ITV

Tag: Viacom International Media Networks

  • Viacom launches MTV Play, Comedy Central Play mobile apps in Singapore

    Viacom launches MTV Play, Comedy Central Play mobile apps in Singapore

    ‘MUMBAI: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has announced the official launch of MTV Play and Comedy Central Play mobile apps in Singapore through the Singtel Cast over-the-top video portal. The MTV Play apps like Play the Music, MTV Play Firsts, which will aim to showcase content to be first on before any other platforms in Singapore, including The Challenge: Vendettas, Million Dollar Baby and Just Tattoo of Us Season. The other features MTV Shorts which will deliver free access to MTV’s wide-ranging short-form content and MTV Signatures offering access to the MTV library for shows.

    The Comedy Central Play app features include Comedy Central Play Express, delivering the global hit The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Comedy Central Play Firsts such as Comedy Central Stand-Up, Asia Season 3 and Comedy Specials, Comedy Central Exclusives with content from The Jim Jefferies Show, Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents, The Review, Moonbeam City, Comedy Central Play Shorts giving free access to Comedy Central’s Bad Snappers, Josh Investigates, and Comedians Solve World Problems and the Comedy Central Play Collection which comprises a library including Comedy Central Roasts, Key & Peele, The President Show, The Comedy Jam and more.

    The app will combine live TV, video streaming apps and on-demand entertainment including stand-up, talk shows, scripted and short-form content on Comedy Central. The apps are available for free download from the Apple App Store, Google Play and can be accessed via the Variety Plus Pack of Singtel Cast.’

  • Viacom International buys majority stake in Youtube LATAM content producer

    MUMBAI: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has announced a definitive agreement for the acquisition of a majority interest in Porta dos Fundos. The acquisition will add one of Brazil’s leading short-form comedy content producers and the most influential global YouTube channel, according to the Zefr ranking*, to the Viacom portfolio, expanding the company’s scale in Latin America and further extending its content creation pipeline.

    Under the terms of the transaction, VIMN has an option to further increase its ownership position in Porta dos Fundos in the future.

    Porta dos Fundos, founded by Fabio Porchat, Antonio Tabet, João Vicente de Castro, Ian SBF and Gregorio Duvivier in 2012, is a leading video production company in Brazil known for creating short-form comedy sketches and television programming. Owned and operated by the company, the Porta dos Fundos YouTube channel is also a top 10 global Most Subscribed Entertainment channel** and currently has over 13 million subscribers. The channel recently surpassed three billion video views, making it the fifth most viewed Brazilian video producer on YouTube**. The combination of Porta dos Fundos with VIMN’s popular pay TV networks, which include Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Channel, further strengthens VIMN’s position in Brazil.

    VIMN Americas president Pierluigi Gazzolo, who will oversee the business, commented: “As we continue to build scale in the Latin American region, our investment in Porta dos Fundos furthers our commitment to the Brazilian market and increases our ability to create innovative content, often native to digital platforms, which will complement our existing Viacom brands and capabilities. The talent and creativity showcased by the founding members of Porta dos Fundos in building this brand is impressive, and we are excited to join forces to expand its presence outside of Brazil via our highly successful network of brands around the world. We firmly believe that content ownership is a key driver of success and are happy to add this new dimension to our portfolio.”

    Porta dos Fundos CEO Tereza Gonzalez says: “The partnership with VIMN couldn’t make us happier. The venture is a big step for the group towards expanding into the international market, with new global opportunities for our portfolio both on and offline. Additionally, the deal provides exceptional distribution channels for our content.”

    The Porta dos Fundos founding team has built a powerhouse in the Brazilian comedy genre with innovative content and a tremendous creative vision that will continue to drive the company’s growth and further advance the partnership. Through this venture, VIMN and Porta dos Fundos will collaborate on various new productions in an effort to further strengthen the creative pipeline of original content for the brands’ linear and non-linear platforms. Given VIMN’s strong history in the comedy genre with Comedy Central, one of the company’s flagship brands, this pairing is a great complement and will provide countless opportunities in this area. Previously, the companies worked together on the coproduction of Portatil, a five part series that showcased Porta dos Fundos’ theater show and aired on Comedy Central Brazil in 2016.

    This acquisition will build on Viacom’s long and successful track record of investment in Brazil, which began with the launch of MTV in 1990. Viacom’s portfolio in the market now includes seven branded pay TV networks, including Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, VH1, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., among others; a suite of authenticated TV Everywhere mobile applications; multiple on-the-ground events and experiences; and an extensive consumer products catalogue. VIMN has maintained a local office in São Paulo since 1998. Given VIMN’s recent acquisition of the number one free to air channel in Argentina, Telefe, and its robust portfolio of pay TV networks, Porta dos Fundos further expands the company’s presence on all media distribution and content creation platforms.

    Porta dos Fundos’ assets also include other YouTube channels, the portadosfundos.com.br website, an extensive library of short-form clips, several television series, multiple mobile applications and games, as well as a line of consumer products.

  • Bob Bakish to take over as Viacom CEO?

    Bob Bakish to take over as Viacom CEO?

    MUMBAI: Indian executives are familiar with this Viacom long-timer. And now, he’s being tipped to take over as the US media and cable Viacom CEO. We are talking about Viacom International Media Networks president & CEO Bob Bakish who was been quite closely associated with the Reliance group joint venture Viacom18 and its distribution outfit IndiaCast.

    Bakish is slated to replace the interim CEO Tom Dooley if Bloomberg and other international media reports are to be believed. Dooley, who was appointed as the interim CEO following the ouster of the former CEO Philippe Dauman in a public slugfest between him and the majority owner Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari, will depart on 15 November.

    The fiesty executive has a long history with Viacom, having first worked with the management consulting firm Booze Allen & Hamilton in the nineties, before hopping on board MTV Networks as the EVP & chief operating officer – ad sales between 2001 and 2004. He then was promoted as the EVP – operations Viacom and Viacom Enterprises, following which he ran MTV Networks International as its president between 2007 and 2011. Since then, he has been the president & CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, expanding and consolidating the group’s international business globally and making it profitable.

    The board’s decision will be announced Monday.

    Viacom18 Media, its 50:50 joint venture with Network18 (now Reliance Industries owned), is one of the international successes, which has flowered under his watch. The venture runs India’s top three GECs – Colors — apart from channels such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Colors Infinity. It has expanded the channels internationally as well into markets such as the UK, the US.

  • Bob Bakish to take over as Viacom CEO?

    Bob Bakish to take over as Viacom CEO?

    MUMBAI: Indian executives are familiar with this Viacom long-timer. And now, he’s being tipped to take over as the US media and cable Viacom CEO. We are talking about Viacom International Media Networks president & CEO Bob Bakish who was been quite closely associated with the Reliance group joint venture Viacom18 and its distribution outfit IndiaCast.

    Bakish is slated to replace the interim CEO Tom Dooley if Bloomberg and other international media reports are to be believed. Dooley, who was appointed as the interim CEO following the ouster of the former CEO Philippe Dauman in a public slugfest between him and the majority owner Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari, will depart on 15 November.

    The fiesty executive has a long history with Viacom, having first worked with the management consulting firm Booze Allen & Hamilton in the nineties, before hopping on board MTV Networks as the EVP & chief operating officer – ad sales between 2001 and 2004. He then was promoted as the EVP – operations Viacom and Viacom Enterprises, following which he ran MTV Networks International as its president between 2007 and 2011. Since then, he has been the president & CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, expanding and consolidating the group’s international business globally and making it profitable.

    The board’s decision will be announced Monday.

    Viacom18 Media, its 50:50 joint venture with Network18 (now Reliance Industries owned), is one of the international successes, which has flowered under his watch. The venture runs India’s top three GECs – Colors — apart from channels such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Colors Infinity. It has expanded the channels internationally as well into markets such as the UK, the US.