 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1987; 38 years ago (1987) |
| Headquarters |
|
Key people | |
| Parent | Paramount Skydance TV Media |
| Divisions | |
Paramount International Networks (PIN)[1] is the international division of theParamount Media Networks division ofParamount Skydance that oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of its brands outside of the United States. These brands includeParamount Network,Comedy Central,MTV,Nickelodeon andBET, as well asCBS-branded channels co-owned withAMC Networks International. PIN also owned a 30% stake in theRainbow S.p.A. animation studio in Italy from 2011 to 2023[2] and a majority-then-later-minority stake inViacom18, an Indianjoint venture with domestic partnerTV18, from 2007 to 2024.
The division is headquartered within offices of the former Paramount Global in New York City and London, with other international offices located in São Paulo, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Lagos, Madrid, Milan, Mumbai, Paris, Singapore, Budapest, Belgrade and Sydney amongst others. Its first international offices opened in the late 1980s in London and Amsterdam with the launch of MTV Europe (nowMTV Global). It was created from a rebrand of predecessor Viacom's MTV Networks, which includedMTV,BET,VH1 andNickelodeon, to includeComedy Central.MTV Asia was a leader against rivalChannel V in China, India and South Korea in 1999.[3]
Currently led by Pam Kaufman as part of her broader role as president and CEO of international markets, the division under one of its previous names "Viacom International Media Networks" was previously led from 2011 to 2016 byBob Bakish, in one of his many roles at the company, having joined Paramount Global's predecessor, Viacom, inits first incarnation in 1997. In 2016, Bakish was promoted to CEO ofthe second incarnation of Viacom and stayed on as such followingits merger withCBS Corporation to form ViacomCBS, renamed Paramount Global in 2022. He resigned as CEO and left the company on 29 April 2024.
In June 2008, MTV Networks International partnered with Dutch entertainment companyEndemol to launch its joint-venture Dutch comedy channel under the former's Comedy Central brand with the new comedy channel being namedComedy Central Family.[4]
In November 2009, MTV Networks International teamed up with Abu Dhabi-based entertainment companyTwofour54 to establish an Arabian comedy content production studio that would produce and develop local Arabic-language comedy content for the Middle East called Comedy Central Studios Arabia, the new studio would be headquartered at Twofour54's Abu Dhabi offices and would also adapt localized versions ofComedy Central's programming library for the Arabic market.[5][6]
On July 29, 2010, MTV Networks International announced its launching of its Hebrew-language television channel entitledComedy Central Isarel which had launched the following year on January 1 2011, marking the ten country to use theComedy Central brand.[7][8]
In May 2011 following MTV Networks International renaming to Viacom International Media Networks and its launch of Dutch channelComedy Central Family with global production & distribution studio Endemol three years ago in 2008, Viacom International Media Networks alongside global Dutch entertainment production & distribution giant Endemol had expanded their partnership with the two companies had established a female-skewed entertainment channel based in Poland that will target women aged 16 to 49 namedViacom Blink!, the launch of the new entertainment channel Viacom Blink! had gained Viacom International Media Networks another entertainment channel in its portfolio as Viacom Internation Media Networks have licensed Endemol's programming library to the new channel under a programming deal with the former planning to launch the channel to other countries.[9][10][11]
At the start of May 2014, Viacom International Media Networks announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire British free-to-air public broadcast television channelChannel 5 alongside its parent companyChannel 5 Broadcasting Limited and its three entertainment channels5* and US programming-focus channel5USA fromRichard Desmond's British publishing companyNorthern & Shell for £450m (US$759 million).[12]
In October 2015, Viacom International Media Networks had established its international production division that would serve as a production hub for its global entertainment network brands worldwide, includingNickelodeon,MTV andComedy Central entitled Viacom International Studios which would be based in Miami, Florida to expand Viacom's production capabilities for global networks as the new international studio would produce local adpatations of Viacom's productions including original scripted & unscripted content worldwide for its global networks & mobile and digital platforms internationally with VIMN president Bob Bakish heading the new international production division Viacom International Studios as president, Viacom International Studios had also opened up a new production studio facility based in Miami, Florida where VIMN's Latin American divisionVIMN Americas was headquarted following the launch of Viacom International Studios, with the new production studio facility would be served as the production of Viacom International Studios' productions.[13][14][15]
Since 14 January 2020, this division consists of two brand groups (Entertainment and Youth Brands, Kids and Family), and three regional hubs (UK & Australia, EMEAA and Americas).[16]
Paramount Networks UK & Australia, formerly ViacomCBS Networks UK and Australia is a regional subsidiary of Paramount Global launched on 14 January 2020 and headquartered inLondon with a local office in Sydney that serves the United Kingdom and Australia. It also overseesChannel 5 Broadcasting Limited and Paramount Australia & New Zealand, the respective corporate overseers of British free-to-air channel,Channel 5 and Australian free-to-air channelNetwork 10.
Paramount Networks EMEAA, formerlyMTV Networks Europe,Viacom International Media Networks Europe andViacomCBS Networks EMEAA, is a subsidiary of Paramount Global which serves Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
It currently consists of the following branches:
Viacom18 was a joint venture between Paramount Global andTV18, which operates the former's television brands in India along with homegrown brandColors. Paramount owned a stake in the company from 2007 to 2024.[17]
Paramount Networks Americas, formerlyMTV Networks Latin America,Viacom International Media Networks The Americas andViacomCBS Networks Americas, is a regional subsidiary of Paramount International Networks. Its operational headquarters is located in Miami, Florida, with offices in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia. As currently being based in the United States, all PNA channels are regulated by theFederal Communications Commission, the broadcasting regulator the United States, despite not yet transmitting over there.
In 2016, Viacom launched its own subsidiaryViacom International Studios, which have its headquarters in Miami. Its first production wasI Am Frankie for Nickelodeon.[18] Following the Viacom-CBS merger, it was rebranded toViacomCBS International Studios (or simplyVIS). On 24 June 2020, both ViacomCBS International Studios and sister sibling Miramax is planning on to co-produceThe Turkish Detective, the series adaptation of the novels.[19] On 2 September 2020, it returned to production with Mexico's backdoor structure[20] On 7 October 2020, ViacomCBS International Studios revealed a streamlining its sales structure.[21] On 30 November 2021, the studio launched a first-look deal program with 5 British writers to amplify diverse voices.[22]
With its parent company rebranded toParamount Global in 2022, its international division was rebranded asParamount Television International Studios (PTIS), with a new focus across all international markets. It now touts itself as "concentrating on premium scripted content that reflects the cultures and experiences of our diverse international audiences," while driving the growth in acquisitions and engagement ofParamount+ worldwide.[23]
On 1 May 2014, Viacom acquired free-to-air channels from Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd, in turn becoming part of Paramount International International Networks.
Belarus
MTV Belarus (2006-2009)[24][25]
Network 10 is one of Australia's three commercial free-to-air channels. Its parent company was bought by CBS Corporation on 16 November 2017, in turn becoming part of ViacomCBS Networks International, later Paramount International Networks following the 2019 Viacom-CBS merger.
(Soon To Be Defunct)
Australia
VIVA MediaGmbH (until 2004VIVA MediaAG) was a music television network originating from Germany. It was founded as an alternative toMTV byTime Warner executivesTom McGrath andPeter Bogner withRudi Dolezal andHannes Rossacher fromDoRo Productions, which created music videos.[30] The channel was a broadcast ofVIVA Germany as VIVA Media AG in 1993 later in 1995 ofViva Zwei launch, and has been owned by their former competitorViacom, the parent company ofMTV, since 2004. Viva channels exist in some European countries; the first spin-offs were launched in Poland and Switzerland in 2000.
VIVA Austria was launched in May 2012, 15% of the channel's programming consists of Austrian music, music tops, and lifestyle programming focused on the Austrian market. The channels marketing and promotion are managed by Goldback Media. Before 2012, VIVA Germany aired across Austria with localized advertising and sponsorship for Austria.
VIVA Poland was a Polish music channel launched on 10 June 2000 by the German VIVA Media AG. On 17 July 2012, the channel stopped being anFTA network and was pulled off fromEutelsat Hot Bird 13A satellite. In 2014, the station canceled local production shows. In 2015 - 2017, the station canceled all reality TV shows and continued playing only electronic dance music. Before the new broadcast schedule, the station was playing Polish and international pop, dance, rock, and hip hop music.
VIVA Hungary was a music channel launched on 27 June 1997 as Z+. Like its sister channels, the channel features localized music videos, programming, presenters, and chart shows. The channel started to use the new logo on 2 April 2012. The channel ended broadcast on 3 October 2017 replaced by MTV Music.
VIVA UK & Ireland was launched on 26 October 2009, replacingTMF, and ceased broadcasting on 31 January 2018.
Gillmer oversees for the MTV Entertainment Group (MTVE) and Paramount International Networks & Streaming.