Tag: Judy McGrath

Nickelodeon unveils virtual community playground ‘Nicktropolis’

MUMBAI: Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom Inc.’s MTV Networks, has launched new kid-targeted virtual community titled Nicktropolis on 30 January. It promises to offer visitors multi-media experience giving them an opportunity to engage in a virtual world filled with web-based activities.

According to an official release issued by the company, (at Nicktropolis, available at http://www.nicktropolis.com/ or through http://www.nick.com/), kids will have their own virtual community where they will have the opportunity to play games, watch video, explore Nickelodeon-branded and original environments, interact with other kids or Nickelodeon characters in real time, and create their own personalized 3D rooms.

“Virtual worlds like Nicktropolis are part of our strategy to bring immersive, relevant entertainment experiences to our audiences wherever they are, and to build communities around our content across every kind of platform,” said MTVN chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. “The virtual worlds we’ve been building across our networks give the fans of our brands the high level of interaction they want with one another, and with the content itself.”

Kids enter Nicktropolis by assuming an “avatar” that they design and personalize, choosing from an array of hairstyles, skin tones and clothing styles. Once a user selects a destination, the avatar appears in the particular environment and can move around simply by clicking where he/she wants to go.

“Nickelodeon has a deep connection with kids, and Nicktropolis is built from our knowledge that kids’ interest in social networking is all about gaming,” said Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami. “Nicktropolis serves as a one-of-a-kind multimedia virtual entertainment playground for kids that allows them to watch video from our immense library of programming, play games, interact with our characters and safely communicate with each other through controlled chat.”

The site offers a 3D environment consisting of four main areas containing multimedia experiences, gaming, and opportunities to personalize their space, create video play lists of their favourite Nickelodeon content, and interact in a safe, community environment. Additionally, the company states that Nicktropolis incorporates numerous safety features to ensure kids’ virtual playground experience is as safe as possible. Participation in Nicktropolis relies entirely on the anonymous registration system, which does not allow kids to divulge personal, identifiable information, adds the release.

Nickelodeon’s Nicktropolis is MTV Networks’ latest move in serving its audiences through original online and wireless content across all of its brands. This follows from Nickelodeon’s latest research study, Living in a Digital World (2006), which found that 86 per cent of kids 8-14 are gaming online; more than half (51 per cent) are watching TV shows and videos online; 37 per cent are instant messaging and 12 per cent are participating in chat rooms.

January 30, 2007
MTV Networks names global digital media team

MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom has announced a new global digital media executive team. The central team will provide strategic guidance to the company’s portfolio of multiplatform brands, driving cross-brand initiatives and sharing best practices in operations, technology, and distribution. The team will report to MTV Networks Global Digital Media president Mika Salmi and partner hand-in-hand with digital leaders at MTVN’s brands and business units.

The team will help guide MTVN’s brands in digital distribution expansion, product development and technical support, and cross- brand programming, informs an official release.

The global digital media team from throughout MTVN includes the following executives, Global Digital Media executive VP Operations Denmark West, MTVN Games and Interactive Media Group EVP and GM Nicholas Lehman, Global Digital Media EVP and creative director Kenny Miller, Digital Media Technology senior VP and chief technology officer Nick Rockwell, MTVN Mobile Media senior VP Greg Clayman and MTVN Global Digital Media senior vice president, online distribution and partnerships Jason Witt.

Rockwell will continue to report to Viacom and MTV Networks chief information officer Joe Simon. Clayman and Witt will continue to report to MTVN affiliate sales and marketing president Nicole Browning, adds the release.

“Our digital brands demonstrate the kind of innovation and creativity that have always been signatures of MTV Networks,” said MTVN chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. “Mika Salmi and his new team have the expertise to harness that collective power and deliver first-rate content across any and every screen.”

“We’re all about connecting audiences with our content — and each other — through immersive environments that span TV, online, and wireless,” said Salmi. “With this team in place, we’re poised to deepen our audience connections, reaching them wherever they are, whenever they want, and on whatever screen they choose.”

The company claims that the formation of the Global Digital Media team furthers MTVN’s strategy of developing brands that engage, empower and connect diverse and highly targeted consumers with culturally relevant creative content and unique experiences across every platform.

January 6, 2007
MTV US floats mobile media division

MUMBAI: With a view to building upon its wireless initiatives and its efforts in creating original content for mobile US, broadcaster MTV has created MTVN Mobile Media.

This new unit is dedicated to growing the company’s mobile entertainment business.

MTVN Mobile Media will be responsible for managing mobile partnerships and content distribution for the company, and will support the teams at the individual MTVN brands in developing a wide portfolio of mobile content and applications–including personalisation, entertainment, information and messaging products.

The unit will be led by Greg Clayman, who has been promoted to MTVN Mobile Media senior VP. MTVN Mobile Media reports into MTVN Global Digital Media, led by its president Mika Salmi, and MTVN Affiliate Sales and Marketing, led by its president Nicole Browning.

MTV Networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath says, “Connecting with our consumers on every platform they love is at the heart of our digital strategy. MTVN Mobile Media will help our brands take it even further in distribution and product development, and it will expand our global wireless footprint even more, so the communities around our brands can access our content anywhere.”

Salmi says, “Our audiences lead an on-demand lifestyle and our brands deliver the best pop-culture, music, comedy and entertainment programming on the handset. With MTVN Mobile Media, we’re poised to deliver even more compelling mobile content and further deepen our connection with our viewers.”

MTV says that it publishes more than 600 clips and 30 hours of video per month in the United States alone, across all major carriers and leading MVNOs. Globally, the company has partnerships with 68 carriers and connections with more than one billion subscribers, making MTVN the largest wireless content provider of any entertainment company.

Browning says, “We are clearly primed to take our programming to the next level, and as we build on our fast-growing mobile video business and add more channels, more content, and more distribution around the world, we will continue to focus on mobile games, personalization products such as ringtones and graphics, and mobile web site development.”

The MTVN mobile programming spanning every genre of entertainment and engaging nearly every demographic includes:

• Original made-for-mobile programs, including MTV’s Sway’s Hip Hop Owner’s Manual, Comedy Central’s Clip Joint and VH1’s Celebhead.

• Extensions from such television franchises as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Laguna Beach; SpongeBob SquarePants; VH1’s Best Week Ever; Logo’s Noah’s Arc.

• Original animation, such as Usavitch and Lightman from Flux in Japan and MTV International’s “Wulffmorgenthaler”;

• “Making of,” behind-the-scenes and after-shows developed exclusively for the wireless medium;

• MTV, VH1 and CMT music video premieres and exclusive music performances from such franchises as VH1’s Live@VH1.com and CMT’s Studio 330 Sessions and simulcasts of tentpole properties like The MTV Europe Music Awards;

• Content highlighting social issues important to MTVN audiences, such as MTVN International’s HIV/Aids prevention campaign, Staying Alive;

• The largest selection of stand-up comedy on mobile, made available by Comedy Central.

MTVN also has forged new ground with a number of notable industry firsts: Nickelodeon was the first kids’ television network to offer text messaging promoted on-air. Spike TV Mobile, in partnership with Amp’d Mobile, was the first network to stream a sporting event live on the handset. VH1 is defining the standard for television/mobile integration with Mobile Junk 20, an extension of the “Web Junk 20” television show that seamlessly migrates viewers from the television set, to the handset and back to the television. And Neopets introduced the first entertainment-based web-to-wireless application of its kind, letting Neopets members engage with their Neopets characters, stories and activities on their handsets just as they would online.

December 20, 2006
MTV Networks sets up Global Inclusion Strategy advisory committee

MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom has announced the formation of a Global Inclusion Strategy advisory committee. Drawn from across MTV Networks’ brands and business units, the advisory committee will set priorities, develop strategies and implement policies that advance MTVN’s core values of diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion throughout the company.

The advisory committee was selected by MTVN chairman and CEO Judy McGrath and MTVN Global Inclusion Strategy EVP and Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group EVP public affairs and chief of staff Marva Smalls. She will serve on the committee as its chair.

An official release issued by the company stated that the members of the advisory committee reflect the business units of MTV Networks, and will have direct impact on diversity, multicultural and inclusion issues. The committee will be responsible for promoting MTVN’s core values across its global workforce, as well as engaging employees throughout the company for their ideas and perspectives on diversity issues.

“It is imperative that every line of business has direct access and involvement with our diversity and inclusion strategy,” said Smalls. “This team approach will ensure that MTV Networks’ culture remains every bit as diverse, multicultural and vibrant as the audiences we serve.”

MTVN’s Global Inclusion Strategy is the company’s commitment to championing the next generation of leadership across its global brands, and ensuring that its culture continues to evolve as a welcoming and inclusive place for talent.

MTVN aims to create a work environment across the company where all employees can contribute to its success while achieving their own professional goals. Through this strategy, MTVN will not only further weave diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion into the fabric of the company, but also expand partnerships with external organizations and advocacy groups, adds the release.

December 13, 2006
MTV Networks appoints Mika Salmi as president of Global Digital Media

MUMBAI: MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom has announced that Mika Salmi has been named President of Global Digital Media for MTVN. Salmi was formerly CEO of Atom Entertainment, the company he founded and which was acquired by MTVN in August.

Salmi will work across MTVN’s growing portfolio of multiplatform brands to further develop and implement the company’s strategy of building an engaging universe of music, games, entertainment, networking and interactivity for its communities of targeted audiences. He will report directly to MTVN chairman and CEO Judy McGrath, and will become a member of her senior strategy team, asserts an official release.

Commenting on Salmi’s appointment McGrath said, “I am incredibly pleased to have his talent and leadership experience on board to lead our digital media transformation, worldwide. With Mika’s guidance, our digital teams will continue the momentum we have today, to extend our brands across every platform while creating new business, and next generation applications across every device that engages our community. And he brings that upbeat entrepreneurial spirit that is a hallmark of the digital age.”

“MTV Networks is an amazing global entertainment community reaching targeted audiences through all of its TV, online and mobile brands,” said Salmi.

“What MTVN calls its ‘maniacal consumer focus’ will be the driving engine for our Global Digital Media strategy. We will engage consumers with an industry-leading digital experience through interactivity and community in all media including video, music and games,” he added.

November 2, 2006
Marva Smalls is MTV executive VP global inclusion strategy

MUMBAI: US broadcaster MTV has announced that Marva Smalls has been named the company’s first executive VP global inclusion strategy.

In this new position, Smalls will drive MTV’s ongoing efforts to champion a diverse, multicultural and inclusive workforce; and to develop the next generation of leaders across its worldwide brands.
She will report to MTV chairman and CEO, Judy McGrath and will become a member of the company’s senior strategy team. Smalls also will retain her current responsibilities as Nickelodeon/MTVN kids and family group executive VP public affairs.

“Diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion are core values for our company – they are at the heart of our business success, our programming strategy and our culture.” said McGrath. “There’s no person better suited than Marva to implement this vision across MTV Networks and help develop our next generation of leaders.”

Smalls will work with the leadership of all MTV brands to champion these values, and to support an environment across the company where all employees can contribute to its success while achieving their own professional goals. Further, she will expand MTVN’s partnerships with leading outside organizations and exemplify MTVN’s diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion efforts worldwide.

Smalls says. “Our culture at MTVN is a rare thing. Our employees share ideas, take creative risks and, most importantly, reflect the audiences they serve and what’s important to them. Diversity and inclusion are as essential as creativity and innovation for success in a global marketplace, and I am excited to build on these core values, particularly as we extend our brands – and acquire new ones – across all platforms.”

MTV has also announced that it is restructuring its day-to-day approach to diversity leadership, with the introduction of a new internal advisory team. Members of the team will reflect the leading business units of MTV Networks, and will have direct impact on diversity, multicultural and inclusion issues, including domestic and international Channel Management, Operations, Programming, Ad Sales, Corporate Responsibility, Creative, Communications, Human Resources and Learning & Development. Working closely with Smalls and the MTV Diversity Council, the advisory team will help set priorities, develop strategies and implement policies that advance MTV’s core values throughout every level of the company and beyond.

As a result of the restructuring, the position of Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) has been eliminated and CDO Billy Dexter will be leaving the company.

Mcgrath says, “Given our unique company culture with multiple stakeholders in our diversity efforts, we’ve come to realise that a team approach will best serve us in a global and now multi-platform environment. I have the greatest respect for Billy, and we thank him for his contributions to our diversity and inclusion mission. He has enhanced our existing initiatives and we’ve benefited from his expertise.”

September 25, 2006
Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group launch online community ParentsConnect.com

MUMBAI: Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group have launched ParentsConnect.com exclusively for parents and caregivers of kids of all ages. ParentsConnect is a new online community that will connect parents to each other and to the advice they seek in an easy-to-use format. The announcement was made by Cyma Zarghami, president of Nickelodeon and Head of MTVN Kids and Family Group.

“The first generation of ‘Nick kids’ are now having families of their own. They know and trust us, and we want to serve them as parents just as we served them as kids,” said Zarghami. “ParentsConnect puts parents in touch with the real parenting experts-each other.”

With many personalized features, ParentsConnect enables users to search for parent-to-parent advice and activities by their kids’ ages and stages, city/location and personal interests. Each parent can develop a customized home page that updates dynamically each visit with local activities, relevant news, discussion postings and more. Parents can also use discussion boards to connect with each other and share parenting advice, experiences or laughs, informs an official release.

“This is another step in our company’s online strategy to super-serve passionate, targeted audiences … in this case, parents … with engaging and immersive new experiences,” said MTV Networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. “You connect to people and information that really speak to parenthood and family, with Nickelodeon’s personality and humour.”

The ParentsConnect communities are led by Host Parents, a team of 20 trained moderators who are actual parents, chosen for their backgrounds, life experiences and writing abilities. Each Host Parent will provide member parents with assistance in using the site, maintain a personal blog, and recommend articles or links to useful information. In addition, ParentsConnect members may set up their own blogs and profile pages, as well as search member profiles and recommend articles or links to information they consider useful to other parents. The GoCityKids website, recently acquired by Nickelodeon, will be also be featured on ParentsConnect as the online guide to local family destinations, activities and events.

“We designed ParentsConnect to be the most useful parenting site,” said NickJr.com and ParentsConnect general manager Kyra Reppen. “With distinct features such as localized content through GoCityKids, the ability for members to build their own customized home pages and choose only what’s relevant to them, and advice that comes from real parents with first-hand experience, rather than professionals, ParentsConnect is truly unique.”

ParentsConnect’s public beta launches with an online advertising campaign and charter sponsorships from marketers such as Nissan North America. The ParentsConnect site will feature display advertising as well as contextual, integrated and direct marketing opportunities, developed and sponsored by various marketers. OMD handled the media buying and planning for the Nissan/ParentsConnect deal, states the release.

Nissan vice president marketing Jan Thompson said, “Through our partnership with ParentsConnect, we’re excited to associate ourselves with content that has a high level of engagement for our consumers. We also hope to reach parents who are early adopters and will identify with Nissan’s forward-thinking technology and design of its products.”

In fourth quarter 2006, ParentsConnect will launch ParentsConnect TV which will have broadband video with user submitted content. It will also roll out local discussion boards, user- created polls and clubs, newsletters based on specific community interests, from recipes to travel, as well as enhanced social networking features.

September 19, 2006
Viacom takes full ownership of MTV Japan

MUMBAI: US network MTV has agreed to acquire the remaining interest in joint venture MTV Japan from private equity firm H&Q Asia Pacific (H&QAP). This will give MTV a 100 per cent ownership in MTV Japan.

The acquisition will be MTV’s largest in the Asia-Pacific region and will enable the broadcaster to accelerate growth in Japan and facilitate cross-pollination of innovations across the region and worldwide.

In addition to the MTV Japan joint venture, MTV currently owns and operates Nickelodeon and the digital media brand Flux in the market. Upon completion of the deal, MTVN will combine MTV Japan with Nickelodeon and Flux into one cohesive business where the assets of each brand can be optimised across the entire operation. Prior to this agreement, MTV held a minority stake in MTV Japan.

MTV’s parent Viacom president and CEO Tom freston says, “Japan is a huge and important market with a very advanced digital infrastructure. By taking sole ownership of MTV Japan we can now seamlessly operate all of our companies there on a multi-platform basis, putting us on a path to significantly grow our Japanese business.”

MTV US chairman and CEO Judy McGrath says, “This deal represents an important step forward in our strategy to drive international growth. Japan is one of the most dynamic media markets in the world, and we are now positioned to lead the Asia-Pacific region in terms of delivering innovative entertainment content to young adult consumers across all platforms.”

H&QAP chairman Dr. Ta-lin Hsu says, “The success of MTV Japan underscores the acceptance of the brand and its importance across emerging economies in Asia. At H&Q Asia Pacific, we are proud to have played an integral role in helping MTV Japan establish a leading market position.

“This transaction demonstrates our ability to migrate consumer brands to the Asia-Pacific region.”

H&QAP says that it was instrumental in bringing the MTV brand to Japan in 2001. H&QAP acquired Japan’s music channel Vibe from Pioneer in 2000 and subsequently created a new joint venture partnership with MTV that became MTV Japan in 2001.

Capturing the potential growth in Japan’s cable
and satellite TV industry and seizing the emerging Internet & mobile opportunities by leveraging MTV’s strong brand in cable and satellite TV, MTV Japan was created to provide multi-platforms for audiences and sponsors.

August 30, 2006
MTV and Nickelodeon to take on larger role at Paramount

MUMBAI: Viacom Inc.s has announced that MTV and Nickelodeon will become full labels under the Paramount Motion Picture Group (PMPG) as part of a new structure designed to deepen their already successful track record with their core target audiences.

The two former production companies, which previously operated as on-lot producers, will now join several other labels under PMPG’s umbrella, including Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage and Paramount Classics.

“After successful 12-year stints as production companies at Paramount, we are going to upgrade MTV and Nick to full movie label status,” says Viacom president & CEO Tom Freston.
“This will expand their role at Paramount, will better leverage their considerable talent and marketing capabilities, and will allow for smoother day to day management on the lot with strong connections back to the core brands. This move plays perfectly to our company’s unique strengths and will surely increase the positive momentum that we’re seeing at Paramount under the leadership of Brad and his team.”

“MTV and Nickelodeon are two of the strongest brands in entertainment reaching families and young adults,” says Paramount Pictures Corporation chairman & CEO Brad Grey. “We look forward to great films and a great future with these two new labels at the Paramount Motion Picture Group.”

“In partnership with Paramount, this new model represents a great opportunity to build on the growing success we’ve experienced making movies over the last decade,” adds MTV Networks chairman & CEO Judy McGrath. “We believe that together we can take these brands to the next level, attract the best talent and material across genres, and really tap into our strong relationships with kid, teens, young adults and families around the globe.”

Additionally, Paramount and MTV Networks named veteran producer Scott Aversano President of MTV Films and Nick Movies, giving him responsibility for film development, production and acquisitions for the two film labels. Aversano will work on the lot, reporting to Paramount Pictures president Gail Berman. On all image- and brand-related matters for these pictures, he will also report to MTV Networks Music Group president Van Toffler and Nickelodeon and MTV Networks Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami, states an official release.

Aversano will assume his new position effective immediately, transitioning from his current role as an independent producer for Paramount Pictures. Prior to his producing deal with Paramount Pictures, Aversano spent more than seven years with producer Scott Rudin, most recently as president of Production, the release adds.

“MTV and Nickelodeon are household names with audiences in every corner of the world,” says Aversano. “I’m excited to embark on this new challenge to continue bringing movies to the marketplace that utilize Viacom’s unique strengths in targeted demographics.”

MTV Films and Nick Movies will continue to release films targeted to their respective demographics; with Nick Movies releasing animated and family films, and MTV Films focusing on comedies, documentaries, urban fare and horror films for teens and young adults.

August 22, 2006
MTV Networks acquires Atom Entertainment for $200 million

MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom, Inc., has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Atom Entertainment, Inc., a portfolio of four leading online destinations for casual games, short films and video, for $200 million.

Acquiring Atom Entertainment advances the company’s multiplatform strategy of building an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news and interactivity for targeted audiences. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter 2006.

Atom Entertainment is a pioneer in online entertainment with four brands in both games and video: Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are two of the internet’s largest casual gaming sites, offering nearly 1,500 free and downloadable games. AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com are two premier film and video sites for short-form comedy, animation, drama and user-generated content.

Adding Atom Entertainment to MTV Networks’ overall portfolio fits squarely with the company’s strategy of super-serving its targeted, global audiences with a relevant and innovative video experience online. Following MTVN’s recent purchases of XFIRE, Y2M, GameTrailers.com, IFILM and Neopets, this acquisition demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to being a premier multi-platform media company, uniquely positioned across every screen, states an official release.

Viacom CEO Tom Freston says, “This acquisition is right on the money with our digital strategy. It adds great scale with users, improves our growing casual gaming position, and brings a world-class digital video library and a fantastic management team.”

“Atom Entertainment is a best in class and dynamic property, with brands that have dedicated, passionate followers and content that resonates with our global audience,” adds MTV Networks chairman & CEO Judy McGrath. “This acquisition is in line with our business strategy of being a leader in the digital space and connecting with consumers on every platform and device they use.”

Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are part of the large and rapidly growing business of online casual gaming and will complement MTVN’s roster of casual gaming communities, including Nick.com and Neopets. By including these two Atom sites, MTV Networks aspires to be a leader in the casual gaming business, with more than 50 million casual gamers playing more than 400 million games a month. In addition, AtomFilms.com and AddictingClips.com further expands the online video available across MTVN’s 24 broadband channels and the company’s user-generated content offerings, the release adds.

“MTV Networks is a global leader in entertainment, and we are thrilled to join their family of brands,” says Atom Entertainment CEO Mika Salmi. “Leveraging MTVN’s platform will accelerate our growth and create new opportunities for both consumers and advertisers. We are proud of the business we’ve built and look forward to working together with MTVN to lead the way in the casual gaming and short-form video content business.”

August 9, 2006