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Viacom: Mtv Networks
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On December 19, Viacom signed a five year, $500 million contract with Microsoft that included content sharing and advertisement. The deal allowed Microsoft to license many shows from Viacom owned cable television and film studios for use on Xbox Live and MSN. The deal ... made Viacom a preferred publisher partner for casual game development and distribution through MSN and Windows. On the advertisement side of the deal, Microsoft's Atlas ad-serving division became the exclusive provider of previously unsold advertising inventory on Viacom owned web sites. Also, Microsoft also purchased a large amount of advertising on Viacom owned broadcasts and online networks. Finally, Microsoft will also collaborate on promotions and sponsorships for MTV and BET award shows, two Viacom owned cable networks.[2]
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In September 1985, Viacom purchased the MTV Networks and the other half interest in Showtime from Warner Communications, a company that needed cash because its cable interests were suffering in the unfavorable market. As part of the deal Viacom paid Warner $500 million in cash and $18 million in stock warrants. Viacom ... offered $33.50 a share for the one-third of MTV stock that was publicly held. The year before Viacom bought it, MTV had made $11.9 million on sales of $109.5 million. Again, these purchases increased Viacom's debt load, making it less attractive for a takeover.
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As part of Microsoft's deal with Viacom, Microsoft agreed to buy advertising on Viacom's various video and online networks and to cooperate on promotions for award shows on Viacom's MTV Networks and BET Networks. Amounts of advertising to be purchased weren't disclosed.
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In the summer of 2005, to accommodate a number of expected network launches, Viacom engineering conceived the Supersuite concept. The idea was to provide a common user-friendly design to accommodate all network requirements, allowing for the rapid launch of a new network within six to eight weeks of the request from operations. The new design would support a flexible, standardized and interchangeable operating paradigm so that any operator could command any channel from any workstation under a highly automated control system.
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Viacom will provide Microsoft with a broad selection of short-form and long-form audio-visual content from MTV Networks, Paramount and BET Networks for distribution by Microsoft on properties such as MSN.com and Xbox 360. A wide range of content from Viacom properties is already distributed to Xbox 360 users through Xbox LIVE Marketplace and this deal adds popular content from BET Networks. In addition, Viacom will work with Microsoft's casual gaming platforms (MSN and Windows) to provide downloadable casual games to the substantial base of consumers playing quick-to-develop, easy-to-learn games on these platforms.
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A new company, the present Viacom, was ... spun-off and was headed by Freston. It is comprised of MTV Networks, BET Networks, Paramount's movie studio, and Paramount Pictures' home entertainment operations. These businesses are categorized as the high-growth businesses (MTV Networks and BET Networks in particular), and if they were split into a separate company, it could infuse new capital to allow for future acquisitions and expansion.
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