Viacom related Press Releases

AtomFilms Relaunches as Atom.com, Allies With COMEDY CENTRAL

Jason Ankeny — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:04:09 -0400

Viacom's
(NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTVN Entertainment Group today announced the launch of
Atom.com, a digital comedy network that distributes original programming
across the Internet, handheld devices, gaming platforms, mobile phones,
television and other gadgets still to be invented. Atom.com offers a
cornucopia of professionally produced comedy and provides indie and UGC
creators with a clear path to "go pro" themselves -- earning infamy, money and
a direct path to exposure and future development opportunities on the Web,
television and beyond.

With the launch, Atom.com becomes COMEDY CENTRAL's exclusive partner and
anchor brand for original digital comedy content, developing new properties
for multiplatform distribution, building an online community of creators and
viewers, and producing a half-hour TV series, "Atom TV," that debuted on
COMEDY CENTRAL this week.

"We want Atom.com to provoke, break rules and uncover talent much as
COMEDY CENTRAL did at its inception on cable," said Erik Flannigan, EVP,
digital media, MTVN Entertainment Group. "If we get this right, Atom.com will
be our punk-rock label and help to bring fresh, provocative comedy to every
screen our audience is watching."

"Atom delivers Web comedy the way nature intended -- random, timely and
out-of-touch with normal standards of good taste," said Scott Roesch, general
manager, Atom.com. "We couldn't ask for a better partner than COMEDY CENTRAL
as we begin this quest for comedy talent, convergent sponsorship sales,
multiplatform distribution and, of course, global domination."

Original Digital Comedy Programming

Atom.com's programming lineup features daily new releases of original
comedy including animation, live-action narrative, topical videos, sketch
comedies and spoofs. The site also offers a library of thousands of comedy
productions previously developed by, licensed by and uploaded to AtomFilms and
COMEDY CENTRAL.

At launch, Atom.com is premiering four new Web series including:

-- "Border Patrol," produced by Josh Greenbaum, Ben McMillan and comedy
legend Ivan Reitman ("Old School," "Ghostbusters"), centers on three slacker
friends who spend their weekends in lawn chairs at the Mexican border
determined to stop illegal immigration. Demonstrating Atom's direct pipeline

to COMEDY CENTRAL, "Border Patrol" is the first Atom Original to sign a
Webisode-to-episode on-air development deal with the network.

-- "Steven & Stephen," from "Adult Swim" stars Tim Heidecker & Eric
Wareheim ("Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!"), about two
groin-conjoined, Internet-obsessed twins.

-- "Stickman Exodus," from Waverly Films, in which stick figures, doodled
into existence by a bored high-school student, search for the "promised page"
in the kid's notebook.

-- "Benny, Escaped Convict," co-created by television writer Ryan Levin
("Scrubs") and award-winning animator Nye Warburton, chronicles the exploits
of a foulmouthed rodent on the lam.

Atom.com is also in production on dozens more original properties that
will debut in coming months, including: "My Best Friend Is My Penis," starring
Jon Togo ("CSI Miami"); topical pop culture videos from a stable of creators
including Blame Society Productions ("Chad Vader"); the gaming parody "Legend
of Neil" and the urban legend comedy series "Never Do This."

Atom.com -- Where Funny Videos Go Pro

The new Atom.com Web site will replace both AtomFilms.com (a 2008 Webby
Award finalist) and AtomUploads.com, bringing professionally produced titles
and amateur comedy content together on one site. Visitors will find an
entirely new Website design and thousands of videos, animations and Flash
games. Each title is classified in one of two states: "Pro Videos"
(developed or licensed by Atom) and "User Videos" (content uploaded to Atom).
To provide a direct path for User Videos to go Pro, Atom has expanded its
"Upload Showdown" competition. Each week, the audience watches and votes on
top new User Videos, determining which should join the ranks of Atom's Pro
Videos, earning not only site promotion but a distribution and licensing
contract offer with additional royalty payments via Atom's revenue sharing
program and carriage across Atom's distribution channels including "Atom TV"
on COMEDY CENTRAL.

The site's other new features include a streamlined UGC upload system,
social networking profiles and content-sharing features powered by MTVN's Flux
network, higher-quality video streaming and a Creator's Kit featuring dozens
of royalty-free music beds, including contributions from "Juno" composer Matt
Messina.

A Next-Gen Advertising Model

The COMEDY CENTRAL alliance and a suite of new features will allow the
MTVN Entertainment Group to offer Atom.com as a unique value proposition to
advertisers and sponsors. The new Atom features diverse video advertising
opportunities including non-interruptive overlay ads, deeply branded UGC
competitions, and multiplatform buys that extend across Atom.com, Atom TV and
beyond.

Leveraging its capabilities and relationships in original content
development, Atom will also offer end-to-end branded-entertainment programs
for advertisers that want to be part of the entertainment experience itself.
For example, "Agency," currently in development, offers sponsors product
integration central to the storyline, chronicling the efforts of a fictitious
small-town ad agency as they fumble their way to build an actual advertising
campaign for a real client.

Atom on Every Screen

The digital comedy network based at Atom.com extends far beyond the Web
site, reaching almost every screen that plays video. On television, "Atom TV"
(TV-MA) features top Atom titles (including "Upload Showdown" winners) on
COMEDY CENTRAL every Monday night at 2:00 a.m. Atom content also appears
periodically on Spike TV and Logo. On mobile phones, Atom has prominent
channels on Verizon Wireless' V CAST as well as AT&T's CV and AllTel. Via the
Internet, Atom is featured on iTunes, AOL, AT&T, Bebo, Dailymotion, Veoh, xBox
Live and many more leading web destinations. All of these partnerships not
only give consumers easy access to Atom content, but drive additional exposure
and revenue for creators in Atom's revenue sharing program.

"There is a lot of hilarious stuff in the Atom pipeline and the new
Atom.com online community is off to a great start," said Flannigan. Tapping
Comedy Central's halo for advertising and promotion along with our
multi-platform strategy make us far less reliant on one-off viral 'hits' to
sustain and grow the business. Our diversified marketing and distribution
offers a deeper reach into our core demographic: post-viral, twenty-something
guys who live online."

About Atom.com

Atom.com, a division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks,
is a digital comedy network for young men that reaches millions of consumers
each month on the Atom.com Web site and millions more through multiplatform
distribution on television, mobile phones, and the Internet. Drawing on a
strategic partnership with COMEDY CENTRAL and its own 10-year history of
online video innovation and leadership (formerly as AtomFilms), Atom.com
delivers Web comedy like nobody else.

About COMEDY CENTRAL

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more
than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a
registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom
Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address
is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information
and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at
www.comedycentral.com/press.

SOURCE MTVN Entertainment Group

Viacom and Microsoft Announce Long-Term Digital Content and Advertising Partnership

Jason Ankeny — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:05:38 -0500

Wednesday December 19, 7:32 am ET

Companies sign landmark multi-year deal to collaborate on content distribution, advertising, event promotions and gaming

Microsoft's Atlas to become exclusive ad serving platform for Viacom U.S. web sites

NEW YORK and REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA - News and VIA.B - News) and Microsoft Corporation today announced a broad-based, strategic alliance under which major divisions of both companies will collaborate on advertising, content distribution, event promotions and games over the next several years.

The comprehensive agreement spans across the two companies and includes a number of significant components. Among them:

-- Microsoft will license, on a non-exclusive basis, long and short-form television and theatrical content from across Viacom's cable network and motion picture businesses, including MTV, Comedy Central, BET and Paramount Pictures for use on Microsoft properties such as MSN and Xbox 360. -- Microsoft's Atlas division will become the ad server for Viacom's U.S. websites and Microsoft will have the exclusive right to sell remnant display advertising inventory on Viacom's U.S. websites. -- Microsoft will buy advertising on Viacom broadcast and online networks over a five-year period and the companies will work together on promotions and sponsorships for MTV Networks and BET Networks award shows; -- Viacom will work with Microsoft on opportunities to become a preferred publishing partner across Microsoft's casual gaming platforms.

Detailed financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal has a projected base value of approximately $500 million in financial considerations and business services between the two companies over the initial five-year length of the agreement. The deal includes a combination of revenue sharing provisions, guarantees and content licensing agreements. The agreements contemplate the potential for expansion of the transactions.

Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, said, "We are very impressed with how closely Microsoft's business plans complement our strategic objectives. This is a novel and comprehensive partnership that demonstrates the scale of our digital operation and the value of our branded content across all distribution platforms. By taking advantage of industry leading assets at both our companies, this landmark alliance brings valuable promotional power and increased monetization to our wide portfolio of branded websites, which collectively represent the leading entertainment presence online. Microsoft's superior assets and expertise in the ad serving and sales business will drive enhanced value to our digital operations."

Dauman added, "We look forward to collaborating closely with Microsoft. This partnership will generate significant value on both sides. This deal is an important example of how the growing success of our digital properties is driving greater revenue for Viacom as a whole."

Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft's Platforms & Services Division, said, "We are delighted to establish this long-term partnership with Viacom. Viacom's portfolio of original content and strong consumer brand connections are a terrific complement to Microsoft's web, gaming and digital advertising assets. This deal is another milestone in our quest to build a world-class advertising platform to serve the broad needs of advertisers and publishers. If ever there was a 'win-win' partnership across two companies, this is it."

Content Distribution

Viacom will provide Microsoft with a broad selection of short-form and long-form audio-visual content from MTV Networks, Paramount and BET Networks for distribution by Microsoft on properties such as MSN.com and Xbox 360. A wide range of content from Viacom properties is already distributed to Xbox 360 users through Xbox LIVE Marketplace and this deal adds popular content from BET Networks. In addition, Viacom will work with Microsoft's casual gaming platforms (MSN and Windows) to provide downloadable casual games to the substantial base of consumers playing quick-to-develop, easy-to-learn games on these platforms.

Ad Serving

Microsoft will provide Viacom with its proprietary ad serving solution, known as Atlas AdManager. AdManager is an offering that Microsoft obtained upon completion of its $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive, Inc. in August 2007. AdManager -- which operates within Microsoft's newly created Advertiser & Publisher Solutions division -- will enable Viacom to better monetize its U.S. web properties, such as MTV, VH1 and Comedy Central, by serving graphical and video ads on those sites, providing an ad serving solution, optimization features, inventory forecasting, real-time reporting and precise audience advertising targeting.

Ad Syndication

Viacom will provide unsold display advertising inventory on its digital sites for Microsoft to sell and serve through both Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions (MDAS) and DRIVEpm. Revenue generated from the sale of this inventory by Microsoft will be shared between the two companies.

Events and Promotions

During calendar year 2008, Microsoft and Viacom will partner to promote a co-branded website with exclusive content from at least four MTV Networks and BET Networks events, such as the MTV Video Music Awards and BET Awards, and will share certain advertising revenue generated by the site. Microsoft will provide a pre-determined amount of online promotion for each event.

About Viacom

Viacom, consisting of BET Networks, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures, is the world's leading entertainment content company. It engages audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world's best known entertainment brands, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Noggin, Nick at Nite, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Gametrailers, BET, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks and Paramount Vantage. Viacom's global reach includes approximately 145 channels and 300 online properties in 160 countries and territories. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit http://www.viacom.com.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Microsoft Advertiser & Publisher Solutions

Microsoft Advertiser & Publisher Solutions (APS) provides world-class advertising platforms and tools for advertisers, agencies and publishers. Its mission is to make buying and selling media simpler, smarter and more cost- effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond. The APS portfolio includes MicrosoftÃ‚Â® adCenter, Atlas, DRIVEpm, Massive and ScreenTonic. APS businesses span search, display and emerging media including mobile, gaming, video on demand, and IPTV. To learn more, visit http://advertising.microsoft.com

Microsoft is registered trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.

INTERNET AND MEDIA INDUSTRY LEADERS UNVEIL PRINCIPLES TO FOSTER ONLINE INNOVATION WHILE PROTECTING COPYRIGHTS

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:34:41 -0400

October 18, 2007Ã¢â‚¬â€ Several of the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s leading Internet and media companies today announced their joint support for a set of collaborative principles that enable the continued growth and development of user-generated content online and respect the intellectual property of content owners.

The principles serve as a comprehensive set of guidelines to help user-generated content (UGC) services and content creators work together towards their collective goal of bringing more content to more consumers through legitimate channels. The principles acknowledge a collective respect for protecting copyrights and recognize that filtering technologies must be effective and are only a part of what is necessary to achieve this goal.

The companies supporting these principles include CBS Corp., Dailymotion, Fox Entertainment Group, Microsoft Corp., MySpace, NBC Universal, Veoh Networks Inc., Viacom Inc. and The Walt Disney Company.

The principles, which are attached and available in full at www.ugcprinciples.com, call for a broad range of constructive and cooperative efforts by copyright owners and UGC services. They include:

Implementation of state of the art filtering technolog y with the goal to eliminate infringing content on UGC services, including blocking infringing uploads before they are made available to the public;
Upgrading technology when commercially reasonable;
Cooperating to ensure that the technology is implemented in a manner that effectively balances legitimate interests, including fair use;
Cooperation in developing procedures for promptly addressing claims that content was blocked in error;
Regularly using the technology to remove infringing content that was uploaded before the technology could block it;
Identification and removal of links to sites that are clearly dedicated to, and predominantly used for, the dissemination of infringing content; and,
Promotion of content-rich, infringement-free services by continuing to cooperatively test new technologies and by collaboratively updating these principles as appropriate to keep current with evolving developments.

The ease of uploading video content on the Internet has led to the creation of millions of original works by new creators Ã¢â‚¬â€œ works that range from scripted programs, to virtuoso musical performances and to humorous skits and social parody. It also has resulted in the proliferation of uploaded content that infringes copyrighted works.

The companies backing these principles believe that they can collectively find a path that fosters creativity while respecting the rights of copyright owners. Distributors of copyright-infringing content stifle both technological innovation and artistic creation in ways that ultimately will hurt the consumer and hinder the digital economy.

These principles also reflect a strongly-held commitment to work cooperatively and constructively across industries to address the challenge of developing new modes of distribution while protecting intellectual property and, with a shared goal of promoting a rich, legitimate, and compelling environment for consumers of online content. While the supportersÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ current practices may not strictly adhere to each and every principle, they are all committed to fully implementing these principles by yearÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s end.

The companies believe that adopting such principles is essential to achieving the enormous potential opened up by the Internet through UGC services. Widespread adoption of these principles will encourage innovation, enable new creative expression and further the goal of eliminating infringing content from UGC services. It will allow innovative business models to develop. Most importantly, it will benefit consumers by encouraging further cooperation between the creators of content -- from the largest entertainment company to the individual artist -- and the companies that distribute their works.

The supporters urge others to embrace these principles. While recognizing that adhering to these principles may require each company to yield some from positions it has held, at the end of the day the supporters believe all will benefit from such compromise. The supporters look forward to further discussions with other parties to attain their support.

Statements from the Participating Companies:

Bob Iger, President and CEO, The Walt Disney Company

Ã¢â‚¬Å“These principles offer a road map for unlocking the enormous potential of online video and user-generated content. Cooperation among us, aided by emerging technologies, can clear the way for further growth in the availability of online video in ways that will be good for consumers, good for copyright owners and good for uploading services.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Corporation

"The cross-industry dialogue that resulted in these principles is an important step forward in establishing the Internet as a great platform for video content Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚Â a platform that allows services to innovate and preserves incentives for all creators, big and small, by respecting copyright.Ã‚Â With this new, consensus-based foundation, the technology and entertainment industries are demonstrating how we can work collaboratively to build great new video experiences for our mutual customers."

Peter Chernin, President and COO, Fox Entertainment Group

Ã¢â‚¬Å“In the end, technical innovation has always proved to be a positive driver in shaping our businesses and spurring greater and more robust distribution models. The principles unveiled today underscore that conviction by enabling a path that will reward content owners, distributors, and most importantly, consumers.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Philippe Dauman, President and CEO, Viacom Inc.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“We are delighted that so many leading companies have come together behind a set of principles that provide a framework for intellectual property to live in harmony with technical advances. These principles will enable innovative technology and great content to come together to spur greater innovation and, most importantly, much richer entertainment experiences for consumers.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Chris DeWolfe, CEO and co-founder, MySpace

Ã¢â‚¬Å“As part of one of the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s largest media companies and with original content of our own, weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re vigilant about respecting and protecting copyrights.Ã‚Â Internally, weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve developed an industry-leading suite of copyright protections for content owners and weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re thrilled to align forces with the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s top media and Internet companies to develop best practices.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Steve Mitgang, CEO of Veoh Networks Ã‚Â

Ã¢â‚¬Å“Veoh firmly believes that industry cooperation like this is the key to encouraging innovation that benefits viewers, copyright holders and service providers alike. We wholeheartedly support these principles, and hope that other major media and technology companies will join in our effort to grow this emerging market and give viewers even more access to the high-quality video content they want.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation

Ã¢â‚¬Å“The cornerstone of the CBS business is its audience. CBS believes that these principles will assist us in our on-going online delivery to our audience of all the great CBS content, and will help balance the rights and responsibilities of both content owners and sites accepting user generated content. I applaud the cooperation among the participating online operators and the networks.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Mark Zaleski, Executive Chairman, DailyMotion

Ã¢â‚¬Å“Dailymotion strongly believes in the respecting the rights of all copyright owners. As such, our company has been involved in the drafting of these Principles since it began. We are confident that this cooperation with content owners, further aided by audio and video filtering technology that we are currently implementing, is a win-win for all involved. We are proud to continue to be at the edge of innovation in both our product and in copyright protection.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal

Ã¢â‚¬Å“TodayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s announcement marks a significant step in transforming the Internet to a popular medium that respects the rule of law. By recognizing the mutual benefits of a technology-based framework to control piracy, technology and content companies have laid the foundation for the lawful growth of video on the Internet.Ã¢â‚¬Â