Speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild breakfast on Wednesday 8th October 2014, Philippe Dauman said Viacom International Media Networks' (VIMN) terrestrial broadcaster and pay-TV channels, including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central, will all benefit from the increased spending commitment.
At the Broadcasting Press Guild breakfast, Philippe Dauman also announced that Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is to roll out its US cable network Spike internationally, beginning with a UK launch on digital terrestrial TV (DTT) early next year. The free-to-air (FTA) male-skewing TV channel will launch on the Freeview DTT platform in Spring 2015, marking the first time the channel has been made available outside of the US. Spike will replace VIMN's VIVA channel on Freeview, with the FTA UK TV rights to Viacom content previously owned by VIVA to be made available to 5*, while VIVA will continue to be available to satellite and cable viewers in the UK and Ireland. Ad sales for Spike will be handled by Sky Media, which sells the airtime for VIMN's UK portfolio of more than 20 pay-TV channels. VIMN said it is also aiming to secure distribution for Spike on Virgin Media and on the UK's digital satellite platform.
Dauman also reaffirmed Viacom's plan is to keep the Milkshake! brand on C5, as opposed to replacing it with Nick Jr., however, the children's block will grow as a result of Viacom's takeover, with Nick Jr. UK and Channel 5's recent co-commission "Nella the Knight", and the addition of popular Nick Jr. series "PAW Patrol" and "Zack & Quack" to the Milkshake! programming block. Episodes of Nickelodeon's hit animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" will also begin airing on Channel 5.
From Broadcast:
Viacom pledges budget riseAlso, from C21 Media:
Viacom has pledged to increase its total £300m UK programming budget and the proportion it spends on original commissions.
Speaking in the UK for the first time since Viacom's £463m acquisition of C5, president and chief executive Philippe Dauman said the terrestrial broadcaster and pay-TV channels MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central will all benefit from the spending commitment.
"We spend £300m on programming and close to half of that is on originals. The top-line number will continue to grow and the commission number will grow even faster," he told a Broadcasting Press Guild breakfast on Wednesday.
The US media giant is hoping that increased investment in original content can help it overtake Channel 4 in the ratings. "We are here to compete. We are here to win our viewership and we will be focused on providing great content on every platform,"
Dauman said. "Channel 5 has made great progress in the past few years, but has a long way to go."
Dauman revealed that Viacom is looking to bring down the average age of C5's audience and will continue to populate its schedule with factual and factual entertainment series. C5 will also explore scripted opportunities, particularly drama.
The commitments did not extend to the future of Big Brother, however. "It may mean we continue with Big Brother, or if for some reason that doesn't work out, we'll have the ability to put on a lot of other great programming," he said.
Dauman was less coy about C5's relationship with GroupM Entertainment (GME), which co-produces a large proportion of the broadcaster's output.
He said Viacom has a "global relationship" with the funding arm of the WPP-owned business. "We will continue to nurture it here and C5 will continue to work on programming with them," Dauman said. He added that GME "augments our ability to put content on air".
Dauman said C5 is now in "permanent hands" and there would be no cost-cutting following the completion of the deal last month. He met culture secretary Sajid Javid during his trip to London, who he said "welcomed" Viacom's investment.
The company is adding to its free-to- air presence in the UK with the launch of male-skewing entertainment channel Spike TV on Freeview.
The channel will replace Viva, which will become a pay-TV proposition.
Dauman said this, coupled with its purchase of C5, will not have an impact on its relationship with BSkyB, which is a partner on jointventure channels Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. "We expect that relationship to grow," he added.
Viacom sharpens Spike in UK
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is to roll out its US cablenet Spike internationally, beginning with a UK launch on digital terrestrial TV (DTT) early next year.
The free-to-air (FTA) male-skewing TV channel will launch on the Freeview DTT platform in spring 2015, marking the first time the channel has been made available outside of the US.
Philippe Dauman, Viacom president and CEO, told journalists at a Broadcasting Press Guild event this morning that the UK launch was only the beginning, with the aim to turn Spike into a "global brand in every continent."
Over in the US, the channel is stepping up its drama efforts, having recently hired its first senior VP of scripted original series and announcing a trio of series with the likes of Gary Oldman, Pierce Brosnan and one of the executive producers behind Game of Thrones.
Meanwhile, the UK launch comes as Viacom looks to strengthen its grip on the local FTA market after the US media giant acquired broadcaster Channel 5 (C5) earlier this year.
Spike will be managed out of C5 under VIMN's UK ownership, with a new channel manager to be appointed, reporting to C5 programme director Ben Frow.
"This launch has been made possible by our recent acquisition of C5, which gives us ownership of a pipeline of quality factual content," Dauman said.
Spike's UK schedule will combine repeats of C5 factual programming, such as Police Interceptors and Cowboy Builders, with Spike's US content, including Bar Rescue. The channel will also feature acquired films and series, as well as library content from other Viacom brands, which include MTV and Comedy Central.
There is also the potential for co-commissions, as VIMN was quick to announce two new programmes, one to be made between C5 and Nickelodeon and another with MTV, soon after its acquisition of the UK broadcaster for £450m (US$759m) was closed last month.
Meanwhile, crossovers are already happening, with Nick Jr preschool series such as Paw Patrol in the process of joining the Milkshake! line-up, with many more expected to follow.
Previously, C5′s children's content only targeted preschoolers, under the channel's popular Milkshake! programming block, however the channel will now also target 6-11s, with content such as SpongeBob Squarepants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles soon to arrive on the channel.
Dauman reaffirmed Viacom's plan is to keep the Milkshake! brand on C5, as opposed to replacing it with Nick Jr, having previously stated that the children's block will grow as a result of Viacom's takeover.
Spike replaces VIMN's VIVA channel on Freeview, with the FTA UK TV rights to Viacom content previously owned by VIVA to be made available to 5*, while VIVA will continue to be available to cable and satellite viewers in the UK and Ireland.
Ad sales for Spike will be handled by Sky Media, which sells the airtime for VIMN's UK portfolio of more than 20 pay-TV channels. VIMN said it is also aiming to secure distribution for Spike on Virgin Media sand on the UK's DSAT platform.
Nico Franks
08-10-2014
©C21Media
GENRES: Factual
SHOWS: Bar Rescue, Cowboy Builders, Police Interceptors
COMPANIES: Spike
SECTIONS: C21Factual
COUNTRIES: UK, US
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