TeenNick USA And YTV Canada To Premiere "Open Heart" On Tuesday 20th January 2015

Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids and families, and the Canadian media and entertainment company Corus Entertainment Inc. have announced the exciting news in the following press releases that TeenNick USA, Nickelodeon USA's 24-hour network exclusively for and about teens and tweens, and Corus' children's channel YTV will start to premiere and show the brand-new original teen live-action drama series "Open Heart" from Tuesday 20th January 2015 at 9:00pm (ET), beginning with the hour-long series premiere episode titled "Last Things First"!

From left to right: Elena Juatco (Dr. Scarlet McWhinnie), Patrick Kwok-Choon (Seth Park), Kevin McGarry (Dr. Timothy “Hud” Hudson), Demore Barnes (Dr. Dominic Karamichaelidis "Dr. K"), Jonathan Whittaker (Edward Blake), Tori Anderson (Dr. London Blake), Sherry Miller (Helena Blake),Karis Cameron (Dylan Blake), Justin Kelly (Wes Silver), Jenny Cooper (Dr. Jane Blake), Jeff Douglas (Richard Blake), Cristine Prosperi (Mikayla Walker), Mena Massoud (Jared Malik), Dylan Everett (Teddy Ralston). Courtesy of Epitome Pictures

Original TeenNick Press Release via NickPress.com:

SECRETS, LIES AND DRAMA UNFOLD IN TEENNICK'S BRAND-NEW LIVE-ACTION MYSTERY SERIES, OPEN HEART, PREMIERING TUESDAY, JAN. 20, AT 9 P.M. (ET)

Series From the Producers of Degrassi Stars Newcomer Karis Cameron and Degrassi Alums Cristine Prosperi and Justin Kelly

NEW YORK – Dec. 9, 2014 – TeenNick combines suspense with relatable teen drama in the brand-new live-action mystery series, Open Heart, debuting Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 9 p.m. (ET). Produced by Epitome Pictures, a DHX Media company, in association with marblemedia, Open Heart follows 16-year-old Dylan Blake (Karis Cameron), the rebellious daughter of a fractured family of doctors, as she uses her stint as a youth hospital volunteer to secretly investigate the disappearance of her father. Open Heart will air regularly on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (ET) on TeenNick.

In the wake of her father's disappearance, 16-year-old Dylan Blake falls in with the wrong crowd, gets arrested, and earns court-ordered community service volunteering at Open Heart Memorial, the hospital where her mother and sister are doctors and where her grandparents are board members and benefactors. All Dylan has to do is follow the rules. The hospital is the last place her father was seen alive and while most people think it's a straightforward case of abandonment, Dylan doesn't believe that and sets out to prove something bad happened to her father. Putting her old delinquent skills back into service, Dylan and her new friends--the bright and gossipy Mikayla (Cristine Prosperi) and the handsome charmer Wes (Justin Kelly)—start looking into her dad's disappearance, unearthing a trail of clues that lead them to some very unexpected places.

In the hour-long series premiere, “Last Things First,” Dylan starts community service at Open Heart Memorial. She begins a covert investigation into her dad's disappearance and tries to get her hands on hospital security footage from the day he disappeared. Meanwhile, Dylan's sister London struggles with the pressure her mother, Dr. Jane Blake, puts on her at work.

Open Heart reunites Degrassi stars and introduces a crop of newcomers with a cast that includes: Karis Cameron as Dylan Blake, Tori Anderson as Dr. London Blake, Justin Kelly as Wes Silver, Cristine Prosperi as Mikayla Walker, Kevin McGarry as Dr. Timothy "Hud" Hudson, Patrick Kwok-Choon as Seth Park, Jenny Cooper as Dr. Jane Blake, Demore Barnes as Dr. Dominic Karamichaelidis, Elena Juatco as Scarlet, Mena Massoud as Jared, Dylan Everett as Teddy and Jeff Douglas as Richard Blake.

Viewers can immerse themselves in the narrative with a unique digital component that extends their on-air involvement with immediate and exclusive content that places them in the center of the mystery. The Open Heart: Unlocked! app, launching January 2015 on iOS and Android, allows fans to join the plot during and in between episodes to keep up with Dylan's ongoing investigation. The app unlocks Dylan's phone so viewers can scour her text messages, photo gallery and social media accounts to learn more about her private life and study the clues she collects. The Open Heart website (www.open-heart.com) continues the journey with exclusive character confessions and episodic bonus features. Viewers can also visit TeenNick.com, TeenNick's Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr for additional Open Heart content.

TeenNick, Nickelodeon's 24-hour TV network exclusively for and about teens and tweens, is available in almost 73 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite. Featuring a roster of ever-popular Nick favorites, original programming and award-winning series, the brand presents an authentic teen experience, with all its emotional intensity, energy and humor, across multiple platforms and integrated social media. TeenNick and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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Original Corus Entertainment Inc. Press Release via CorusEnt.com:

12/9/2014

YTV Prescribes a Dose of Mystery with New Teen Drama Series Open Heart

From the producers of Degrassi, series debuts with a special one-hour premiere episode on Tuesday, January 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on YTV

Viewers uncover clues to series' mystery with an immersive mobile and web experience

(Toronto, Canada) Corus Entertainment's YTV will kick off the New Year with an exciting new drama series, Open Heart, produced by Epitome Pictures in association with marblemedia. Open Heart is a gripping mystery series, folded into a sprawling family saga, set against the high-stakes workplace drama of a hospital. At the centre of the story is Dylan Blake, the rebellious daughter of a fractured family of doctors, who uses her stint as a youth hospital volunteer to secretly investigate the mysterious disappearance of her father. The 12 x 30-minute series premieres Tuesday, January 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on YTV and will also debut day-and-date in the U.S. on TeenNick. For a sneak peek of the series, visit www.open-heart.com.

"YTV is witnessing a strong desire from teens who want to participate in the same serialized, high-stakes dramas that adults are currently enjoying, but with content that speaks to them; "Open Heart" is the perfect series to bring this to life on YTV," said Jamie Piekarz, Director of Content, Corus Kids. "With the production team behind Degrassi and a stellar cast, Open Heart offers our teen fans a thrilling story to tune into every week with the added bonus of taking viewers beyond each episode and into Dylan's world through engaging digital content."

In the wake of her father's disappearance, 16-year-old Dylan Blake falls in with the wrong crowd, gets arrested, and earns court-ordered community service volunteering at Open Heart Memorial, the hospital where her mother and sister are doctors and where her grandparents are board members. All Dylan has to do is follow the rules. But the hospital is the last place Richard was seen alive, and while most think it's a straight up case of abandonment, Dylan doesn't believe it. Something bad happened to her father, if she can only prove it. Putting her old delinquent skills back into service, Dylan and her new friends, the bright and gossipy Mikayla and the handsome charmer Wes, begin a covert investigation into her dad's disappearance, unearthing a trail of clues that lead them to some very unexpected places.

"In addition to being part of Dylan's adventures on television each week, fans will also get to join her in the digital world, following her every step of the way and in real time," said executive producer, show-runner and writer Ramona Barckert. "The best part? No waiting between episodes for more content - the Open Heart experience happens all week long. I've never seen anything like this before. It's really cool!"

Exciting newcomer Karis Cameron (Signed, Sealed, Delivered; The Haunting Hour) stars as Dylan Blake with the series also starring Tori Anderson (The L.A. Complex, Warehouse 13, Flashpoint), Justin Kelly (Degrassi, Lost Girl, Latest Buzz), Cristine Prosperi (Degrassi, Nicky Deuce), Kevin McGarry (Being Erica, Saw 7), Patrick Kwok-Choon (Nikita, Rookie Blue, Being Erica), Jenny Cooper (Hemlock Grove, Scandal, NCIS, C.S.I. Miami, 24), Demore Barnes (Hemlock Grove, The Listener, Flashpoint), Jeff Douglas (Lost Girl, Rookie Blue), Elena Juatco (Repo! The Genetic Opera, Breaking the Rules, Sorority Surrogate), Mena Massoud (King, Combat Hospital, Poser) and Dylan Everett (King, Combat Hospital, Poser).

Viewers can immerse themselves in the narrative with a unique digital component that extends the on-air experience with immediate and exclusive content that places them in the centre of the mystery. The Open Heart: Unlocked! app, launching January 2015 on iOS and Android, invites fans to join the plot during and in-between episodes to keep up with Dylan's ongoing investigation. The app unlocks Dylan Blake's phone so viewers can scour her text messages, photo gallery and social media accounts to learn more about her private life and study the clues she collects. The Open Heart website continues the journey with exclusive character confessions and episodic bonus features.

Open Heart is executive produced by Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, Ramona Barckert, Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop. Directors are Stefan Brogren and Samir Rehem. Writers include Ramona Barckert, Chris Pozzebon, Scott Oleszkowicz, Brendan Gall, Brendon Yorke and Barbara Haynes. Production Executives for Corus Entertainment are Jamie Piekarz and Chris Bell and for TeenNick, Kim Powers. The series is produced with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund, the Cogeco Program Development Fund, Bell Fund and RBC Royal Bank.

About Epitome Pictures
Toronto-based Epitome Pictures has produced award-winning youth and family drama for more than 34 years. Its flagship programs, including The Kids Of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, and the current series, Degrassi: The Next Generation, now known simply as Degrassi, have been honoured with multiple Gemini Awards, Teen Choice Awards, the Television Critics Association Award, The Peabody Award, two International Emmy© Awards and three Primetime Emmy© nominations. Past Epitome series include The L.A. Complex, Instant Star, Riverdale, and Liberty Street. In August 2014, Epitome began production on a new family mystery series, entitled Open Heart, slated for international broadcast in 2015. Epitome Pictures is part of DHX Media Ltd. (TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B).

About marblemedia
marblemedia develops, produces and distributes engaging multiplatform entertainment experiences for audiences around the world. With nearly 250 hours of programming distributed in more than 200 territories, marblemedia has been honoured by Playback Magazine with the 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award, in addition to being named Transmedia Producer of the Year (2011) by the publication. marble has won a Canadian Screen Award, two Gemini Awards, been nominated for an Emmy® Award and was identified as a Next Generation Content Producer (2009) by The Hollywood Reporter. The company owns a 50-acre production ranch and operates a Toronto-based studio, home to 50 staff, and an L.A. office. The company was co-founded by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg in 2001. www.marblemedia.com.

About YTV
Celebrating 25 years in television, YTV is a leading cross platform entertainment brand for kids and families. The channel offers quality entertainment with hilarious animated and live-action comedy series, popular Nickelodeon series, blockbuster movies, top-rated original Canadian programming, music, celebrities and the channel's after-school block, The Zone. Through its multiple platforms and exclusive digital and interactive content, YTV is the voice of Canadian youth culture. YTV is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc.


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Follow Corus PR on Twitter @CorusPR
Follow YTV on Twitter @YTVofficial
Follow Open Heart on Twitter @OpenHeart_TV, #OpenHeart

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Sambro Signs Pan-European Licensing Deal With Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products For "PAW Patrol" Product Lines

ToyNews, a monthly trade magazine for the toy business, is reporting the PAWsome news that Sambro, one of Britain's biggest privately-owned toy manufacturers, has signed a pan-European licensing deal with Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) to develop product lines based on Nickelodeon's hit CG-animated preschool series "PAW Patrol"!

The cross category manufacturer will create a comprehensive range of "PAW Patrol" products spanning arts and crafts, novelty, pocket money, wheeled toys and bags.

The deal, which encompasses the UK and the rest of Europe, will see products feature Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Zuma and Skye as well as their tech-savvy friend, Ryder.

Range will span categories including arts and crafts, novelty, pocket money, wheeled toys and bags.

Sambro has signed a pan-European licensing deal with Nickelodeon for Paw Patrol product lines.

The cross category manufacturer will create a comprehensive range of Paw Patrol products spanning arts and crafts, novelty, pocket money, wheeled toys and bags.

The deal, which encompasses the UK and the rest of Europe, will see products feature Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble and Skye as well as their tech-savvy friend, Ryder.

Paw Patrol wheeled toys and bags on the way from Sambro

Range will also span arts and crafts, novelty and pocket money products.

Sambro has signed a pan-European licensing deal with Nickelodeon for Paw Patrol product lines.

The cross category manufacturer will create a comprehensive range of Paw Patrol products spanning arts and crafts, novelty, pocket money, wheeled toys and bags.

The deal, which encompasses the UK and the rest of Europe, will see products feature Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble and Skye as well as their tech-savvy friend, Ryder.

"We are simply over the moon to have signed this deal," said Sambro MD Nikki Samuels.

"We have a fantastic relationship with Nickelodeon and will look to replicate the success of our other Nickelodeon licenses across the full Paw Patrol range. The Pan-European aspect of this deal will allow us to raise our profile even further as we continue to produce high-quality licensed toys."

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Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Talks About Nickelodeon At The 2014 UBS Global Media And Communications Conference

Philippe Dauman, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), today, Monday 8th December 2014, told an investor conference that he was "pretty excited" about the entertainment conglomerate's outlook given upside opportunities for the company.

During a luncheon keynote speech at the UBS 42nd Annual Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, Dauman was asked about investor fears of ratings declines and increasing digital usage. Dauman said Viacom wants measurement firms to better measure digital viewing and would make "a lot more" of its content available on new platforms. Even in-home viewing today is "not currently captured by the C3 currency," he said.

As part of his UBS Global Media and Communications Conference luncheon keynote speech, Philippe Dauman also talked about Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids and families, and the networks plans to roll out more animated shows.

Talking about how Viacom's kids networks are positioned strategically, Dauman told the UBS conference that "A kid watching Nickelodeon counts as the same watching Nicktoons" or other Nick channel brands, touting the brand's "One Nick" strategy, calling Nickelodeon the "strongest brand on a global scale."

Dauman on Monday also once again lauded the importance of having more original programming on Viacom's networks. However, while original series are becoming more important, "the value of acquired programming to us is diminishing," Dauman told the conference.

Dauman also called driving multi-platform viewing and monetization a key focus for his management team. Improved measurement and monetization tools will help Viacom "unleash" its ability to make more and more current content available on digital platforms, such as Nickelodeon's Emmy Award-winning Nick App, Dauman said. Dauman also mentioned that because most of the viewers of the media networks flagship channels are young, Viacom is more vulnerable to changes in technology.

He also mentioned international a key growth driver for Viacom. The company has launched 30 networks over the past year and will add more, he said. And it has recently acquired U.K. broadcaster Channel 5. He mentioned that Viacom could produce some content in Britain and signaled it could take advantage of production incentives there, such as the recently announced tax break for the production of UK children's live-action programming, due to be introduced in April 2015.

Dauman also called mobile an area of upside, along with animated films at Paramount Pictures and TV production at Paramount. He said the company would launch new products on mobile next year. The Viacom CEO cited dynamic ad insertion on VOD an emerging business, echoing comments made earlier by CBS Corp. research chief David Poltrack.

Asked about Channel 5 and why it became Viacom's biggest acquisition in years, Dauman said the UK has long been the company's biggest foreign market and the network is a content engine. He said Channel 5 would get a bigger portion of its programming budget allocated to originals. And he said the company would skew the network younger over time. The company can not only co-produce shows, but also drive Viacom's consumer products business in Britain, he said.

The core of the company's international business continues to be Europe, but India, Latin America and Africa are the bigger-growth markets for the firm, Dauman said.

Discussing China, he said if the company got through some of the legal and cultural restrictions, there could be opportunities there in a few years in the non-traditional TV business, Dauman said.

From The Hollywood Reporter via Yahoo! News:

Viacom CEO Touts Upside, Calls Paramount CEO Brad Grey "Secret Weapon"

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman told an investor conference on Monday that he was "pretty excited" about the entertainment conglomerate's outlook given upside opportunities for the company.

During a luncheon keynote speech at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, Dauman was asked about investor fears of ratings declines and increasing digital usage. Dauman said Viacom wants measurement firms to better measure digital viewing and would make "a lot more" of its content available on new platforms. Even in-home viewing today is "not currently captured by the C3 currency," he said.

Dauman called driving multi-platform viewing and monetization a key focus for his management team. Improved measurement and monetization tools will help Viacom "unleash" its ability to make more and more current content available on digital platforms, Dauman said.

He also mentioned international a key growth driver. The company has launched 30 networks over the past year and will add more, he said. And it has recently acquired U.K. broadcaster Channel 5. He mentioned that Viacom could produce some content in Britain and signaled it could take advantage of production incentives there.

Dauman also called mobile an area of upside, along with animated films at Paramount Pictures and TV production at Paramount. He said the company would launch new products on mobile next year. The Viacom CEO cited dynamic ad insertion on VOD an emerging business, echoing comments made earlier by CBS Corp. research chief David Poltrack.

Dauman on Monday also once again lauded the importance of having more original programming on Viacom's networks. He said the recent announcement that Spike would be rolled out internationally, starting with the U.K., became possible due to original shows. He predicted Spike would be a growth brand for Viacom for years to come. "We have a lot of channel launches ahead of us," he said.

Nickelodeon is putting out more animated shows, while Comedy Central, MTV and other channels are also adding new shows and bringing back established ones. He said the company was excited about the launch next year of Larry Wilmore's new show, which will replace The Colbert Report.

How are Viacom's kids networks positioned strategically, Dauman was also asked. "A kid watching Nickelodeon counts as the same watching Nicktoons" or other Nick channel brands, he said, touting the brand's "One Nick" strategy. He called Nickelodeon the "strongest brand on a global scale."

While originals are becoming more important, "the value of acquired programming to us is diminishing," Dauman told the UBS conference.

Asked about the film unit's outlook, the Viacom CEO said the studio remains focused on tentpole franchises, with the new Mission: Impossible and Star Trek films in the works now. He said tentpoles allow the company, among other things, to tap into international box-office growth. He also called animated films a profitable addition to the business that will help boost the profitability of Paramount.

Dauman also said that the TV production business of Paramount is "off to a faster start" than he had expected. He called Paramount boss Brad Grey the company's "secret weapon."

The demand is there, the pricing is holding up, Dauman said in discussing the state of the advertising market. Are TV dollars online or to digital, he said "broadly, we are all moving there." He said there is not enough high-quality, well-produced content online.

Asked about MTV, he said he was "very excited" about its outlook. He added that the network heard strong digital pitches earlier in the day.

Asked about Channel 5 and why it became Viacom's biggest acquisition in years, Dauman said the U.K. has long been the company's biggest foreign market and the network is a content engine. He said Channel 5 would get a bigger portion of its programming budget allocated to originals. And he said the company would skew the network younger over time. The company can not only co-produce shows, but also drive Viacom's consumer products business in Britain, he said.

The core of the company's international business continues to be Europe, but India, Latin America and Africa are the bigger-growth markets for the firm, Dauman said.

Discussing China, he said if the company got through some of the legal and cultural restrictions, there could be opportunities there in a few years in the non-traditional TV business, Dauman said.

More to come...

Also, from THR.com:

Viacom CEO Touts Upside in Original Content, Calls Paramount's Brad Grey "Secret Weapon"

Philippe Dauman tells an investor conference that animated movies and TV production will be a boost for the conglomerate's film unit

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman told an investor conference on Monday that he was "pretty excited" about the entertainment conglomerate's outlook given upside opportunities for the company.

During a luncheon keynote speech at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, Dauman was asked about the film unit's outlook, saying that the studio remains focused on tentpole franchises, with the new Mission: Impossible and Star Trek films in the works now. He said tentpoles allow the company, among other things, to tap into international box-office growth. He also called animated films a profitable addition to the business that will help boost the profitability of Paramount.

Dauman also said that the TV production business of Paramount is "off to a faster start" than he had expected. In that context, he called Paramount boss Brad Grey the company's "secret weapon" given his experience in the TV space. Grey used to be partner of talent management firm Brillstein-Grey Entertainment where he executive produced such shows as The Sopranos.

"We're doing that at a very low overhead," Dauman said about the burgeoning TV production operation. "Now is a good time to be in the production business."

Dauman spent most time Monday answering questions about his firm's TV business. He was, for example, asked about investor fears of ratings declines and increasing digital usage. Dauman once again said Viacom wants measurement firms to better measure digital viewing and said it could make "a lot more" of its content available on new platforms. But even in-home viewing today is "not currently captured by the C3 currency," he said.

Dauman called driving multi-platform viewing and monetization a key focus for his management team. Improved measurement and monetization tools will help Viacom "unleash" its ability to make more and more current content available on digital platforms, Dauman said.

Dauman emphasized the importance of offering true TV Everywhere, saying pay TV operators must work with content firms to make it a reality. And he said the company would launch new services and shows on digital platforms, saying: "We have a lot of real estate that we can build beautiful new homes on."

Dauman also called mobile an area of upside. He said the company would launch new products and programs on mobile next year.

The demand is there, the pricing is holding up, Dauman said in discussing the state of the advertising market. Are TV dollars moving online or to other digital platforms? He said "broadly, we are all moving there." He said there is not enough high-quality, well-produced content online.

The Viacom CEO also cited dynamic ad insertion on VOD an emerging business, echoing comments made earlier by CBS Corp. research chief David Poltrack.

He also mentioned international a key growth driver. The company has launched 30 networks over the past year and will add more, he said. And it has recently acquired U.K. broadcaster Channel 5. He mentioned that Viacom could produce some content in Britain and signaled it could take advantage of production incentives there.

Dauman on Monday also once again lauded the importance of having more original programming on Viacom's networks. He said the recent announcement that Spike would be rolled out internationally, starting with the U.K., became possible due to original shows. He predicted Spike would be a growth brand for Viacom for years to come. "We have a lot of channel launches ahead of us," he said.

Nickelodeon is putting out more animated shows, while Comedy Central, MTV and other channels are also adding new shows and bringing back established ones. He said the company was excited about the launch next year of Larry Wilmore's new show, which will replace The Colbert Report.

While originals are becoming more important, "the value of acquired programming to us is diminishing," Dauman told the UBS conference.

Asked about U.K. broadcaster Channel 5 and why it became Viacom's biggest acquisition in years, Dauman said the U.K. has long been the company's biggest foreign market and the network is a content engine. He said Channel 5 would get a bigger portion of its programming budget allocated to originals. And he said the company would skew the network younger over time. The company can not only co-produce shows, but also drive Viacom's consumer products business in Britain, he said.

The core of the company's international business continues to be Europe, but India, Latin America and Africa are the bigger-growth markets for the firm, Dauman said.

Discussing China, he said if the company got through some of the legal and cultural restrictions, there could be opportunities there in a few years in the non-traditional TV business, Dauman said.

Also, from Multichannel:

Dauman: Measurement is Key

Move From C3 Needed to Better Monetize Content

TakeAway
Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said viewer measurement must improve for programmers to better monetize their content.

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said moving into new markets like mobile video will require that antiquated methods of measuring audiences will have to change with the times, including the ability to track viewing on different devices and expanding the viewing measurement windows.

Viacom, which has been under considerable ratings pressure, had previously announced plans to focus more on non- Nielsen dependent revenue, i.e., revenue streams that depend on traditional C3 advertising windows. At the UBS Global Media & Communications conference in New York, the Viacom chief added some details to its plans to capture and monetize more young viewers.

"We view mobile as a major opportunity for us and are going to be launching new products on mobile over the course of the next year and new brands in that arena," Dauman said at the conference.

Dauman had said in November that the plan was to grow its non-Nielsen dependent revenue from 30% to 50%.

"There is no question young audiences want to watch content on all devices they use, particularly on mobile devices," Dauman said at the conference. "We want to be there, and we also want our partners to be there too."

But getting to that audience will mean that measurement metrics, which currently only track viewership for three days after a show's original air, have to expand to at least a seven day (C7) window. Dauman isn't the only programming executive that has called for the C7 window to become standard – CBS CEO Les Moonves also has been vocal on the issue.

"We'd like to put a lot more of our content available," Dauman said. "You should be able to watch our streamed channels anywhere you are if you subscribe to cable. We'd like to see it measured."

Dauman said that because most of its viewers are younger – its flagship channels include MTV, Comedy Central which cater to teens and young adults while its Nickelodeon kids' network attracts tweens and adolescents – Viacom is more vulnerable to changes in technology.

Dauman said that currently, viewing that is done in the home on tablets, video game consoles and other non-TV devices isn't measured. That is expected to change next year.

"There are a lot of misnomers being used about ratings versus actual consumption of video. "Having better measurement and monetization tools will be good for the video being consumed and it will unleash our ability to put more content out there on an authenticated basis," Dauman said.

Viacom's domestic advertising revenue fell 5% in the most recent quarter, which Dauman said was more due to ratings issues than demand.

"We have some issues as to delivering on what we sold," Dauman said "It's not a demand problem that we see. We have a C3 ratings supply issue. As we move past that we expect to see improvement as the year progresses."

Dauman also sees opportunities outside the U.S., adding that while it continues to expand its presence in Europe – it recently purchased U.K. broadcaster Channel 5 – it also is eyeing markets in Latin America, Africa and China for potential growth. Viacom recently launched the Paramount Channel in Latin America to about 16 million homes and sees Africa, with a large young population as a key market, especially for mobile content. In China, which has been a huge market for its movie studio, the TV opportunity may be a few years from now, Dauman said.

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Nickelodeon USA Launches "Short Toons"

Nickelodeon USA has unveiled a brand-new area on their official website called "Short Toons", which is bringing visitors free non-stop videos of the latest and funniest cartoons!

"Short Toons" are hilarious cartoons that you can ONLY find on Nickelodeon. From feuding siblings to silly classmates and everything in between, Nickelodeon is showing visitors the funniest animated shorts you can find online today. Get ready to laugh your pants off!

As part of "Short Toons", Nickelodeon will be showcasing the best animated shorts handpicked from the networks world renowned Animated Shorts Program, as well as original digital shorts.

To celebrate the launch of "Short Toons", nick.com/short-toons currently features five animated shorts:

"Hole" follows a group of friends who have found the coolest hang out spot...under the ground! Created by Sam Spina, "Hole" was selected from Nickelodeon's Animated Shorts Program.

There's adventure and lava-surfing abound in the Nick Digital short "BroDuel" as hyper-competitive athletic brothers Dennis and Tad take their sibling rivalry to new heights, leaving a wake of destruction at their new office job. "BroDuel" is produced by CloudKid.

In "Monster Pack", viewers learn that sometimes the Monster Pack is filled with cute things... "Monster Pack", a finalist in Nickelodeon's 2014 Animated Shorts Program, is created by Pedro Eboli & Graham Peterson (Brazil) and is animated by Birdo Studio.

"Bug Salad" follows Scott, a worm who tries to be a good influence on his bug buddy Winston in the garden neighborhood... even when Winston makes some dangerous choices. "Bug Salad" is created by Carl Faruolo and was developed for the 2013 Nickelodeon Animated Comedy Shorts Program.

And in "Bear Wrestler", the revamp of Patty and Bobo's bear-wrestling act is kililng...until they try the "Flaming Ham and Cheese"! "Bear Wrestler" is created by Deanna Rooney, and produced by Six Point Harness ("Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!", "El Tigre"). "Bear Wrestler" was selected from Nickelodeon's Animated Shorts Program.

Check nick.com/short-toons often to see new video clips, new characters and new laughs!

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Nickelodeon USA To Premiere "Bella and the Bulldogs" On Saturday 17th January 2015

Nickelodeon USA has announced the very exciting news in the networks latest "Bella and the Bulldogs" teaser trailer that Nick USA will start to premiere and show Nickelodeon's brand-new original comedy series "Bella and the Bulldogs" on Saturday 17th January 2015 at 8:00pm ET/PT!

Nick's all-new sitcom "Bella and the Bulldogs" follows a perky head cheerleader named Bella (Brec Bassinger, "The Haunted Hathaways") whose life in Texas takes an unexpected twist when she becomes the new quarterback for her school team, the Bullfrogs. Bella is joined by "The Troy" (Coy Stewart, "Are We There Yet?"), the Bullfrogs' dethroned quarterback along with his pint-sized sidekick, Newt (Buddy Handleson, "Wendell & Vinnie"). Rounding out the cast are Lilimar Hernandez as Sophie, Bella's cheerleader best friend: Jackie Radinsky as true southern cowboy, Sawyer; Haley Tju as Pepper; Paul Lacovara as a Referee; Rio Mangini ("See Dad Run") as Ace McFumbles; Evan Roe ("Sam & Cat") as Blake; and Sully Zack as Player #2. The series is written by Gabriel Garza and Jonathan Butler ("The Haunted Hathaways", "Fanboy & Chum Chum"), who were discovered through Nickelodeon's Writing Program. Jeff Bushell will serve as Executive Producer. Nickelodeon has picked up the series for 12 episodes.

Go behind-the-scenes and take a tour of the "Bella and the Bulldogs" studio set on Nickelodeon USA's brand-new "Bella and the Bulldogs" photo gallery at nick.com/bella!

Sources: ToonZone forum members kanc and J21697.

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