MTV Networks Announces New Appointments in Its Business and Legal Affairs Department

MTV Networks Announces New Appointments in Its Business and Legal Affairs Department

George Cheeks Named Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the MTV Networks Music Group and LOGO;

Sabrina Silverberg Named Executive Vice President, Music Strategy and Relations for MTV Networks

NEW YORK, June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- David Sussman, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for MTV Networks (MTVN), today announced that the Business and Legal Affairs operations at MTV Networks will have a new management structure to better serve MTV Networks' overall music initiatives and its music channels and businesses. As a result of these changes, two senior attorneys for the company, Sabrina Silverberg and George Cheeks, will be taking on new and expanded roles and responsibilities.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050628/NYTU116-ahttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050628/NYTU116-b )

George Cheeks will be responsible for the Business and Legal Affairs operations of the networks led by Van Toffler, MTV Networks Group President, including MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT and LOGO. Mr. Cheeks' new title is Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the MTV Networks Music Group and LOGO. He will work closely with senior managers from each network, overseeing the day to day business affairs and legal operations for each unit and report directly to Mr. Sussman.

Sabrina Silverberg will head up MTVN's Music Strategy and Relations operations for all MTV Networks. Ms. Silverberg's new title is Executive Vice President, Music Strategy and Relations for MTV Networks. In her new role, Ms. Silverberg will oversee strategic music-related transactions and policies for all of MTV Networks' channels and businesses worldwide, including management of music transactions and issues handled by Business and Legal Affairs lawyers and by executives throughout MTV Networks worldwide, as well as for the MTVN Music and Media Licensing group. She will work closely with and advise senior managers with respect to strategic music-related transactions and issues throughout MTV Networks and will report directly to Mr. Sussman.

"George and Sabrina have a deep understanding and connection to our businesses and culture," said David Sussman, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for MTV Networks. "Their knowledge of the music and entertainment landscape is truly indispensable as MTVN faces increasingly complex legal and business issues and expands into new digital businesses and distribution models. They are both brilliant professionals and I am thrilled to elevate them into these new critically important roles for our networks."

George Cheeks joined MTV Networks in 1998 as Senior Counsel for Nickelodeon. He has more than a decade of experience in television and film production, having worked as an attorney for the entertainment law firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller and Hoberman, as well as Castle Rock Entertainment and the firm Loeb and Loeb. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. in Political Science and History from Yale University.

Sabrina Silverberg was hired by MTV Networks in 1994 as Counsel, MTV: Music Television Business and Legal Affairs, and has held a number of positions concentrating in music issues. Prior to joining MTV, she was an attorney for the National Broadcasting Company and an attorney at the New York law firm of Weil, Gotshal and Manges, with a concentration in intellectual property. She holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Hunter College.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 90 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050628/NYTU116-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050628/NYTU116-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
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Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Mosetta Berry of MTV Networks Corporate Communications,
+1-212-846-7644

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/

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