COMEDY CENTRAL(R), Spike TV(TM) and TV Land Name John Cucci Chief Operating Officer

COMEDY CENTRAL(R), Spike TV(TM) and TV Land Name John Cucci Chief Operating Officer

Former MTVN CFO Returns to Comedy Roots, Adds Spike and TV Land in New Role as COO

NEW YORK, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV and TV Land have named John Cucci Chief Operating Officer (COO), COMEDY CENTRAL/Spike TV/TV Land, it was announced today by Doug Herzog, President of the three networks. This new appointment follows his three years as Chief Financial Officer for MTV Networks and his earlier, 12-year tenure originally at COMEDY CENTRAL. Based in the New York City offices of COMEDY CENTRAL and Spike TV, Cucci reports to Herzog.

In his new position, Cucci's role expands to include oversight and responsibility for all three networks' corporate strategy and business development, production management, business and legal affairs and human resources. He also will continue to directly oversee the three-network group's finance areas.

"John was an original architect of COMEDY CENTRAL's great success over the years, and then continued at MTVN where he also was a loyal, dedicated and extremely effective executive," said Herzog. "His broad understanding of our business and his demonstrated ability to collaborate with all departments and networks within the MTVN family means he brings us the skills we need, including a broad view of the world developed during his time at MTVN. John is a great manager of both businesses and people. As we grow COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike and TV Land, I'm thrilled to have him on our team."

Before his three years as MTVN CFO, Cucci had been at COMEDY CENTRAL since its inception in 1991, when he joined as vice president and controller. Previously, he had spent two years at Time Warner Inc. as director of financial reporting and six years at HBO as director of financial planning and director of programming finance.

Cucci holds a master's degree in Business from Columbia University and a bachelor of science degree in Accounting from the University of Delaware.

Spike TV is available in 88 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE: VIA.B), owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, mtvU, VH1, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, MTV INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 12 digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Now seen in over 85 million U.S. homes and throughout Canada, TV Land presents popular dramas, sitcoms, westerns, Retromercials and original programming, all packaged in a unique, award-winning on-air environment. The network celebrates all things Classic TV with a specific viewer in mind: the first generation of people to grow up watching television. Known for its celebrated line-up of Classic TV ranging from I Love Lucy to Little House on the Prairie, TV Land has made its mark with clever, critically-acclaimed original programming, developed by TV Land Productions, which was created in 2003. Original programming includes such hits as the annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV; an original special that reunited the cast of The Brady Bunch in 2004's Emmy-nominated Still Brady: After All These Years; Chasing Farrah, which follows the real-life happenings of iconic actress and sex symbol, Farrah Fawcett; as well as several other series and specials that enhance the overall Classic TV viewing experience. For more information about TV Land's originals, visit http://www.tvland.com/.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 87 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL is a registered trademark of Comedy Partners. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is http://www.comedycentral.com/. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit COMEDY CENTRAL's press-only website at http://www.comedycentral.com/press.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (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 120 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, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 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.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Tony Fox of MTV Networks, +1-212-767-8746

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

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