Viacom's MTV Networks Announces Global Digital Media Team

Viacom's MTV Networks Announces Global Digital Media Team

NEW YORK, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks (MTVN), a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B), today announced a new Global Digital Media executive team. The central team will provide strategic guidance to the company's portfolio of multiplatform brands, driving cross-brand initiatives and sharing best practices in operations, technology, and distribution. The team will report to Mika Salmi, President of Global Digital Media for MTV Networks, and partner hand-in-hand with digital leaders at MTVN's brands and business units.

The formation of the Global Digital Media team furthers MTVN's strategy of developing brands that engage, empower and connect diverse and highly targeted consumers with culturally relevant creative content and unique experiences across every platform. The team will help guide MTVN's brands in digital distribution expansion, product development and technical support, and cross- brand programming.

"Our digital brands demonstrate the kind of innovation and creativity that have always been signatures of MTV Networks," said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTVN. "Mika Salmi and his new team have the expertise to harness that collective power and deliver first-rate content across any and every screen."

"We're all about connecting audiences with our content -- and each other -- through immersive environments that span TV, online, and wireless," said Salmi. "With this team in place, we're poised to deepen our audience connections, reaching them wherever they are, whenever they want, and on whatever screen they choose."

The team will work in tight coordination with the digital executives at each of MTV Networks' groups, including Courtney Holt, Executive Vice President, Digital Music and Media, MTVN Music, Logo and Films Group; Stephen Youngwood, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids & Family Group; Erik Flannigan, Senior Vice President, Digital Media, MTVN Entertainment Group; and Gideon Bierer, Senior Vice President, Digital Media, MTV Networks International. The team will also collaborate with Nada Stirratt, Executive Vice President, Digital Advertising.

The Global Digital Media team includes the following executives from throughout MTVN:

* Denmark West, Executive Vice President, Operations, Global Digital
Media. In his role, West will help Mika Salmi oversee the overall
digital operations and coordinate digital marketing for MTVN.

* Nicholas Lehman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, MTVN
Games and Interactive Media Group. With this newly formed role and
unit, Lehman will be responsible for the worldwide strategy and
operations for all of MTVN's hardcore games media businesses, including
Xfire and GameTrailers, as well as its interactive and social media
initiatives, such as FLUX.

* Kenny Miller, Executive Vice President and Creative Director, Global
Digital Media. In his role, Miller will drive digital platform
development as well as build and operate cross-brand digital
applications.

* Nick Rockwell, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer,
Digital Media Technology. In his role, Rockwell will oversee global
digital technical operations and application development.

* Greg Clayman, Senior Vice President, MTVN Mobile Media. In his recently
announced role, Greg is responsible for managing mobile partnerships and
content distribution for the company, and will support the teams at the
individual MTVN brands in developing a wide portfolio of mobile content
and applications

* Jason Witt, Senior Vice President, Online Distribution and Partnerships,
MTVN Global Digital Media. In his role, Witt will be responsible for
increasing the company's online reach, viewership, and direct revenues.

Rockwell will continue to report to Joe Simon, Chief Information Officer of Viacom and MTV Networks. Clayman and Witt will continue to report to MTVN Affiliate Sales and Marketing, led by Nicole Browning, President.

MTVN currently has 32 broadband sites and 139 websites in live deployment globally. The company is the world's leading producer of mobile video content, publishing more than 600 clips and 30 hours of video per month in the United States alone, across all major carriers and leading MVNOs. MTVN also has made its content readily available for download to own through deals with AOL, Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft's Xbox 360. From the combination of MTVN's own web sites and its acquired businesses, the company registered more than 36 million unique users in November 2006, and ranked as the number-one online entertainment destination and the 12th most popular overall destination on the Web (comScore Media Metrix November 2006, U.S. only).

The company has made strong moves in serving young adult consumers through its global acquisitions activity and community and gaming assets, with NeoPets, AddictingGames.com, Shockwave.com, Harmonix Music Systems, GameTrailers, Xfire; Y2M, the largest network of online U.S. college newspapers; user-generated content, short-form video and networking through IFILM, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films, Quizilla, MTV Flux, The Click from The N, MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach, Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect; and original broadband and wireless content across all the brands.

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/.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: David Bittler, MTVN, +1-212-846-5263

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

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