to great success by finishing first in the global market in 2011, and maintaining high morale and a good reputation throughout his tenure. However as of late, Grey has faced financial trouble as the leader of Paramount, showing a substantial decrease in operating profit from last fiscal year’s $205 million to this fiscal year’s $111 million [2]. Another revered executive, Rob Moore, serves as the Vice Chairman for Paramount Pictures. Moore works to oversee the company’s Worldwide Marketing and distribution of films and television programs. Other executives include Frederick Huntsberry, Marc Evans, and Amy Powell, all who contribute to Paramount’s long-lasting success [3].

Brad Grey- CEO of Paramount Pictures [12]

FINANCES

So far this year, Paramount Pictures has acquired a total film gross of $311,567,245 from a variety of films. “Daddy’s Home” grossed a total of $150,357,137 since its release in December of 2015. “The Big Short”, also released in December of 2015 grossed $70,259,870 as well as receiving the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay. The film was also nominated for another four Oscars and four Golden Globe awards as well. Paramount also released “Anomalisa”, which was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film in the 2016 Academy Awards. Other releases such as “Zoolander 2” and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” have contributed to Paramount’s total film gross thus far [4]. Paramount is known for some of the most grandiose pictures ever produced, such as James Cameron’s 1996 Blockbuster “Titanic”, which was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture during the year of its release. Other top notch production includes “Interstellar”, starring Matthew McConaughey, which won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects during the 2015 Oscars.

[9]

[10]

THE FUTURE

Looking ahead, Viacom is searching for a minority investor in Paramount in order to expand its content through the help of another company. Philippe Dauman, Viacom’s Chief Executive, believes a new investor would aid in Paramount’s recently dropping stock price and decreased ratings, which is depicted by the 2015 market share of 5.9%. Ideally, Paramount is looking for a Chinese investor to expand the company’s horizons and broaden its foreign influence. With the strict censorship implemented by China’s government, a Chinese partner would be extremely helpful for Paramount’s future success due to China’s massive population being about twenty percent of the total world population. Other interested parties include high profile companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Lionsgate Entertainment who have expressed the desire to get involved with Viacom’s Paramount Pictures. However, there is some controversy surrounding a new investor due to Paramount’s decrease in net worth. Viacom paid $9.8 billions dollars to acquire Paramount in 1994, yet current predictions value the company at only $5.5 billion today [5]. 21^st Century Fox has demonstrated great interest in buying a portion of Paramount, which could be a smart business move and allow the company to begin paying off some of their debt [6].

GLOBAL EXPANSION

[11]

Paramount recently gained rights to continue sharing their content to European countries after a long investigation with the European Union. The EU charged many companies including Google with anti-trust violations, claiming that streaming services such as Sky, which were carrying Paramount programs, were unfairly inaccessible to those outside of certain territories in the European Union. After much debate, Viacom and Paramount Pictures have reached a peaceful and satisfactory conclusion with the EU, allowing the production company to continue to license their programs through premium pay-TV output license agreements. This agreement also abolishes the prospect of fines as well as establishing a basis to solve other disagreements between various entertainment companies and the European Union [7]. Symbiosis between the EU and Paramount Pictures aids the company in reaching global success and distributing their programs and films across the world.

COMING UP

As one of the most iconic companies in the industry, Paramount has produced classic films such as “The Godfather”, and with numerous new releases on the horizon, they continue to hope for more success at the box office. Anticipated releases include “Star Trek Beyond”, “Ben-Hur”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”, all of which Paramount has great hope for [8]. Huge blockbusters are essential not only to increase the company’s market share price and total gross but to maintain their outstanding reputation as well. Films such as “Star Trek Beyond” bode well for Paramount, due to the franchise’s already established consumer base, making the film a much anticipated release in the coming year.

Although Paramount Pictures has seen better days fiscally, the company still holds its head high and continues to produce and distribute projects that change the way audiences view cinema. With the implementation of a new investor combined with the already established leadership of Brad Grey and his team, Paramount will certainly make a comeback in the industry. With the increase of foreign cooperation, Paramount executives have high hopes that their company to extend beyond country borders, making their films renowned around the world.

SOURCES

[1] Paramount.com. (2016). The Paramount Story. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[2] Atkinson, C. (2016). Paramount’s Brad Grey Needs Big Success to Save his Job. New York Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[3] Paramount.com (2016). Paramount Executives. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[4] Boxofficemojo.com. (2016). Paramount Yearly Comparisons. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[5] Bond, P. (2016). Paramount’s Suitors? Here’s Seven Top Prospects. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[6] Atkinson, C. (2016). 21st Century Fox Eyes Minority Slice of Paramount Pictures. New York Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[7] Jafaar, A. (2016). Paramount Offers Concessions in EU Anti-trust Investigation. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[8] Boxofficemojo.com. (2016). Paramount Upcoming Releases. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[9] Paramount.com. (2015). Daddy’s Home Image. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[10] Wikipedia. (2015). Anomalisa Poster. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[11] Trekcore. (2015). Star Trek and Beyond Poster. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

[12] Paramount.com. (2015). Brad Grey Executive Biography. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

Viacom

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Zaynah Anderson

About the Company

Viacom is an American global mass media company. The company and its content reach audiences in over 160 countries with content produced nationally and internationally [2]. It is the sixth largest broadcast and cable company as far as revenue but has the largest portfolio of ad-supported cable networks in the United States. Viacom’s cable networks are among some of the most popular and most watched channels by families across the world. This includes BET, VH1, MTV, TV Land, Comedy Central, Spike TV, Nickelodeon including all of its spin-offs, amongst many others [3]. In fact,Viacom has been rated the number one family cable network for numerous years.

Key Executives

Phillippe Dauman serves as President, CEO, and the Executive Chairman [4].

Wade Davis serves as Executive Vice President and CFO.

Thomas E. Dooley serves as Chief Operating Officer.

Sumner M. Redstone [5], is a majority owner of the company and also serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors. However, his unstable health conditions [6] have decreased his ability to be present in the flesh during meetings as he is currently struggling with physical and speech mobility [7].

The Deal on Dish

Tensions between Viacom and Dish, a satellite-TV provider, had been brewing for quite a while before the issue was publicized nearing the Wednesday, April 20, 2016, deadline for a new carriage contract [8]. The root of the problem was a supplier-distributor disagreement in which Dish felt the carrier fees being charged by Viacom was unreasonable and overpriced. They stated that they only wanted to sign a contract that took into account the significant changes in the TV landscape and the way media is consumed. The company threatened to drop Viacom’s channels if Viacom didn’t compromise on the new deal [9].

Viacom however, suggested that they had offered Dish a best-of-its-kind deal for its very popular channels and explained that they have extended the deadline multiple times for Dish [10]. Refusal to come to an agreement would have resulted in a blackout of Viacom channels at midnight-eastern standard time. This would have been bad news for Viacom who has suffered low viewership with media being consumed in non-linear ways and would certainly impact ad revenue if it lost Dish’s 14 million viewers. The situation caused Viacom stock to drop nearly 10% on Tuesday with the fate of Viacom and Dish’s partnership still in the air [11]. However, the share prices increased the next day after CEO Charlie Ergen hinted in a conference call on Wednesday, that he would be interested in pursuing a new deal with Viacom should the company adhere to their conditions [13].

KEEPVIACOM.COM

In efforts to boost awareness on this issue, Viacom launched a website under the name www.keepviacom.com. The site broadcasted Dish’s plan to get rid of a total of 18 Viacom channels and allowed concerned visitors to learn more about the situation under a tab called “Get The Facts.” Other important tabs featured on the web page included “Shows You Will Miss” outlining viewer favorites and other shows that would have been gone forever.

One of the most important features on the site was a link titled “What People Are Saying” which provided a live feed from a discussion board of distressed Dish users and other Viacom supporters that spoke out against Dish threatening to drop the channels. Many Dish users openly expressed willingness to leave the cable provider should they drop the Viacom channels. The website also provided direct access to Dish’s Facebook page encouraging viewers to “make their voice heard” by posting on the page and urging them to join in the conversation on both Facebook and Twitter in which the hashtag #KeepViacom was trending. People of all ages used the hashtag to support Viacom and prevent Dish network from dropping the channels. The site made sure users of Dish network were able to voice their opinions by including Dish’s phone number on the digital protest site along with tips on how to get through to the company via phone [14].

Aftermath

Within the 24 hours leading up to the fate of Viacom and Dish’s relationship, hundreds of thousands passionate consumers reached out to Dish. Their voices proved to have been heard as the network did not drop the channels. Instead, Dish rose to the occasion meeting the deadline and renewing a multiyear deal with Viacom. The “keep Viacom” site has since been taken down, replaced by a message expressing gratitude and assuring users that an agreement with Dish had been met [15].

Fortunately, an agreement was reached putting both Viacom and Dish in a better position. The renewed multi-year deal includes plans for bringing select Viacom content onto Sling TV, Dish’s single and multi-stream service, as well as keeping all Viacom channels available for Dish subscribers [17].

Viacom in International Markets

Viacom has made an imprint in international markets through both acquisitions and expansions. Viacom’s acquisition of channel 5 in the United Kingdom has contributed to the company’s continued growth with a 20% growth in operating income in the country. With the acquisition of channel 5, Viacom was able to garner 23 others crucial networks allowing the company to gain access to 100% of the UK’s television audience. Viacom also has assets in India’s television market [18]. With a recent launch of VOD digital streaming service VOOT that gives India exclusive rights to consume over 17,000 hours of content through the service that is available on Android, and iOS devices for free with lots of kid-friendly content from Nickelodeon and MTV readily accessible [20].

Financial Plans

Despite ratings revealing that Viacom may be experiencing trouble with viewership, considering the decrease in ad revenue by 1% year over year and a decrease in overall revenue by 6% year over year, the CEO Phillippe Dauman assures everyone that Viacom will bounce back soon and see a growth in both ad revenue and overall ratings. They are making strides to accomplish this by using other tools of measurement aside from Nielsen in order to get advertisers acclimated with new ad formats. In addition to allowing them to make use of other platforms more frequently used to consume Viacom content such as laptops and tablets. One such tool is a service called Vantage which allows advertisers to place their ads more accurately along a variety of different platforms using varied consumer data as a catalyst [22].

Social Media

Viacom maintains communication with fans and investors via social media outlets such as Facebook in which the overall company has close to 150,000 likes and Twitter where it has over 23,000 followers. These numbers do not include the subscriber base for Viacom’s individual channel networks such as MTV and Nick for example, in which the numbers would soar much higher.

Forecast

Looking ahead Viacom’s future looks promising [23]. Many of its networks have plans for renewing shows for additional seasons after audience viewership numbers soared. The networks have also green-lighted lots of original content that will be introduced that should certainly garner some positive feedback. As of Friday, April 22, 2016, Viacom’s share price is $43.78, an increase of 2.87% [24]. Leading into May, the stock is now at the highest it’s ever been since the beginning of February.

Viacom’s 2nd Quarter Earnings Conference call is set to release on April 28, 2016, which will provide additional information into the company’s future and finances [25].

Sources

[2] “ABOUT VIACOM.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/default.aspx.

[3] “Viacom Brands.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. https://www.viacom.com/brands/pages/default.aspx.

[4]”SENIOR MANAGEMENT.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/seniormanagement.aspx#.

[5] “BOARD OF DIRECTORS.” Viacom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom.com/about/pages/boardofdirectors.aspx?bioid=1.

[6] Ackner, Daniel. “Inside the Viacom “Brain Drain”” Vanity Fair. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/04/inside-the-viacom-brain-drain.

[7] Person, and Vanity Fair Magazine. “Read Sumner Redstone’s E-mails About His Succession Plans.” Vanity Fair. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/05/sumner-redstone-retirement-health-viacom-future.

[8] Ingram, Mathew. “Dish vs. Viacom Fight Is All About the Shifting Balance of Power in TV.” Fortune Dish vs Viacom Fight Is All About the Shifting Balance of Power in TV Comments. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://fortune.com/2016/04/20/dish-vs-viacom/.

[9] James, Meg. “Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen Threatens to Permanently Drop Viacom Channels.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-dish-charlie-ergen-viacom-dispute-20160420-story.html.

[11 ]Lieberman, David. “Viacom Warns That Its Networks May Go Dark On Dish Network.” Deadline. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/04/viacom-dish-contract-negotiations-impasse-1201740218/.

[12] “Charlie Ergen.” About DISH. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://about.dish.com/leadership/executive-leadership/charlie-ergen.

[13] Littleton, Cynthia. “Viacom Stock Plunges as Dish Renewal Fight Heats Up.” Variety. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/viacom-dish-stock-drop-renewal-deadline-1201756655/

[14] “Viacom and DISH Agree to Multi-Year Renewal.” Viacom. N.p., 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://news.viacom.com/press-release/viacom/viacom-and-dish-agree-multi-year-renewal.

[15] Frankel, Daniel. “Dish Deal Shows Viacom Channels Haven’t Lost Their Value, Analysts Say.” FierceCable. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://www.fiercecable.com/story/dish-deal-shows-viacom-channels-havent-lost-their-value-analysts-say/2016-04-22.

[21] “1st Quarter ’16 Earnings Presentation.” (n.d.): n. pag. Viacom. 9 Feb. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

[17] Perez, Sarah. “Streaming Service Sling TV Will Add MTV, Comedy Central, Nick Jr & More, following Viacom deal.” TechCrunch. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/22/streaming-service-sling-tv-will-add-mtv-comedy-central-nick-jr-more-following-viacom-deal/.

[18] Pelts, Shirley. “Welcome to Market Realist.” India: Why Is It Viacom’s Valuable Asset? N.p., 24 Mar. 2016. Web. 1 Apr. 2016. http://marketrealist.com/2016/03/india-viacoms-valuable-asset/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=feed&utm_content=read-next-a&utm_campaign=viacoms-acquisition-channel-5-stronghold-uk.

[20] “Voot Video-on-Demand Service Launched in India.” NDTV Gadgets360.com. N.p., 30 Mar. 2016. Web. 1 Apr. 2016. http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tv/news/voot-video-on-demand-service-launched-in-india-819555.

[21] “1st Quarter ’16 Earnings Presentation.” (n.d.): n. pag. Viacom. 9 Feb. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

[23] Lazaroff, Leon. “Viacom Could Go Higher Even after Dish Deal Removes Overhang.” TheStreet. N.p., 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://www.thestreet.com/story/13541284/1/viacom-could-go-higher-even-after-dish-deal-removes-overhang.html

[24] “Viacom, Inc.” Yahoo! Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. http://finance.yahoo.com/q?uhb=uh3_finance_vert&fr=&type=2button&s=viab.

[25] “Events & Presentations.” Viacom Inc. -. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://ir.viacom.com/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=170845.

Pictures (not cited above):

[1] “Voot Image Logo.” Viacom18. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://www.viacom18.com/viabuzz/viacom18-digital-ventures-voot/.
[2] “Viacom Brands Logo. “Whoever Controls the Media, Controls the Mind.” N.p., 25 Dec. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. http://annesmedia.blogspot.com/.

Hulu #1

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Hannah Mesches

Hannah Mesches

Hulu logo (1) source: Hulu

Company

Hulu is a premium streaming service that offers subscribers hours of content- both television programming and movies- with limited commercials for $7.99 a month or no commercials for $11.99 a month. Launched in 2008, Hulu has remained a leader in redefining how TV and how it is consumed by loyal viewers. The company boasts nearly 9 million subscribers, over 500 content partners, and 2,000 advertising partners. (2) Hulu recently reached a milestone of 700 million hours of content streamed by subscribers.

CEO Mike Hopkins (3) source: Hulu

Senior Vice President, Head of Content Craig Erwich (3) source: Hulu

Senior Vice President, Head of Distribution Tim Connolly (3) source: Hulu

Financials

Hulu is not a publicly traded company, thus the company’s financial profile is not available in the same detail as that of a company with quarterly SEC filings. Despite this, on October 6th 2015, Hulu published the news that it and Viacom expanded their content partnership in a new multi-year agreement. (4) With this deal, Hulu became the exclusive subscription video on demand (SVOD) home to full seasons of popular series from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV such as Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City and Finding Carter. These programs are highly popular with adults 18-34 and will attract cord cutters with the accessibility the company provides through online streaming. (5)

The deal also expands Hulu’s catalog of children’s programming. Full older seasons of Nickelodeon shows that have never been available for online streaming on the site are now exclusive to the service. In addition to this, all episodes of 90’s and 00’s era programs like The Wild Thornberrys, Drake and Josh, Hey Arnold and Ren & Stimpy will be available for the first time ever on Hulu. The renewal and expansion of this deal will allow the company to acquire programs that audiences who are ditching cable will be looking to watch elsewhere due to their popularity.

Newly Released Content

To compete with Netflix, Hulu released two original series, Casual and RocketJump: The Show in Q4 of 2015 (6), and brought back cancelled program The Mindy Project. On October 21st, 2015, Casual, which stars Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey and Tara Lynne Barr, was renewed for a second season due to the success of Producer Jason Reitman’s dysfunctional family comedy. (7) The release date of RocketJump, a documentary series about Youtube filmmaker Freddie Wong and the creation of his action-comedy short films, was delayed until December 2nd, 2015. (8) The original series will still likely draw a substantial audience as name recognition will play a large role.

The Mindy Project (9) source: Geekynews

Hulu also revived cult favorite The Mindy Project starring Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina and Ike Barinholtz exclusively for its streaming service when it was cancelled by Fox. The company signed on for 26 episodes of the program for its fourth season. With more creative freedom given by Hulu, the show has involved more mature themes and plots, and thus has attracted a wider audience. (10) A.V. Club reviewed the Hulu season premiere entitled “While I Was Sleeping” as an A on its scale, calling the episode “an amazing season opener, her best-ever.” (11)

Earlier this year, Hulu premiered the show Difficult People on August 5th, 2015. The series was created by Julie Klausner who stars alongside Billy Eichner. Eichner’s performance immediately garnered positive attention from critics and the show was given an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 on Metacritic. (12) After landing a role on Parks and Recreation due to the success of his popular Youtube series Billy on the Street, the actor’s high energy style became in demand as he was cast on several hit programs, but found the most success with Hulu.

Future Content

On February 15th, 2016, Hulu will release its highly anticipated series 11/22/63 based on the 2011 best selling novel written by Stephen King and published by Scribner. (13) The thriller, starring James Franco tells the story of a high school english teacher who travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President. John F. Kennedy. The mission is threatened by Lee Harvey Oswald, a love interest, and the past’s unwillingness to change itself. (14)

11/22/63 (15) source: Entertainment Weekly

Offline, Hulu will be bringing a popular fan experience to Los Angeles this winter. After its success in New York City, Hulu is resurrecting the Seinfeld: The Apartment exhibit for the show’s L.A. fans. (16) The pop up installation features a replica of Jerry Seinfeld’s Upper West Side apartment, and full gallery experience, as well as new items from the series. The exhibit will be located on 8445 Melrose Ave. and will be open from December 16th- 20th. The popularity of both the installation and the series as a whole is imperative for Hulu’s success in streaming Seinfeld in its entirety on the site. A whole new audience is reached as a result, and old fans are able to relive the series in a new way. (17)

Showtime

In addition to the new commercial free subscription that Hulu offers, customers are now able to pay an additional fee to get Showtime as a premium add on for $8.99 a month. Now viewers are able to watch award winning programs such as Homeland, The Affair, Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex and Episodes through the streaming service. (18)

Showtime on Hulu (19) source: Hulu

Although this service comes at an extra cost, it will attract millennial viewers as they stray away from more expensive cable packages and move to exclusively online sites such as Hulu and its competitors Netflix and Amazon. (20) Subscribers will be able to take Showtime programs on the go as it is available on Apple devices, Android phones and tablets, Playstation, Wii, and Xbox One.

Overview

Overall, Hulu has had a productive year. From introducing a new subscription free of commercials, to receiving rave reviews for its original series, to expanding its agreement with Viacom and partnering with Showtime, the company is quickly amassing both content and loyal subscribers. Unlike Netflix, the site is able to make content available the day after it airs on live television, which attracts cord cutting fans as the service is less expensive and available on more interfaces. With a highly anticipated release coming in the first quarter of the 2016 fiscal year, Hulu is releasing content at a steady stream that keeps customers invested.

Sources

(1) Hulu – Watch TV, Originals, and Hit Movies.” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(2) “About Hulu.” About Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(3) “Executives.” Executives. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(4) “Hulu and Viacom Expand Content Partnership In Robust, New Multi-Year Agreement.” News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(5) “Cord Cutters News – All the News Cord Cutters Need about Cord Cutting! Covering, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Netflix, Hulu, & More!”Cord Cutters News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(6) “Hulu Originals Premiere Dates.” Premiere Dates. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(7) “Jason Reitman’s ‘Casual’ Gets Season 2 on Hulu.” Variety. N.p., 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(8) “‘RocketJump: The Show’ Premiere on Hulu Pushed Back to December.”Variety. N.p., 09 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(9) “First Look: Lee Pace in The Mindy Project.” GeekyNews. N.p., 06 Jan. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(10) “The Mindy Project Isn’t Cancelled After All, Here’s What’s Happening.”CINEMABLEND. N.p., 15 May 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(11) “The Mindy Project:.” “While I Was Sleeping” · The Mindy Project · TV Review “While I Was Sleeping” · TV Club · The A.V. Club. N.p., 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(12) “‘Difficult People’ on Hulu: Will Critics’ Raves Lead to Awards for Julie Klausner, Billy Eichner?” GoldDerby. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(13) “11.22.63.” Hulu Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(14) “11.22.63.” IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(15) “First Look: See James Franco in Stephen King’s Time-travel JFK Assassination Thriller 11/22/63.” Entertainment Weekly. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(16) “Inside the ‘Seinfeld’ Apartment Pop-Up in New York.” The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(17) “Hulu to Bring SEINFELD: THE APARTMENT Fan Experience to LA This December.” Broadway World. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(18) “Hulu with Showtime.” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

(19) “What Is SHOWTIME® on Hulu?” Hulu. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

Paramount Pictures

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Patrick Munnia

Source: www.paramountguilds.com (1)

5555 Melrose Ave.,Ste. 121 Hollywood, CA 90038
Phone: (323)956-5000
Website: www.paramount.com

Overview

Paramount Pictures is a feature film production and distribution company.

Executives

Brad Grey – Chief Executive Officer Grey is responsible for all aspects of feature film development. (2)

Rob Moore – Vice Chairman: Worldwide Marketing, Distribution, Home Entertainment, Digital, Interactive, Television, Licensing, and Business Affairs Divisions. (4)

Frederick Huntsberry – Chief Operating Officer: Worldwide Strategic Planning and Operations. (3)

: Marc Evans – President of Motion Pictures Production (5)

Amy Powell – President of Paramount Television : Financing and Developing Television Content for Broadcast, Premium Cable, Cable and Online Audience. (6)

The Rise to Film Prominence

More than a century ago, in 1912, Adolph Zukor, Jesse L. Lasky and Cecil B. DeMill founded Paramount. (7) Paramount contributed to the Golden Age of Cinema in the 1950s with movies like A Place in the Sun in 1951 and The Ten Commandments in 1956. (8) The company birthed The Godfather series in the 1970s to further their prominence in Hollywood. (9) Paramount continued to churn out money-making films through the 1980s and 1990s including Top Gun, but also produced films which enjoyed critical-acclaim at the turn of the century, such as No Country for Old Men. (10) Paramount shattered industry records in 2011 by releasing “six consecutive movies grossing more than $100 million dollars at the domestic box office”. (11) Whether it be comedy, drama, action or suspense, Paramount has been highly regarded as a top player in the industry, but lately struggles to stay ahead of its competitors.

2015 Q3 and Beyond : Recent Financials

Paramount has finished another successful third quarter with a total gross of 585.5 Billion. As of November 22^nd, Paramount holding 6.2% of the market share. However, the company’s revenues have declined from 19.2% of the market share in 2011. (12)

Paramount has stayed busy ending the summer season moving into the fall. Terminator: Genisys opened in July and closed in September. The movie grossed $440 million worldwide on a production budget of $155 million. The DVD was released on Blu-ray November 10^th, 2015. (13)

Mission: Impossible – Rouge Nation was another summer smash-hit, which grossed a huge $682 million worldwide, and is available on Blu-ray December 15^th. (14)

Yet, Paramount remains successful not only courtesy of summer blockbusters, but also thanks to cheaper film series. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension opening just in time for Halloween delivers timely scares to its established fan base. With a production budget of only $10 million and a $77 million worldwide gross, the movie proved to be mildly successful venture. (15)

On Halloween, Paramount released yet another timely, and audience specific movie. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, is a wacky but funny horror-comedy movie, aimed at a younger audience. The movie failed to make its production budget of $15 million by only grossing $14 million worldwide. (16)

All of these movies besides Mission Impossible, only made the production budget back thanks to large grosses from international markets. This displays Paramount’s need to cater to not only a domestic U.S. market but also an international one.

2015 Q4: Marching into the Holiday Season

After a slow start in the fourth quarter with Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, Paramount remains optimistic with a few key theatrical releases.

The Big Short will be released December 11^th, 2015 and boasts huge star-power. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt team up in a drama based on true events of the international banking collapse of 2008. (17)

On a lighter note, Paramount is re-releasing one of their classic romantic-comedies, Roman Holiday , staring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, this December. (18)

Finally, Paramount, once again appeals to star-power in Daddy’s Home, staring Will Farrell and Mark Walberg. This comedy pits stepdad vs. biological dad against one another. (19)

Steady March Slows: Reports Viacom

Paramount has been pulling in less and less revenue since a spike in 2011 of a huge $1,736 million. This displays that Paramount has clearly fell in prominence.

Source: Box Office Mojo (20)

Viacom, Paramount’s parent company, continues to support the film company despite, “disappointing revenue”. The studios sales in the box office fell from 20 percent since Q4 of 2014. Despite the recent dip in revenues, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, believes that the industry is cyclical and that Paramount is ready to make a big comeback in 2016. (21)

Source: The Wrap Philippe Dauman- Viacom CEO (22)

Paramount, among other tactics, has retained good relationships with talent such as Martin Scorsese and J.J. Abrams and intents to collaborate in the near future. (23)

2016: Looking Forward

In January 2016, Paramount plans to release The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. (24) The action-drama looks promising, especially since movies in the genre, like American Sniper have done incredibly well in the past. This may be a step in the right direction for Paramount to make 2016 a more successful finical year than 2015.

Paramount also plans to release Zoolander 2, the sequel to the comedy about male modeling, Zoolander, starting Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. (25)

Possible Reuniting of Scorsese and Monahan in Evel Knievel Film
- The writer director duo of The Departed, which was financial and critically successful, are being sought after by Paramount in hopes of producing a feature film about the fearless Evel Knievel. (26) The possibility of the pair reuniting has excited Paramount, and the studio has continued to negotiate. The movie has all the ingredients for becoming wildly successful.

Source: Deadline Evel Knievel (27)

Paramount Adapts to Changing Times

Paramount Embraces World of Streaming
- Paramount has long been known for producing high-quality, critically acclaimed movies as well as blockbuster hits. In a media industry facing loss of revenues from piracy and streaming, Paramount has found a way to embrace current technological advancements. Starting in October of 2015, Paramount has made available the, “Paramount Vault”. (28) The studio has made available select feature films for free. Paramount is now showcasing all of their film successes to a young, technological savvy audience, which only further builds their reputation.

Increased Distribution to TVOD
- Paramount signs licensing deal to expand offerings on TVOD, in foreign markets, with Youku Tudou Inc. (29) In an age of increasingly prominent OTT services, film distribution companies often search for an outlet exhibit. Youku has struck a deal with paramount agreeing to showcase classic titles such as Transformers, Shrek, and Star Trek. (30) Paramount has also made a deal with UltraFlix, which would allow for UltraFlix subscribers to view classics like Forrest Gump, Saving Privet Ryan, and The Godfather. (31) Paramount continues to reach large diverse audience even in increasingly difficult times.

Source: http://www.youku.com/
(33)

Source: https://www.ultraflix.com/ (source)

Source: https://www.ultraflix.com/
(35)

Changing Distribution Tactics
- Paramount has shortened the digital release of Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. “Scouts” was a flop. By challenging the norms of digital release windows of feature films, Paramount aims to test shortened time of digital release. (32) The movie would be available for digital release two weeks after leaving the theaters. The deal forced the hand of exhibitors like Regal and AMC who refused to show the movie in their theaters, further contributing to its failure. (34) Paramount is pushing conventional limits, when movies flop in theaters, “arbitrarily keeping those movies out of circulation is just bogus,” said Megan Colligan, Paramount’s president of world-wide distribution.

Where does Paramount Stand?

Paramount is among the oldest, most successful, film studios in the United States, and have been raking in the money and academy awards since 1912. Though the studio has seen some successes in 2015, Paramount has fallen out of dominance they enjoyed in the mid-2000s. Paramount, recognizing the blip, has taken measures, such as key theatrical releases, the use of star-power and alternative distribution techniques, to hopefully make 2016 a more financially bountiful and critically acclaimed year.

Sources

(1) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Logo. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(2) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Executives Brad Grey. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(3) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Executives Rob Moore. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(4) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Executives Fedrick Huntsberry. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(5) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Executives Marc Evans . Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(6) Inside the Studio. Paramount Studios Executives Amy Powell. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(7) Inside the Studio. The Paramount Story: Our Founding Fathers. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(8) Inside the Studio. The Paramount Story: Mid-Century Renaissance. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(9) Inside the Studio. The Paramount Story: The New Hollywood. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(10) Inside the Studio. The Paramount Story: Critical & Commercial Success. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(11) Inside the Studio. The Paramount Story: Record-Breaking Films. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(12) Box Office Mojo. Studios: Paramount. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(13) Box Office Mojo. Movies: Terminator 2015. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(14) Box Office Mojo. Movies: MI5. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(15) Box Office Mojo. Movies: Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(16) Box Office Mojo. Movies: Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(17) Paramount Pictures. Paramount Showcase: The Big Short. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(18) Paramount Pictures. Paramount Showcase: Roman Holiday. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(19) Paramount Pictures. Paramount Showcase: Daddy’s Home. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(20) Box Office Mojo. Paramount Yearly Comparisons. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(21) The Wrap. Viacom Defends Paramount’s Disappointing Revenue. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(22) The Wrap. Phillipe Duaman. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(23) Deadline. J.J. Abrams Extends Deal to July 2018. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(24) Paramount Pictures. Paramount Showcase: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(25) Paramount Pictures. Paramount Showcase: Zoolander 2. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(26) Deadline. Paramount Revs Evel Knievel Pic with “Departed” Scribe and Scorsese Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(27) Deadline. Evel Knievel. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(28) Slashfilm. Paramount Vault. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(29) Bloomberg Business. Paramount Pictures Key Developments. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(30) Bloomberg Business. Paramount Pictures: New Licensing Deal. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(31) Bloomberg Business. Paramount Pictures Expands Offerings. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(32) Wall Street Journal. Paramount’s Plan Sees Scary Results. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(33) Youku. Company Logo. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(34) Wall Street Journal. Paramount’s Plan Sees Scary Results. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(35) UltraFlix. Company Logo. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(36) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx3ShEjUId0 Terminator 2015 Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(37) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjLSKvVDWyA Mission: Impossible Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(38) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9Jy2T0uQ9Y Paranormal Activity Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(39) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOfR29xu-4 Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(40) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgqG3ITMv1Q The Big Short Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(41) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQpN9LXrD-0 Roman Holiday Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(42) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arhMMJx7tCU Daddy’s Home Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(43) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBFmlNfFwUw The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(44) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CL4LNWHegk Zoolander 2 Trailer. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

(45) IMDB. Movies. Retrieved December 1st 2015.

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

CBS Corp. (TV broadcast & cable properties only)

Link

by  PATTY TERHUNE

CBS Corporation Logo – photo courtesy of imgarcade.com (1)

Headquarters

51 W. 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019-6188

1-212-975-4321

www.cbscorporation.com

Key Executives

Sumner Redstone, Executive Chairman (2)

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation (3)

Anthony G. Ambrosio, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, CBS Corporation (4)

About

CBS Corporations holds the most watched television network in the U.S., CBS Broadcast Network, and is one of the largest players in creating global content (5). While the company’s holdings span nearly every medium (cable, publishing, radio, film and more), they play a particularly strong roll in television. They have 29 television holdings including CBS, CBS Sports Network, The Smithsonian Channel, The CW (a 50/50 joint venture with Time Warner’s Warner Bros.), Decades (a 50/50 joint venture with Weigel Broadcasting), Pop (a 50/50 joint venture with Lionsgate), and the Showtime Networks (6). The CBS Network is home to the #1 drama scripted program, NCIS, the #1 sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, the #1 newsmagazine, 60 Minutes, and the #1 daytime drama, The Young and the Restless (7).

The CBS “Eye” Logo – photo courtesy of logos.wikia.com (8)

History

CBS Corporation, often referred to as “The Eye Corporation” because of the company’s memorable logo, was founded in 1941. The company started as a radio heavyweight in 1927. The company was also formerly known as “The Tiffany Network” since the company maintained such a high quality of programming under its founder William S. Paley (9). The company has held many official names over time. However, in its time as a broadcast network it has only gone by three names. From 1928 until 1974 it held the name Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. In 1974 it was shortened to CBS Inc. As of 1997 the official company name is CBS Corporations (10).

Viacom’s logo – courtesy of cbsnews.com (13)

In 2000 Viacom purchased CBS (11). This is particularly noteworthy as Viacom was originally created as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 (12). However, in 2005, Viacom split itself into two entities, keeping Viacom and CBS Corporation separate. Sumner Redstone, who is a heavy hitter in media as both the chairman of National Amusements and the Executive Chairman of Viacom, still currently owns CBS.

The CBS Building in New York City – image courtesy of digitaltrends.com (14)

Financials

CBS is traded on the NASDAQ under the abbreviation CBS. As of April 16th, 2015 the stock was being traded for $61.78. At a record low on September 9^th, 2009 the stock was being traded for $3.06. Since then the stock as been increasing and is currently within a dollar of its highest asking price ever (15). The fourth quarter revenues for 2014 were up 3% from last quarter, hitting $3.7 billion and the diluted earnings per share were up 8% to $.77. This was CBS Corporation’s best fourth quarter revenue and diluted EPS to date (16).

Channel News

The Harris Poll logo – courtesy of whatsupwiththat.com (17)

Television Network Brand of the Year in 2015 Harris Poll Equitrend Study

The Harris Poll Equitrend Study is an annual study conducted by Harris Poll on brand equity. The EquiTrend Brand Equity Index rates companies on their familiarity, quality and consideration. The Harris Polls have become a staple in the media industry – due to its ability to give relevant insights to the industry after comprehensive and precise public opinion polling. In its 27^th annual study in 2015, CBS Corporations took home first place (7).

Showtime’s Logo – courtesy of sho.com (18)

Bell Media and CBS Corporation Announce Long-Term Contract To Bring Showtime to Canada

For the first time, Showtime and the entirety of its media content will be brought the Canada. In an unprecedented deal between Bell Media and CBS Corporation, hundreds of hours of past, present and future Showtime programming will be brought the Canada and accessible on all Bell Media platforms. This will open up hundreds of thousands of new potential consumers for the already esteemed network (19).

CBS All Access – courtesy of slashgear.com (20)

CBS All Access Meets with Affiliates

In mid-April, CBS met with affiliates to discuss their over-the-top streaming service, CBS All Access. Among these affiliates was Steve Hammel, VP and general manager at Capital Broadcasting’s WRAL Raleigh. He, as well as other affiliates, was optimistic about the future of the service and seemed willing to work together to increase the reach of both themselves and the network. However, like many, he said that he would wait until more information was available to opt-in. As of last month, the service has 100,000 subscribers. Currently, a dozen station groups, as well as all stations owned-and-operated by CBS, are on board, representing 55% of all households (21).

CBS Studios – image courtesy of onelip.com (22)

Company News

Viewers to Volunteers logo – image courtesy of cbsaltitudegroup.com (23)

CBS-Toyota Charity App

Viewers to Volunteers, or V2V, is a Toyota sponsored app run by CBS where viewers can give to charity without needing to open their wallet. Viewers watch short video clips, like a CBS news clip about Toyota or a documentary-type clip about a local area hospital, to gain credits. These credits can be exchanged for donations to causes like the Special Olympics or Meals on Wheels America, which CBS will make. CBS is advertising the application on four CBS owned-and-operated stations, as well as by collaborating with non-profit partners such as the Starlight Children’s Foundation to help expand reach. The application premiered nationally in April (24).

Nielsen’s logo – image courtesy of evigo.com (25)

Data-Driven Initiative for Network Advertisers

CBS has introduced a new-data driven style to analyzing the effectiveness of advertising. They are called it the Campaign Performance Audit or CPA. They have been trialing this technique on specific advertisers since last fall. However, they are now opening it up to all advertisers that are looking to take advantage of Nielsen analytics to make sure that they get the best return on investment in the company (26).

David Rhodes – image courtesy of cbsnews.com (27)

David Rhodes Extends Contract as President of CBS News through 2019

CBS News President David Rhodes who has held the position since 2011, will continue as president of the news division of CBS until 2019. Rhodes was one of the creators of CBS This Morning and also helped to expand Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer and is credited with helping it become the #1 Sunday Public Affairs Show. In addition to his work in broadcast, he also spearheaded CBSN, which is the first digitial streaming news network and has made major contributions the news on CBSNews.com and on CBS News Radio (28).

Interns Tour CBS Channel 2 in NYC – image courtesy of red-pr.com (29)

CBS Corporation and CBS Radio being Sued By Former Intern

Former CBS Radio intern Camille Demere, who was an intern into 2009-2010, filed a class-action-seeking complaint in January of 2015 for unfair treatment as an intern by being “excluded from minimum wage.” In March the company responded by saying that they want the entire case thrown out. They also requested that the court deny every request that the Plaintiff (Demere) had, and reimburse the Defendant (CBS Corp.) for all costs spent in defending the law suit (30).

Sources

(1) “CBS Logo,” Imgrarcade, RT: 4/17/15

(2) “Sumner Redstone,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(3) “Leslie Moonves,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(4) “Anthony G. Ambrosio,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(5) “About CBS,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(6) “Who Owns The Media?” FreePress, RT: 4/17/15

(7) “2015 Brand of the Year,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(8) “CBS Eye,” Logos.wikia, RT: 4/17/15

(9) “Creator: CBS,” TVTropes, RT: 4/17/15

(10) “CBS Corporation,” Encyclopedia Brittanica, RT: 4/17/15

(11) “Viacom Set to Acquire CBS,” Partners.NYTimes, RT: 4/17/15

(12) “Viacom Inc. History,” FundingUniverse, RT: 4/17/15

(13) “Viacom Makes Split Official,” CBSNews, RT: 4/17/15

(14) “Transaction in Own Shares,” Article.wn, RT: 4/17/15

(15) “CBS,” Nasdaq, RT: 4/17/15

(16) “Investor Relations,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(17) “Harris Polls,” Whatsupwiththat, RT: 4/17/15

(18) “Showtime,” Sho, RT: 4/17/15

(19) “CBS, Bell Media Pact,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

(20) “CBS All Access,” Slashgear, RT: 4/17/15

(21) “CBS Station Chiefs Ponder All Access Offer,” BroadcastingCable, RT: 4/17/15

(22) “Judge Throws Out Fraud Claim,” Onelip, RT: 4/17/15

(23) “Turning Viewers into Volunteers at CBS,” CBS Altitude Group, RT: 4/17/15

(24) “CBS Unveils Charity App,” Wall Street Journal, RT: 4/17/15

(25) “US Nielsen,” Evigo, RT: 4/17/15

(26) “CBS Introduces New Data-Driven Initiative,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(27) “David Rhodes,” CBS News, RT: 4/17/15

(28) “CBS Announces New Agreement,” CBS Corp, RT: 4/17/15

(29) “CBS Sued Over Unpaid Internships,” Red-Pr, RT: 4/17/15

(30) “CBS Spurns Intern Lawsuit,” Deadline, RT: 4/17/15

Viacom

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Jacqueline Perrelli

by  JACKIE PERRELLI

Viacom Logo [1]

Company

Viacom is an entertainment powerhouse responsible for connecting with audiences through a variety of platforms. With approximately 700 million global subscribers [2], Viacom distributes their content across television, and more importantly, online. Lately, Viacom has been focused on restructuring the company and finding new ways to reach audiences. With his recent two-year contract extension, Philippe Dauman, [3] both CEO and President, is believed to be the right man in charge to handle the Viacom reboot.

Dauman’s leadership is especially important in a time when Sumner Redstone, founder of Viacom, is in questionable health. Redstone was not able to attend the last shareholder meeting held in early March [4]. The company is prepared; however, for a post-Sumner world. A board of trustees is in place consisting of current CEOs and family members, ready to protect the Viacom empire. It has even been rumored that Viacom will merge with another media conglomerate, but told not during Redstone’s reign [5].

Background

Viacom TV Channels [23]

MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and TV Land are a few channels inclusive to the Viacom brand. In 1987 Redstone, controlling shareholder, bought the company for $3.4 billion dollars [6]. Today, Viacom’s share price is 69.77 [7]. This number is the result of a 14 percent decline last year and already another 8.8 percent downfall in 2015 [8]. Within the past 52 week period the Viacom share price has been as high as 89.76 [7]. One source of the drop in stock price can be attributed to poor ratings.

Stock Price [9]

Viacom Ratings [11]

Viacom pinpoints Nielsen ratings and their inability to calculate views from online sources [10]. Due to the fact that most traditional viewers are switching to some sort of online viewing, ratings from online sources are imperative to Viacom. Since last year, most Viacom channels have declined greatly and are down 30 percent ratings wise [11]. For this reason and many more is why Viacom is in the middle of a reconstruction period.

Online Content

Noggin is a new mobile subscription service for preschoolers.

Noggin Streaming Service [13]

With the goal of staying relevant in a world that skews online, Viacom created a streaming service outside their traditional cable package. This streaming service, Noggin, is through Nickelodeon and aimed at a younger demographic. Due to an 18 percent tumble in audience viewership last quarter, Viacom introduced the service in order to compete with other companies. However, known for their television bundle, Viacom has to be careful not to turn viewers completely online, resulting in subscription cancellation. The livelihood of other channels like VH1, MTV, and TV Land, are at risk if viewers abandon their subscriptions [12]. Viacom is already in risky territory with Suddenlink, the seventh-largest cable operator in the U.S, having recently discontinued their services with Viacom [14].

Viacom VS Suddenlink [22]

Not wanting to pay significant increases for channels, Suddenlink got rid of the bundle completely. Although Suddenlink lost significant viewers from the Viacom split, 99.7 percent of their customers continued to pay for Internet services [14]. At a time with such a strong online presence, Viacom fears that other cable companies could follow in Suddenlink’s footsteps and drop the channel lineup; resulting in solely online streaming. In preparation for the future of television, Viacom has planned to reorganize their company. This has resulted in the favoring of employees with technical capabilities rather than traditional workers as content continues to move online [12].

Viacom Restructuring

Along with a changing platform for providing content, Viacom is experiencing changes throughout the entire company. Most of the changes occurring in the company today stem from both low ratings and advertisement sales. To ameliorate the ad sales, Viacom is going into upfront season with a new strategy to boost advertisers participation within the network. With the Nielsen ratings not sustaining the amount of klout they once had, Viacom has chosen to guarantee success for the advertiser’s ads by broadcasting to very niche audiences [15].

[16]

That in mind, the company outlined a plan that would restructure the Viacom brand moving forward. This business plan included the layoff of 400 jobs across the company ranging from New York to Los Angeles, and encompassing some highly ranked positions. With the elimination of some jobs and cancellation of underperforming shows, Viacom aims to save $350 million dollars annually once the restructuring is complete. But before this can happen, Viacom put a halt on their share buyback program, which aims to shrink the number of outstanding shares, and recorded a $785 million in pre-tax charge for the compensation of laid off workers, abandonment of ineffective programming, and declining ratings due to online competition [17].

To learn more about the Viacom reboot period and which shows are getting cut from the Viacom lineup: click here [18].

Another part of the Viacom restructure deals with the consolidation from three television network groups into two. The first group includes: Comedy Central, MTV, Spike, Logo, and VH1, while TV Land and CMT are now placed with Nickelodeon. The first group will focus towards general content, while the second network group will have a more family-entertainment aspect to it [19]. The Viacom reboot has a significant focus on a shift from traditional TV to more digital content, having a more niche staff, and investing in areas that progress Viacom as a company.

New Audiences

Funny or Die Logo [20]

As Viacom attempts to save money and explore new options, the company has two audience-building transactions in the works. The first transaction deals with the acquisition of three comedy websites. The Onion, Funny or Die, and CollegeHumor, give Viacom more ways to tap into digital and online audiences. [12]

International Revenue [21]

The second transaction involves new audiences and opportunities for Viacom in India. With a very saturated, highly online, U.S. market, Viacom is looking to places overseas worth investing in. While U.S. viewers tend to get most of their content in ways other than the traditional TV, India offers more pay-for-tv customers. Viacom already owns Channel18 in India and is now vying for five more local entertainment channels. The company sees India as a place to invest with over 250 million households with pay-TV service and subscriptions. A benefit of investing in areas overseas are the low-budget production costs and the ability to expand Viacom’s American channels to new countries. Foreign markets allow Viacom to tap into potential audiences outside The United States [21]. India is a popular market not only for Viacom, but also other television companies that are beginning to see the potential in investing overseas.

Overview

It is apparent that many changes are taking place at Viacom, and will continue to take place until the company feels ready and back on its feet. The reorganization of the company, streaming service, and plans for the future are all positive ways in which Viacom can grow and prosper.

Sources

[1] Stempel, Jonathan (March 12 2015). Viacom Agrees To $7.21 Million Settlement To End Interns Wage Lawsuit. Huffington Post. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[2] About Viacom. Viacom. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[3] Hagey, Keach and Stynes, Tess (January 15 2015). Viacom Extends CEO’s Contract by Two Years. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: April 2 2015.

[4] Szalai, George (March 12 2015). Sumner Redstone to Miss Viacom Shareholder Meeting. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: April 2 2015.

[5] Atkinson, Claire (March 14 2015). Post-Sumner CBS-Viacom power a mixed bag. New York Post. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[6] The Autumn of Sumner. The Economist. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[7] Viacom Stock Price. Google Finance. Retrieved: April 10 2015.

[8] Sakoui, Anousha (April 6 2015). Viacom Halts Buybacks, Sees $785 Million Restructuring Costs. Bloomberg Business. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[9] Viacom Stock Price. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[10] Hagey, Keach and Ramachandran, Shalini (February 11 2015). The Picture Gets Fuzzy at Viacom. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[11] Layoffs, restructuring leads to chaos at Viacom. Fox Business. Retrieved: April 14 2015.

[12] Steel, Emily (January 29 2015). Nickelodeon to Offer a Streaming Service as Viacom Steps Up Digital Efforts. The New York Times. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[13] Perez, Sarah (February 25 2015). Nickelodeon Unveils “Noggin,” A Mobile Subscription Service For Preschoolers Arriving In March. Tech Crunch. Retrieved: April 13 2015.

[14] Steel, Emily (March 8 2015). Provider’s Dispute With Viacom Highlights Skirmish Over the Cable Bundle. New York Times. Retrieved: April 6 2015.

[15] Steinberg, Brian (April 13 2015). Time Warner, Viacom Back Away From Nielsen Guarantees For Ads. Variety. Retrieved: April 15 2015.

[16] Ryssdal, Kai (April 14 2015). Make more upfront: Viacom, Turner discuss new ad model. Marketplace. Retrieved: April 14 2015.

[17] Gottfried, Miriam (April 7 2015). Viacom: Buyback Step Back Isn’t a Setback. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[18] Viacom faces behemoth $785M charge. Youtube. Retrieved: April 15 2015.

[19] Viacom restructures to take $785 mn charge, brings TV networks into two units. Television Post. Retrieved April 10 2015.

[20] Hunsucker, Andy (November 10 2011). A Place For Film Interviews – Funny Or Die Producers. Indiana Public Media. Retrieved: April 14 2015.

[21] Sharma, Amol (January 19 2015). Why Viacom Is Looking to India for a New TV Audience. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: April 9 2015.

[22] Goff, Andrew (October 2 2014). Ack! The Suddenlink vs. Viacom War Now Hurting Humboldt’s Ability to Watch the Daily Show Online. Lost Coast Outpost. Retrieved: April 13 2015.

[23] Dampier, Phillip (April 1 2015). Viacom Demands 100% Rate Increases for Hundreds of Small Cable Systems, Military Bases. Stop the Cap! Retrieved: April 13 2015.

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