viacom posts
by Richard Lawler 
posted Jul 28th 2009 at 11:44AM
by Richard Lawler posted Jul 1st 2009 at 6:27AM
In a bit of news that would have been considerably juicier back in the old format war days, Paramount is reportedly negotiating with Sony and Fox to take over parts of its home video business, specifically physical fulfillment to retail, billing and collections. Reported by Video Business and Financial Times, it seems like the studio is trying to save cash as the DVD market shrinks while Blu-ray and other distribution methods aren't yet picking up the slack. We're not sure if home viewers would notice any difference from such a deal, but with titles like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Monsters vs. Aliens releasing later this year it's worth keeping an eye on, if only for the slim possibility of history repeating itself and Paramount promising exclusive China Blue HD format support in return for a huge bundle of incentives. Hey, it could happen....maybe.by Richard Lawler posted Jun 28th 2009 at 8:27PM
Our friends at TV Squad are asking the same question we've had many times, what's up with MTV's treatment of HD? Specifically, why doesn't the MTV or VH1 HD simulcast channel air music videos in high definition? While it was news to us that MTV even aired music videos anymore, it's sad to see how poorly its handling the simulcast channel, though we don't have reception at this branch of the EHD HQ yet, word is they couldn't even keep simple things like the Real World HD broadcast straight last season. That's no surprise for a network that treats its simulcast like a redheaded stepchild (try finding a mention of it on MTV.com or Viacom's website) and staunchly refuses to loose any details of precisely which shows will be broadcast in high definition no matter how many times we ask, and we'll not even get into the endless loop of repeated programming that has become Palladia. Considering one can view any music video on YouTube in "HD" with little trouble, it's even more disturbing that MTV is so far behind the times.by Richard Lawler posted Jun 8th 2009 at 12:30PM 
by Richard Lawler posted Apr 10th 2009 at 7:11PM
If you want your MTV HD you can get it, and BET HD, CMT HD, Comedy Central HD, Nickelodeon HD, Spike TV HD and VH1 HD on DISH Network. Thanks to a new deal with Viacom, all those HD feeds were announced today as available to all subscribers at no extra cost. Also included? Video on-demand and Internet streaming rights that senior VP Dave Shull had no problem claiming as a testament to DISH's "continued HD leadership" while also asserting its HD supremacy. BET HD is available on the Classic Silver 200 HD package and up, while all the rest are on the Classic Bronze 100 lineup.by Richard Lawler posted Apr 6th 2009 at 7:22PM
For all Netflix Watch Instantly queues found lacking (possibly due to excessive swiping?), the company announced the addition of several MTV Networks properties including South Park (but not in HD), Dora the Explorer, True Jackson, VP and Spongebob Squarepants. Keen watchers of the recently added RSS feed have probably seen this content trickling onto the service recently, but that's no reason not to queue up a few seasons of each and kick back.by Richard Lawler posted Mar 7th 2009 at 8:55PM
Now that it finally has a name, the Viacom / Lionsgate / MGM backed Epix can finally be a bit more forthcoming about its plans as a premium movie channel to rival HBO, Starz and Showtime. Now the question is whether the new channel will get the $1.50 per subscriber fee it's asking from potential cable and satellite providers, which could make that planned fourth quarter launch dicier than first imagined. Still, the studios seem entrenched behind the idea of improving their prospects for profiting from their newest, hottest movies like Cloverfield, even in these economic times, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a very Big Ten Network-style standoff in the making.by Darren Murph posted Feb 20th 2009 at 10:04AM
by Richard Lawler posted Jan 28th 2009 at 4:51PM
by Darren Murph posted Jan 16th 2009 at 1:08PM
by Richard Lawler posted Jan 14th 2009 at 3:46PM
It's a promise, in 2009 Germany get MTVNHD and Nick Jr. distribution. Sure, they may not be quite on time but this is a new year and we're forgetting about the past. MTV Networks Germany didn't let slip which broadcaster(s) would be putting the channel on the air, but MTVNHD is due in the early part of the year with Nick Jr. following, although until then you can get your Nick fix while it replaces the Palladia loops on weekend mornings.by Richard Lawler posted Jan 13th 2009 at 2:34PM 
Comedy Central HD launches today, and Cablevision iO TV subscribers will be the first to see it. According to Multichannel News we can expect 200 hours or so of native HD programming to start, including about 30 episodes of South Park, The Sarah Silverman Program, plus loads of archived stand up and films. Coming up fresh and new for your HDTV is season 13 of South Park, Reno 911, The Flaming Sward of Fire and Krod Mandoon, while The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,and The Colbert Report will get an HD upgrade at a later date. Besides nabbing the exclusive, Cablevision's trumpeting its numbers showing HD penetration is up to nearly 50 percent of iO TV subs, with 69 HD channels available. Otherwise, DirecTV and Cox will be adding later this month with more launches due later in the year -- hopefully Time Warner worked that into the latest deal with Viacom.by Richard Lawler posted Jan 1st 2009 at 2:45AM
Put down the bubbly and nearest willing stranger for a moment, if you're a Time Warner Cable subscriber, you may have noticed that your MTV Networks channels -- including everyone's favorite Palladia / MHD -- are still there, even after a very public squabble threatened to turn them dark around the same time everyone's Zune started working again. Both sides have confirmed the cable giant reached an agreement in principle with Viacom, without revealing how it happened. How much did Viacom end up getting? We may have to wait for the next TWC rate hike to know for sure. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]by Richard Lawler posted Dec 31st 2008 at 6:47PM
by Richard Lawler posted Dec 31st 2008 at 4:21PM
Time Warner Cable CEO & President Glenn Britt says don't blame him, blame sliding advertising and falling ratings for Viacom's lost revenue and subsequent Scrooge-style "extortion" of TWC customers to keep MTV Networks on after the ball drops tonight. Beyond the outrageous claim that viewers might be tuning away from My Super Sweet 16 marathons, Britt claims that "penny per subscriber per day" adds up to an unreasonable $39 million, while TWC nobly attempts to keep negotiations going on behalf of its customers. Oddly we find it hard to view either side as thinking of the customer first in this slapfight, but if we miss a single episode of Bromance before things are resolved, there will be hell to pay. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
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