Geoff Keighley Named Executive in Charge of Video Game Publisher Relations for Spike TV

Geoff Keighley Named Executive in Charge of Video Game Publisher Relations for Spike TV

Video Game Consultant Promoted As Network Gears Up For Video Game Awards 2008

NEW YORK, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Video game industry veteran Geoff Keighley has been named executive in charge of video game publisher relations for Spike TV. The announcement was jointly made today by Casey Patterson, senior vice president, event production and talent development, Spike TV And TV Land, and Niels Schuurmans, senior vice president, brand creative and marketing, Spike TV, to whom he will report. In his new position, Keighley will spearhead the network's year-round video game programming strategy, as well as manage Spike's editorial relationships with game publishers.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO )

"Geoff has been a video game journalist since he was 14 years old and the face of video game programming on Spike for several years," said Patterson. "His passion, knowledge and point of view that are key to our ongoing success make him the perfect choice to broaden and deepen our relationships with publishers. In his new role, Geoff will keep the gaming industry more connected to Spike and Spike more connected to the gaming audience. We couldn't be more thrilled to expand his position at the network and continue to build upon our success with gamers."

Based in Los Angeles, Keighley joined Spike TV in 2005 when he began hosting "Game Head", a weekly series that evolved into "GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley", the #1 rated video game program on television, and also served as a consultant on Spike TV's "Video Game Awards" since 2006.

Keighley, now the host of "GameTrailers TV", works in concert with MTVN Entertainment Group's GameTrailers.com to provide viewers with the latest news in the gaming world. Serving as host and executive producer, Keighley's hard-hitting interviews and insider access have helped the show emerge as a blockbuster hit on multiple platforms. Since its launch, "GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley" is averaging 364,000 viewers and is up +51% in Men 18-49, +61% in Persons 18-49, +34% in Men 18-34 and +60% among average audience versus ratings for "Game Head" last year.

"Video games are an integral part of the Spike TV brand and what better person to helm our video game programming and serve as a liaison between the network and publishers than Geoff Keighley, one of the most respected names in the business," said Schuurmans. "The passion Geoff has for video games, coupled with his vast knowledge and experience in covering the video game industry, makes him the obvious choice."

Keighley has been a journalist covering the video game industry since the age of 14, spanning the print, online and television mediums. Prior to joining Spike TV, Keighley served as a correspondent for "The Electronic Playground" on the G4 network. In 2004 NewsBios.com named him one of the top 30 journalists under 30. Keighley is a magna cum laude graduate in philosophy and business from the University of Southern California.

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the- minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Spike TV

CONTACT: Press, Salil Gulati, +1-212-767-8705,
salil.gulati@mtvstaff.com, or Melissa Leung, +1-310-407-4729,
melissa.leung@spiketv.com, both of Spike TV

Web site: http://www.gametrailers.com/
http://www.spike.com/

-------
Profile: intent