The two music channels were pulled altogether and Nick Jr. and MTV2 switched tiers, as first reported by Cablefax. Viacom rebranded MTV Hits last fall as the kid-focused NickMusic and rebooted VH1 Soul as BET Soul at the end of 2015.
Optimum had offered NickMusic in its residential Preferred, Silver and Gold packages as well as in the commercial Business & Entertainment Preferred tier. Optimum is also removing MTV2 from its Optimum Value package and replacing it with Nick Jr. MTV2 will continue to be carried in Preferred, Silver and Gold packages.
Bakish has implicitly acknowledged the pressure on cable programmers to streamline their offerings in a world of mushrooming content and OTT options for consumers. He implemented a new focus on six networks under the Viacom tent: Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and the Paramount Network, which will soon replace Spike. That re-focusing of production spending and marketing resources comes as rivals also retool. Discovery paid a premium to acquire Scripps Networks; A+E is exiting scripted programming and Disney set ambitious OTT plans as it starts a withdrawal from Netflix.
While it shuffles the deck at Optimum, Viacom is set to return to the lineup at Suddenlink, which is now owned by Altice, under a new distribution deal announced in May. Roll-out started today in parts of Texas and Oklahoma, and will continue steadily nationwide.
The May deal between Altice and Viacom included provisions for upcoming VR and 4K content as well as advanced advertising. More than 90% of Suddenlink’s footprint will feature up to 16 Viacom channels.
Original source: FierceCable (I,II).
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