MTV Networks' Nickelodeon Launches Nicktropolis: Unprecedented Immersive Virtual Community Playground Featuring Gaming, Video and Social Interaction

MTV Networks' Nickelodeon Launches Nicktropolis: Unprecedented Immersive Virtual Community Playground Featuring Gaming, Video and Social Interaction

New Site - Launching January 30 - Offers Real-Time Chat Capabilities, Extensive Video And Parent-Controlled Safety Features

NEW YORK, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids and a division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and VIA.B) MTV Networks, will launch Nicktropolis on January 30, a completely new kid-targeted multi-media experience that offers visitors the opportunity to engage in a virtual world filled with their favorite web-based activities. At Nicktropolis, which will be available at http://www.nicktropolis.com/ or through http://www.nick.com/, kids for the first time will have their own virtual community where they will have the opportunity to play games, watch video, explore Nickelodeon-branded and original environments, interact with other kids or Nickelodeon characters in real time, and create their own personalized 3D rooms.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070129/NYM186 )

"Virtual worlds like Nicktropolis are part of our strategy to bring immersive, relevant entertainment experiences to our audiences wherever they are, and to build communities around our content across every kind of platform," said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTVN. "The virtual worlds we've been building across our networks give the fans of our brands the high level of interaction they want with one another, and with the content itself."

Nickelodeon's Nicktropolis is MTV Networks' latest move in serving its audiences through original online and wireless content across all of its brands. Over the past two years, MTVN has acquired expansive community and gaming assets like NeoPets, AddictingGames.com, Shockwave.com, Harmonix Music Systems, GameTrailers, Xfire; RateMyProfessors.com and Y2M for college students; and added user-generated content, short-form video and networking destinations like IFILM, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films, Quizilla, MTV Flux, The Click from The N and Nick's own ParentsConnect. With 32 broadband sites and 139 websites in live deployment globally, MTVN ranks as the number-one online entertainment destination and the 10th most popular overall destination on the Web (comScore Media Metrix December 2006, U.S. only).

Nickelodeon's latest research study, Living in a Digital World (2006), found that 86% of kids 8-14 are gaming online; more than half (51%) are watching TV shows and videos online; 37% are instant messaging and 12% are participating in chat rooms.

"Nickelodeon has a deep connection with kids, and Nicktropolis is built from our knowledge that kids' interest in social networking is all about gaming," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. "Nicktropolis serves as a one-of-a-kind multimedia virtual entertainment playground for kids that allows them to watch video from our immense library of programming, play games, interact with our characters and safely communicate with each other through controlled chat."

Kids enter Nicktropolis by assuming an "avatar" that they design and personalize, choosing from an array of hairstyles, skin tones and clothing styles. Once a user selects a destination, the avatar appears in the particular environment and can move around simply by clicking where he/she wants to go.

The site offers an immersive 3D environment consisting of four main areas containing multimedia experiences, gaming, and opportunities to personalize their space, create video play lists of their favorite Nickelodeon content, and interact in a safe, community environment:

* "Nickname Lane" is where kids are able to design, furnish and maintain a
continuously evolving personal space. Each kid begins with a 3D room of
their own, complete with basic furniture and decorations which the
player will be able to arrange to their liking using a basic, drag-and-
drop style level editor.

* "Nicktoon Boulevard" consists of Nickelodeon property branded rooms. At
Nicktropolis' launch, there will be several branded rooms such as
"SpongeBob's Bikini Bottom," "Jimmy Neutron's Retroville," "Avatar
Nation," and "Danny Phantom's Amityville." Users will transform into an
avatar from the property themed world (i.e. Plankton avatar in Bikini
Bottom) when entering a room in Nicktoon Boulevard, and can chat with
favorite Nickelodeon characters as well as other users. Each branded
area includes several rooms within that relate to the specific property.
For example, "Avatar Nation" features a Fire Tent, Water Palace and a
General Market, among others.

* "Downtown Nicktropolis" includes several communal, non-branded rooms,
such as: a Rec Center with video games, a screening area, basketball
courts and more; the Metro Park which includes a softball field,
waterfall, bridge and the forest; a Lounge where you can kick back and
watch Nick programming; and Market Street, which serves essentially as
the Nicktropolis commerce area for kids to use their NickPoints in the
Seasonal Store, Gadget Universe, Décor Nation, Wild Walls and Floors and
more.

* The "Pier" is a gaming focused environment where kids will find several
games including bumper cars, fortune telling, a fun house and more.
Several property themed games will also be introduced throughout various
areas of Nicktropolis in the coming weeks. Game participation will tie
into the NickPoints economy, and points will be awarded for success.
Players can purchase items with their NickPoints to personalize their
rooms with such as TVs, with which they can host viewing parties for
Nickelodeon tentpole events, chairs or other things.

Nicktropolis incorporates numerous safety features to ensure kids' virtual playground experience is as safe as possible. Participation in Nicktropolis relies entirely on the anonymous registration system, which does not allow kids to divulge personal, identifiable information. As a result, it is COPPA compliant. Before entering Nicktropolis, a set of ground rules must be read and agreed to by the user, which are sent to the parent listed during registration.

As part of the safety features, parents have the option to control their child's settings in Nicktropolis. This includes limiting their child's chat settings and setting their security levels of where and with whom they can visit on Nicktropolis. Kids can also block users if they do not wish to interact with them. Kids can chat in real-time using pre-written messages and a sanitized, kid-appropriate dictionary which includes a foul language filter and limits the type of information kids can provide to other users. Parents' must opt-in for their child to use the kid-appropriate dictionary. Nicktropolis is monitored, and features a "report button" should any concerns arise.

Nicktropolis will become the latest destination and interactive and creative online environment to join the community of sites within the Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group that serve preschoolers, kids, teens and parents. This community of sites, which includes Nick.com, Nickjr.com, Nick Arcade, Nick-at-nite.com, Quizilla, The-N.com, Noggin.com, Neopets, Parentsconnect, GoCityKids, Addicting Games, and Shockwave.com, generated almost 25.7 million unique users in December according to ComScore Media Metrix.

Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are two of the internet's largest casual gaming sites which, along with NeoPets and Nick.com, provide kids, tweens and families with a diverse mix of gaming experiences. In September 2006, Nickelodeon launched TurboNick 2.0 to provide kids with unprecedented broadband video features. The site served up approximately 255 million streams in 2006, up +580% since its launch year in 2005. And in October 2006, the Kids and Family Group acquired Quizilla, a top-five and one of the fastest growing online, user-generated destination for female teens.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, in its 27th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 92 million households and has been the number-one- rated basic cable network for almost 12 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE: VIA.B).

About MTV Networks and Viacom

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 135 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/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 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.

Viacom is a leading global entertainment content company, with prominent and respected brands in focused demographics. Engaging its audiences through television, motion pictures and digital platforms, Viacom reaches its audiences wherever they consume content. Viacom's leading brands include the multiplatform properties of MTV Networks, including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 135 networks around the world, as well as digital assets such as Neopets, Xfire and Atom Entertainment; BET Networks; Paramount Pictures; Paramount Home Entertainment; DreamWorks; and Famous Music. More information about Viacom and its businesses is available at http://www.viacom.com/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070129/NYM186
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN16
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or Thamar Romero,
+1-212-846-7491

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

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