Cbs and Viacom To Combine
Cbs and Viacom To Combine
• Delivers financial benefits that will position the combined company to create significant
value for all shareholders
• Increased financial scale for significant and sustained investment in programming and innovation
• Attractive growth outlook
• EPS accretive transaction with estimated run-rate annual synergies of $500 million
• Highly cash flow generative
• Committed to maintaining an investment-grade credit rating and modest dividend payment
• Bob Bakish to lead the combined company as President and CEO; Joe Ianniello will serve as
Chairman and CEO, CBS
NEW YORK, NY, August 13, 2019 –– CBS (NYSE: CBS.A, CBS) and Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), two of the world’s leading
entertainment companies, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger,
creating a combined company with more than $28 billion in revenue.
The combined company, ViacomCBS Inc., will be a leading global, multiplatform, premium content company, with the assets,
capabilities and scale to be one of the most important content producers and providers in the world. The combined company
will be a scale player globally, with leadership positions in markets across the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia. This
includes the largest television business in the U.S., with the highest share of broadcast and cable viewing across all key
audience demographics, and strength in every key category, including News, Sports, General Entertainment, Pop Culture,
Comedy, Music and Kids – making it a first-choice partner to distributors and advertisers. In addition, the combined company
will possess a portfolio of fast-growing direct-to-consumer platforms, including both subscription and ad-supported offerings.
It will also include a major Hollywood film studio, Paramount Pictures, which has been a producer and global distributor of
filmed entertainment for more than a century and continues to be a global box office driver. Taken together, these distinct
strengths will accelerate CBS and Viacom’s ability to deliver an array of compelling content to important and diverse
audiences across both traditional and emerging platforms around the world.
Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom, will become President and Chief Executive Officer of the
combined company. Bakish said: “Today marks an important day for CBS and Viacom, as we unite our complementary assets
and capabilities and become one of only a few companies with the breadth and depth of content and reach to shape the
future of our industry. Our unique ability to produce premium and popular content for global audiences at scale – for our own
platforms and for our partners around the world – will enable us to maximize our business for today, while positioning us to
lead for years to come. As we look to the future, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities ahead for the combined
company and all of our stakeholders – including consumers, the creative community, commercial partners, employees and,
of course, our shareholders.”
Joe Ianniello, President and Acting Chief Executive Officer, CBS, will become Chairman and CEO of CBS. Ianniello, who will
oversee all CBS-branded assets in his new role, said: “This merger brings an exciting new set of opportunities to both
companies. At CBS, we have outstanding momentum right now – creatively and operationally – and Viacom’s portfolio will
help accelerate that progress. I look forward to all we will do together as we build on our ongoing success. And personally, I
am pleased to remain focused on CBS’s top priority – continuing our transformation into a global, multiplatform, premium
content company.”
Shari Redstone, Vice Chair of the Boards of Directors, CBS and Viacom, said: “I am really excited to see these two great
companies come together so that they can realize the incredible power of their combined assets. My father once said
‘content is king,’ and never has that been more true than today. Through CBS and Viacom’s shared passion for premium
content and innovation, we will establish a world-class, multiplatform media organization that is well-positioned for growth in
a rapidly transforming industry. Led by a talented leadership team that is excited by the future, ViacomCBS’s success will be
underpinned by a commitment to strong values and a culture that empowers our exceptional people at all levels of the
organization.”
5 Continents
with production capabilities LARGEST SHARE OF U.S. TV AUDIENCE
#1
TV VIEWERSHIP SHARE:
750+ Series
of episodic content globally
425+ Domestic WARNER
325+ International OTHER
DISCOVERY
8% 13% IN KEY U.S. TARGET
>43,000 Hours DEMOGRAPHICS
of episodic content produced 11%
globally airing in 183
countries in 45 languages
>25,000 Domestic FOX 14% 22% Total Audience (P2+)
>17,000 International Kids (P2–11)
Global Film Studio
14% 18% Adults (P18-49, P25-54)
One of 5 Major Film Studios DISNEY
Operating on a Global Basis
COMCAST African American (P2+)
Diverse Genres & Formats Hispanic (P2+)
Wide variety of content across scripted, Source: Nielsen, SNL Kagan. Note: Represents P2+ Primetime
viewership for 2018-2019 Season (9/24/2018 – 5/22/2019).
unscripted, kids, news, sports, African
Note: Includes shows in production or committed to be in production in the next 12 months.
American, variety, talk and comedy Series and hours exclude sports, documentaries and specials as well as Ananey &
Viacom18 content.
Strategic Rationale
• Premium content at scale. The combined company will possess a portfolio of powerful consumer brands, including
CBS, Showtime, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, as well as one of the largest
libraries of iconic intellectual property, spanning every key genre and addressing consumers of all ages and
demographics. This library comprises 140,000+ TV episodes and 3,600+ film titles, and reunites fan-favorite
franchises such as Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. The combined company will also have more than 750 series
currently ordered to or in production. In addition, it will include a major Hollywood film studio, Paramount Pictures,
which creates and distributes feature-length entertainment around the world. The combined company will also be one
of the largest content spenders, with more than $13 billion spent in the last 12 months.
• Global leadership positions. The combined company will be a broadcast and cable leader in key markets around the
world, reaching more than 4.3 billion cumulative TV subscribers. In the U.S., the combined company’s portfolio of
broadcast, premium and cable networks will have the highest share of viewing on television among key audiences,
including Kids, African Americans and Hispanic viewers. In addition, the combined company will operate strong
broadcast networks in the UK, Argentina and Australia, as well as pay-TV networks across more than 180 countries. It
will also have significant global production capabilities across five continents – creating content in 45 languages.
• Powerful, three-part strategy for growth. In a quickly evolving media landscape, the combined company will benefit
from its distinct competitive position as one of the most important global content providers – for its own platforms as
well as for third parties. This will enable the combined company to accelerate the growth of its direct-to-consumer
strategy, enhance distribution and advertising opportunities and create a leading producer and licensor of premium
content to third-party platforms globally.
1. Accelerate direct-to-consumer strategy. Together, the combined company will be positioned to accelerate and
expand its direct-to-consumer strategy through its proven and diverse portfolio of both subscription and ad-
supported offerings. These include CBS All Access and Showtime, which deliver premium, branded content live
and on demand to millions of subscribers; Pluto TV, the leading free streaming TV service in the U.S.; and niche
products such as CBSN, ET Live and Noggin. It also has an opportunity to expand globally by leveraging its
existing strength in both subscription and ad-supported offerings, combined library, content production
capabilities and international infrastructure.
2. Enhance distribution and advertising opportunities. The breadth and depth of the combined company’s reach
across both traditional and new platforms – including 22% of U.S. TV viewership – will drive important new
distribution and advertising opportunities. For distributors, this includes forming more expansive and
multifaceted relationships, and applying the benefit of retransmission consent across a combined portfolio. For
advertisers and agencies, the combined company will provide industry-leading reach through a variety of
formats, including a portfolio of differentiated advanced advertising and marketing solutions, such as CBS
Interactive, Viacom Vantage and Viacom Velocity, which will be applied against significant, expanded inventory
across the portfolio.
3. Create a leading producer and licensor of premium content to third-party platforms globally. As one of the
biggest premium content providers in the world, the combined company is positioned to deliver content to a
diverse global customer base that includes MVPDs, broadcast and cable networks, subscription and ad-
supported streaming services, mobile providers and social platforms. Notably, in addition to content licensing,
CBS and Viacom are developing must-watch programming for a broad range of third-party networks and
platforms to feed significant demand for original, premium content.
• Significant value for all shareholders. The combined company will have an attractive growth outlook and increased
financial scale with substantial free cash flow, which will enable significant and sustained investment in programming
and innovation, as well as support the combined company’s commitment to maintaining a modest dividend payment.
The transaction will be EPS accretive and is expected to deliver an estimated $500 million in annualized run-rate
synergies within 12-24 months following closing, with additional strategic benefits. With one of the strongest balance
sheets in the industry, the combined company will benefit from a solid investment grade rating.
Leadership, Governance and Transaction Terms
In addition to Bakish and Ianniello, the leadership team of the combined company will include Christina Spade as EVP
and Chief Financial Officer; and Christa D’Alimonte as EVP, General Counsel and Secretary.
The Board of Directors will consist of 13 members: six independent members from CBS, four independent members
from Viacom, the President and CEO of ViacomCBS and two National Amusements, Inc. (NAI) designees. Shari
Redstone will be appointed Chair.
The merger agreement was approved by the Boards of Directors of both CBS and Viacom by unanimous vote of those
present, upon the unanimous recommendations of the Special Committees of the CBS and Viacom Boards of Directors,
respectively. Existing CBS shareholders will own approximately 61% of the combined company and existing Viacom
shareholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis. Under the terms of the
merger agreement, each Viacom Class A voting share and Viacom Class B non-voting share will convert into 0.59625 of
a Class A voting share and Class B non-voting share of CBS, respectively.
NAI, which holds approximately 78.9% and 79.8% of the Class A voting shares of CBS and Viacom, respectively, has
agreed to deliver consents sufficient to assure approval of the transaction. More than two-thirds of the CBS directors
unaffiliated with NAI (and all of those unaffiliated directors who voted on the transaction) have approved the
transaction, as required in order to permit NAI to consent to the transaction under the terms of the 2018 settlement
agreement entered into among CBS, NAI and certain other parties thereto.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. It is expected to close by the
2019 calendar year end.
The Special Committee of CBS’s Board of Directors is being advised by Centerview Partners LLC and Lazard Frères &
Co. LLC as its financial advisors and by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as its legal counsel. The Special
Committee of Viacom’s Board of Directors is being advised by LionTree Advisors LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as
its financial advisors and by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP as its legal counsel. Viacom is being advised by Shearman &
Sterling LLP. NAI is being advised by Evercore as its financial advisor and by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as its
legal counsel.
A live audio webcast of the call will be available on the Investors homepage of CBS’s website
(investors.cbscorporation.com) and Viacom’s website (ir.viacom.com). The conference call can also be
accessed by dialing 1 (877) 451-6152 (domestic) or 1 (201) 389-0879 (international). Please call five
minutes in advance to ensure you are connected prior to the call.
An audio replay of the call will be available beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on August 13, 2019 in the Investor
Calendar section of CBS’s corporate website and in the Events, Webcasts & Annual Meetings section of
Viacom’s Investors home page, and at 1 (844) 512-2921 (domestic) and 1 (412) 317-6671 (international)
using PIN number 13693788.
The announcement press release and other information related to the announcement will be accessible on
CBS and Viacom’s websites.
About CBS
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company that creates and distributes industry-leading content
across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date back to the
dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures that operate on the leading edge of media. CBS owns the most-
watched television network in the U.S. and one of the world’s largest libraries of entertainment content, making its brand –
"the Eye” – one of the most-recognized in business. The Company’s operations span virtually every field of media and
entertainment, including cable, publishing, local TV, film and interactive. CBS’ businesses include CBS Television Network,
The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), Network 10 Australia, CBS Television
Studios, CBS Global Distribution Group, CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Interactive, CBS All Access,
the Company’s direct-to-consumer digital streaming subscription service, CBS Sports Network, CBS Films, Showtime
Networks, Pop, Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television Stations and CBS Experiences. For more
information, go to http://www.cbscorporation.com.
About Viacom
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture around the world. Through television, film,
digital media, live events, merchandise and solutions, its brands connect with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in
more than 180 countries.
For more information on Viacom and its businesses, visit www.Viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following it on
Twitter (twitter.com/Viacom), Facebook (facebook.com/Viacom) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/Viacom).
These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed transaction, will be more fully discussed in the joint consent solicitation
statement/prospectus that will be included in the registration statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the
proposed transaction. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors to be presented in the registration statement on Form S-4
are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted
factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in
results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational
problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on CBS’ or Viacom’s
consolidated financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity. Neither CBS nor Viacom assumes any obligation to publicly
provide revisions or updates to any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should
circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.
Contacts
Press: Investors:
CBS CBS
Dana McClintock, Executive Vice President, Chief Communications Anthony DiClemente, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations
Officer (212) 975-2160
(212) 975-1077 [email protected]
[email protected]
Viacom
Kelli Raftery, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications James Bombassei, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and
(212) 975-3161 Treasurer
[email protected] (212) 258-6377
[email protected]
Viacom
Justin Dini, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
(212) 846-2724
[email protected]