Viacom

Viacom, Inc. (short for Video & Audio Communications) is an American global mass media company with interests primarily in cinema and cable television. It is the world's sixth largest broadcasting and cable company in terms of revenue (behind Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., Time Warner, and CBS Corporation, respectively). Voting control of Viacom is held by National Amusements, Inc., a privately owned theater company controlled by billionaire Sumner Redstone. Redstone also holds, via National Amusements, a controlling stake in CBS Corporation.

The current Viacom was created on December 31, 2005, as a spinoff from CBS Corporation, which changed its name from Viacom to CBS at the same time. CBS, not Viacom, retains control of the over-the-air broadcasting, TV production, outdoor advertising, subscription pay television (Showtime) and publishing assets (Simon & Schuster) previously owned by the pre-split company. Predecessor firms of Viacom include Gulf+Western, which later became Paramount Communications Inc., and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

Viacom (original)

Viacom Inc. (short for Visual & Audio Communications) was an American media conglomerate. Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to CBS Corporation. The present firm also known as Viacom was also established at that date and is a new spin-off company created during the CBS-Viacom split.

Viacom was highly profitable during the 1970s and 1980s distributing old CBS classics to syndication, including such landmark shows as I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone and All in the Family (which was later owned by Columbia Pictures Television, now called Sony Pictures Television). They also syndicated shows for others, the biggest examples being The Cosby Show and Roseanne (which were produced by Carsey-Werner Productions, who eventually began distributing their own programming).

History

The original Viacom began as CBS Films, Inc., the television syndication division of CBS established in 1952. The division was spun off and renamed Viacom in 1971, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed).

Viacom 18

Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Limited founded in November 2007 is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom and the Network 18 Group based in Mumbai. Viacom 18 owns and operates various channels of the Viacom group for the Indian viewers, as well as manage various Viacom's consumer products in India. In July 2008, Colors was launched. In January 2010, Viacom 18 went international with the launch of Colors in the US. The channel is called "Aap ka Colors". In July 2010, it got into 50/50 distribution joint venture with Sun Network and Sun 18 was formed. Viacom 18 also launched the channel Sonic Nickelodeon in December 2011, targeting young adults. On 23 January 2012, Viacom18 also launched Comedy Central. On 3 September 2012, Viacom18 launched Rishtey. On 31 July 2015, it launched Colors Infinity and its HD version.

Viacom 18 also owns Viacom 18 Motion Pictures.

Brands