ITV

Tag: Spike TV

  • Viacom Launches Viacom Velocity

    Viacom Launches Viacom Velocity

    MUMBAI: Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) today launched Viacom Velocity, a new full-service group offering insights-driven integrated marketing and creative content solutions from Viacom Media Networks Music and Entertainment.  Viacom Velocity merges the company’s existing Music and Entertainment Integrated Marketing teams, under Dario Spina, with a new creative team headed by Niels Schuurmans, former Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Executive Creative Director at Spike TV, who joins as Executive Vice President, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions.  Both Spina and Schuurmans report to Jeff Lucas, Head of Sales for Music and Entertainment. 

     

    “Now more than ever, creative collaboration and custom content are at the center of our client partnerships, and we continue to grow our capabilities to meet marketers’ evolving needs,” said Lucas.  “Viacom Velocity is built to utilize our unique relationship with our passionate fans and drive value for marketers through consumer insights, strategic collaboration and creative excellence.”

     

    Within Viacom Velocity, Integrated Marketing will continue to work with clients to build strategic campaigns under the leadership of Dario Spina, Executive Vice President of Viacom Velocity Integrated Marketing.  This includes the planning and execution of campaigns across Viacom’s networks and their online and mobile extensions, as well as throughout social media.  Viacom Media Networks Music and Entertainment were recently voted the number one and two integrated marketing teams, respectively, in an industry survey conducted by the Myers Media Business Report. 

     

    Under Schuurmans’ leadership, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions will produce original content for clients in partnership with MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Comedy Central, Spike TV and TV Land.   This includes the development of custom creative on linear television, digital platforms and cross-network campaigns.  Viacom Velocity Creative Solutions capabilities will include video and digital production, strategy, design, copywriting and more. 

     

    Upon launch, Viacom Velocity introduced the Viacom Echo Social Media Network, a new service offering for clients.  Through Viacom Echo, the company will develop creative campaigns for clients on the company’s platforms and engineers their extension across social media and measurable earned media. 

     

    “Viacom Echo is a one-of-a-kind service that mirrors the way our content travels beyond our screens, across social media and throughout the pop culture.   We want to take our clients and their brands with us on that journey,” said Lucas.

  • Alfred Haber Distribution to showcase slate of reality shows at NATPE

    Alfred Haber Distribution to showcase slate of reality shows at NATPE

    MUMBAI: Alfred Haber, founder of Alfred Haber Distribution, Inc. (AHDI), has announced that the company is heading to The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) with a full slate of high-end, top-rated reality programming.

    Benchmarking the 2007 avail list are two new titles and three returning titles with all new episodes, asserts an official release.

    Haber said, “In any given month, a reality show distributed by AHDI is being broadcast somewhere around the world,” commented . Practically no other distribution company, major or minor, independent or conglomerate, has as many network reality series out in the marketplace today. We are delighted to be offering these titles to our buyers at NATPE.”

    The two new reality titles being offered for the first time at NATPE are:
    – Most Shocking – Court TV

    Its a caught-on-camera reality series from Bruce Nash about the world of law enforcement features never-before-seen action-packed crime footage.

    – Bullrun – Spike TV
    A high-speed car race across America pitting 13 teams against each other in a journey filled with danger, competition and action.

    The three returning series with all new episodes include:

    – Ghost Hunters – Sci Fi Channel
    It’s a new season of the Sci-Fi series that follows the exploits of a team of paranormal researchers in search of otherworldly life.

    – Totally Outrageous Behavior – Fox
    Created by reality producer NASH Entertainment this Fox series exposes people’s most ridiculous, embarrassing and outrageous behavior.

    – World’s Most Amazing Videos – NBC
    These videos expose unbelievable, true-life stories of people who faced their most desperate hour – and lived to tell about it.

  • MTV Networks creates MTVN Entertainment Group for adult male audiences

    MTV Networks creates MTVN Entertainment Group for adult male audiences

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom, has announced the formal creation of the MTVN Entertainment Group, a multi-platform portfolio featuring the company’s adult- directed and male-skewing brands, including Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films, IFilm, GameTrailers.com and XFire.

    This combination of television, online, broadband, user-generated content and gaming platforms positions the MTVN Entertainment group to serve a range of adult demos and collectively deliver scale with the male 18 to 34 year old demographic, informs an official release.

    “The individual brands in the Entertainment Group have significant growth potential in their own right, but we can now position them to aggregate and deliver men and adults across all platforms and on a scale rivaling other players in our industry,” said MTVN Entertainment Group president Doug Herzog.

    “The MTVN Entertainment Group creates a portfolio of television and digital brands that can collectively deliver under-served demos through killer content like comedy, gaming, video, news and information, and some classic TV, too,” said MTV Networks Chairman and CEO Judy McGrath. “Formalizing the Entertainment Group under Doug organizes us into three focused portfolio groups and highlights our overall strategy to provide the communities that form around our brands and content with immersive, multi-platform entertainment experiences.”

    The MTVN Entertainment Group brands deliver original content across television, online, and wireless to highly targeted male and adult-focused audiences. By targeting expanded demographics across its brands, the MTVN Entertainment Group offers advertisers more ways to reach their consumers, and gives MTVN the potential to establish additional revenue streams.

  • Viacom’s 2Q revenue up 24 per cent

    Viacom’s 2Q revenue up 24 per cent

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended 30 June 2006. For the quarter, revenues and operating income increased to $2.85 billion and $663.2 million, respectively.

    Viacom executive chairman Sumner M. Redstone says, “Viacom’s solid second quarter results prove that the enduring strengths of our content and our segment leading brands continue to resonate with consumers and advertisers. We have a great foundation from which to take full advantage of the growth opportunities we see ahead by not only expanding on our traditional businesses, but also by profitably integrating new platforms with significant future growth potential.

    “Equally important, Tom Freston and the Viacom management team have an unmatched track record of repeatedly and successfully leveraging emerging technologies, which gives us great confidence that we can continue to outperform the competition in this rapidly changing environment.”

    The acquisition of DreamWorks and the commencement of distribution activities for DreamWorks Animation and DreamWorks live-action library filmscontributed $345.1 million or 63% of the reported growth versus last year. The cable networks segment revenues increased 8% to $1.75 billion, with domestic ad revenues was up 10 per cent to $969.1 million, and affiliate fees up 11% to $501.8 million. Entertainment revenues were up a reported $418.4 million in the quarter principally attributable to DreamWorks.

    The company reaffirms its full year guidance to deliver double digit revenue and operating income growth compared to 2005 revenues of $9.61 billion

    In the cable network segment, affiliate revenue growth was driven by rate and subscriber increases as well as new channel launches in international markets. Ancillary revenues were relatively flat as increases attributable to syndication were substantially offset by decreases of Comedy Central home video sales, which benefited in 2005 from the release of The Chappelle Show.

    Domestic revenues increased by nine per cent in the quarter with advertising revenues up 10 per cent (compared to a six per cent increase in the first quarter of 2006). International revenues were up four per cent in the quarter including $5.8 million in incremental revenues related to a UK acquisition. International advertising revenues declined 2% (compared to a 13% decline in the first quarter of 2006) or $2.1 million, driven principally by continued softness in Germany and the UK.

    Affiliate revenues were up 13% internationally driven by the UK acquisition and new channel launches. International ancillary revenues increased. The increase in operating expenses in the cable networks segment reflects an aggregate eight per cent increase in programming and production costs on shows such as The Colbert Report, The Daily Show at Comedy Central, and VH1 Rock Honours. This was partially offset by the non-renewal of the WWE package at Spike TV, The Chappelle Show, and the one time special VH1’s Save the Music.

    Television license fees increased $207.3 million including increases in DreamWorks related distribution revenues of $108.9 million. In addition total international revenues were higher due to the number and mix of available titles which included SpongeBob SquarePants, Without a Paddle and The Manchurian Candidate.

    Movie revenues increased $168.7 million in the second quarter principally as a result of revenues related to the distribution of DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge. In addition, international theatrical revenues benefitted from the release of Mission: Impossible III and Failure to Launch in comparison to War of the Worlds and Sahara in theaters during 2005.

    The increase in ancillary revenues of $32.9 million was principally driven by studio rental income as well as increased music royalties earned by Famous Music. On a geographic basis, domestic revenues increased $190.5 million or 39 per cent substantially all of which is attributable to DreamWorks, offset by lower theatrical and home entertainment revenue for Paramount titles.

    International revenues increased $227.9 million, or 106 per cent driven principally by theatrical and television revenues. Higher international theatrical revenues, principally driven by Mission: Impossible III and Failure to Launch contributed an incremental $110.2 million of revenue as compared to titles in release in 2005 which included War of the Worlds and Sahara.

    International television revenues, which increased $121.5 million, benefited from additional mix of such titles as Manchurian Candidate and SpongeBob SquarePants as well as titles distributed for DreamWorks such as Shark Tale and Meet the Fockers. Home entertainment revenues declined by sevent per cent, or $8.4 million internationally due to weaker international performance of recently released titles as compared against SpongeBob SquarePants and Team America in the prior year.

  • Viacom, Adobe forge alliance to deliver web, mobile content

    Viacom, Adobe forge alliance to deliver web, mobile content

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom and Adobe Systems have announced a strategic alliance to develop and deliver Viacom’s branded content using the Adobe Engagement Platform.

    Through this agreement, Adobe will become Viacom’s preferred technology provider for rich media authoring tools and interactive online video solutions. This will enable Viacom to deliver content from its television, motion picture and digital properties to online and mobile audiences in compelling ways. The two companies will also work together in developing new media applications leveraging Viacom’s exclusive content and using Adobe’s next-generation developer tools and ubiquitous cross-platform client software.

    The Adobe Engagement Platform is a versatile foundation for capturing and holding audiences’ attention through more active and effective applications and media. Through the combined reach of the Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash Player clients, which are installed on more than 600 million connected PCs and devices worldwide, the Platform enables businesses to connect with customers, no matter which medium they choose.

    Viacom president and CEO Tom Freston says, “This partnership with Adobe is an important step towards ensuring that our company has the most robust and state of the art online and mobile video applications. We are very excited to be working so closely with Adobe, which is a real innovator with a great track record”.

    Viacom will utilise Flash video as an interactive online video solution and provide Viacom-branded content to mobile phone handsets via FlashCast™ channels. Flash video delivers secure, high-quality seamless video experiences. FlashCast is a flexible client-server solution that effectively delivers rich, intuitive branded experiences on mobile devices. Using Adobe technology, Viacom will also develop entirely new applications leveraging content from Viacom properties including MTV, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon.

    Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen says, “Adobe and Viacom share a vision for how to bring Viacom’s world-class programming and content to online and mobile audiences in innovative ways. This relationship and the Adobe Engagement Platform will accelerate Viacom’s ability to create and deliver new kinds of digital entertainment across different mediums, regardless of which operating system, browser or device viewers are using. Our Engagement Platform is continuing to gain momentum as a powerful means of reaching and connecting with consumers on their terms, anytime, anyplace.”

  • Spike TV’s Blade premieres with 2.5 million viewers

    Spike TV’s Blade premieres with 2.5 million viewers

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom’s cable channel for men Spike TV has announced that its first original action show Blade: The Series, which premiered a few nights ago, saw 2.5 million viewers tuning in. This is the highest premiere in its history for an original series. The show takes off from the vampire films Blade, which star Wesley Snipes.

    Additionally Blade: The Series was the number one entertainment show for the night with men 18-34 and 18-49. It tallied triple-digit gains in all key male demos versus last year including up 517 per cent in M18-34 (2.6 rating, 680,000 viewers), up 472 per cent in M18-49 (2.2, 1.17 million), up 277 per cent in viewers (2.5 million), and up +247 oer cent in household rating (2.0, 1.8 million).

  • The 2006 New York TV Festival announces MSN as the official online sponsor

    The 2006 New York TV Festival announces MSN as the official online sponsor

    MUMBAI: The New York Television Festival (NYTVF) has announced that MSN will provide online support and awareness as an official signature sponsor for the 2006 NYTVF scheduled to be held from 12-17 September 2006, in Manhattan.

    Currently in its second year, the festival provides an opportunity to artists to showcase original, independently produced TV pilots directly to network executives and industry officials.

    Commenting on the same, NYTVF founder and executive director Terence Gray said, “The goal of the NYTVF is to provide independent artists with a platform for getting their work seen by the decision-makers in the TV industry.”

    According to an official release, the Festival’s alliance with MSN is one component of a larger initiative the NYTVF is launching to unite independent artists from TV, music and film in the NYTVF Online Community. NYTVF will collaborate with MSN integrated services, MSN TV and MSN Spaces to create a resource to pilot-makers looking to interact or collaborate with other creative people locally and globally, where anyone with an original script can receive the guidance and support necessary to get an independent pilot off the ground.

    As the official online sponsor, MSN will provide the following services:

    MSN Video will have exclusive online rights to stream all NYTVF pilots submitted to the Festival’s Independent Pilot Competition at http://tv.msn.com/NYTVF, beginning in July.

    MSN Video will deliver an Internet webcast of the Festival and on-demand video content of panel discussions and special events featured at the 2006 Festival.

    MSN Spaces will be the official blogging platform for NYTVF participants for the organization’s Online Community.

    In an attempt to present independent pilots to a worldwide audience, MSN GM Entertainment and Video Services Rob Bennett said, “Through the MSN relationship with NYTVF, consumers have the unique opportunity to see new television concepts and pilots in their purest form.”

    The release states that officially selected pilots featured at the 2006 NYTVF will be placed in one of the following five categories: comedy, drama, reality, educational or animation. To be considered for competition, pilots in all categories except animation must have a running time of between 15 and 22 minutes. Animation pilots must have a running time of between two and 20 minutes.

    The date of submission for the 2006 Independent Pilot Competition is 7 July. There is no fee for students with a valid ID.

    In its inaugural year, the 2005 NYTVF received more than 230 original independent pilots produced by artists from 24 states and seven foreign countries. The 2005 NYTVF was presented in association with TV Guide. The Festival worked in partnership with the William Morris Agency and in conjunction with the mayor’s office of New York City. Official network sponsors included NBC Universal, FOX, Comedy Central, VH1, VH1 Classic, Spike TV, A&E Networks, Rainbow Media, TV Land and Court TV, adds the release.

  • Paramount Pictures to premiere ‘M:i:III’ trailer across MTV Networks

    Paramount Pictures to premiere ‘M:i:III’ trailer across MTV Networks

    MUMBAI: Paramount Pictures will premiere an exclusive look at this summer’s most highly anticipated action-thriller, Mission: Impossible III (M:i:III) as Tom Cruise introduces the new trailer across MTV Networks on 16 March.

    The trailer will air simultaneously on MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, BET and Spike TV on 16 March, one day before it runs in any movie theater. The exclusive material will also be available on the internet at mtv.com, mtv2.com, vh1.com, cmt.com, spiketv.com, and at iFilm.

    The film, starring Tom Cruise and directed by J.J. Abrams, the creator of Lost and Alias, opens in theaters in the US on 5 May 2006.

    Paramount Pictures president of worldwide motion picture marketing Gerry Rich said, “Tom and J.J. have come through with an amazing action movie and we think viewers across MTV networks will agree that M:i:III is the first must-see event film of the summer. When you’ve got the goods, it’s exciting to be able to share it with the audience in a special way. We’re thrilled to be pulling out all the stops with our partners at the MTV Networks.”

    Cruise returns as special agent Ethan Hunt, who faces the mission of his life in Mission: Impossible III. Abrams brings his unique blend of action and drama to the billion-dollar franchise.