Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Hasbro Unveils First Power Rangers Beast Morphers Season 2 Toys

The very first toys for Hasbro’s upcoming second season of Power Rangers Beast Morphers are here!


For the first time ever, fans can check out the Beast-X King Morpher, the brand new Morpher our heroes will use to tap into the powers of Beast-X Mode, premiering on Nickelodeon in 2020. Beast-X Mode will give the Rangers an even more powerful armor to take down foes, initially being made available for the team’s core three Rangers of Devon, Ravi, and Zoey.

The Beast-X King Morpher bears a similar design to a lion, a brand new animal which will power one of the Rangers’ upcoming Zords featured on the show in 2020.

Joining the new Morpher are three new 6″ action figures: the Beast-X Red Ranger, Beast-X Blue Ranger, and Cybervillain Robo Blaze.

These 6 inch action figures will come with a signature weapon, and a special key that can be used in conjunction with the Beast-X Morpher toy sold separately.


Each of the new toys is expected to hit stores shelves in late 2019 to early 2020.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers Season 2 will feature the return of Doctor K from Power Rangers RPM, as well as a dino-themed team-up starring Austin St. John, the original Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. Select heroes from Power Rangers Dino Charge including Brennan Mejia, Yoshi Sudarso, and Davi Santos will also return for the dino-themed teamup.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers Season 2 will also introduce new Zords, new Megazord combinations, and new high-tech weapons.

The season will include 22 brand new episodes, including two holiday themed specials set to air around Halloween and Christmas.

Each episode will air on Nickelodeon at 8:00 a.m. ET/PT, beginning in early 2020. The season will then last the duration of the year, with an annual summer hiatus set to cover the length of the summer.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers will have 44 episodes in its entirety, and air on Nickelodeon from 2019-2020.

Fans can check out the official Power Rangers Beast Morphers synopsis below.

Set in the future, a secret agency combines a newly discovered substance called “Morph-X” with animal DNA to create the Power Rangers Beast Morphers team. The Rangers must fight off an evil sentient computer virus bent on taking over the source of all Ranger power, the Morphin Grid itself. Featuring never-before-seen leather suits and an all-new beast-themed arsenal (including dynamic new Zords), fans should get ready for a season full of secret ops and morphinominal fun.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers stars Rorrie Travis as Devon the Red Ranger, Jasmeet Baduwalia as Ravi the Blue Ranger, Jackie Scislowski as Zoey the Yellow Ranger, Abraham Rodriguez as Nate, Colby Strong as Blaze, Liana Ramirez as Roxy, Kristina Ho as Betty, and Cosme Flores as Ben.

Connect with Power Rangers: powerrangers.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

More Nick: The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Team Up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in New Comic Series from BOOM! Studios!

Original source: Power Rangers NOW.
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Indiana's Fort Wayne Komets to Host Nickelodeon Night Featuring PAW Patrol on Saturday, December 21st, 2019

Fort Wayne, IN - The Fort Wayne Komets will be hosting Nickelodeon Night featuring PAW Patrol at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday, December 21st, 2019!


Kids can meet Marshall, Chase, Rubble and more all courtesy of TAG Art Company before the game! Plus, fans will have the chance to bid on special game-worn jerseys! Proceeds from the jersey auction will benefit local charities selected by Fort Wayne Police & Fire courtesy of The Hagerman Group!

The ice hockey game will see the Komets take on the Cincinnati Cyclones. Puck drops at 7:30 PM.

Tickets are available to purchase now, starting at $13.

Saturday, December 21st, 2019 is also Kids Seat Free Night. Receive a FREE Kids ticket with the purchase of any regular-priced adult ticket. Offer valid at the Memorial Coliseum Box Office Only.

Nickelodeon Night featuring PAW Patrol forms part of The Fort Wayne Komets' 2019-20 promotional schedule. For more information, visit https://www.komets.com/en/promotions.

More Nick: Nickelodeon to Premiere 'The Adventures of Paddington' on Monday, January 20, 2020; To Air Sneak Peek on Friday, December 20, 2019!

Original source: WANE.
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Singapore’s IMDA Partners With Viacom to Co-Fund Content

Singapore’s IMDA Partners With Viacom to Co-Fund Content


Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority is teaming with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) and Asian streamer Hooq to fund and develop local content for distribution in Southeast Asia and India.

Both partnerships are under the aegis of the Capabilities Partnership Programme that is part of the IMDA’s ‘Made With Singapore’ initiative.

VIMN is seeking to increase its Asia-Pacific presence by collaborating with local media companies to produce digital content. The company has expressed interest to board IMDA’s Story Lab Apprenticeship Programme that will provide newly-qualified media professionals opportunities to acquire practical skills. Selected participants will go benefit from a 12-month training programme.

The Hooq collaboration will see the IMDA co-fund Singapore-driven stories produced under the Hooq Originals banner that have the potential to resonate with a wider audience in the region.

The IMDA-Hooq collaboration will see scripts from three ‘WritersLab: Script to Screen’ participants produced as pilots, that will also give the opportunity for local Singaporean production talent to hone their skills. The writing participants will benefit from masterclasses from Hooq executives and their industry partners.

In an era where streamers are reluctant to provide viewership data, Hooq will provide writers with this information from the platform. The idea is to allow them to understand how data can be used to make creative and business decisions.

The content emerging from this partnership will be available on Hooq from mid-2020.

Award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen’s Wet Season that opened the recently concluded Singapore International Film Festival and is currently in local cinemas, was produced in association with Hooq. The company recently inked a three-year, first-look and co-production deal with Chen. Mouly Surya’s 2018 film Marlina The Murderer In Four Acts, a Hooq co-production, was Indonesia’s entry in the erstwhile foreign language category. The company’s recent credits also include another Indonesian film, Guntur Soeharjanto’s Belok Kanan Barcelona, Indian series Bhak, and Malaysian series Babi!.

VIMN, a unit of Viacom Inc. Is composed of several global brands including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

Hooq is a joint venture between Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros, and currently operates in the Philippines, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Singapore.

More Nick: Nickelodeon and Mr. Kiasu Creator Make a Splash with SpongeBob SquarePants x Mr Kiasu Coffeetable Book Collaboration!

Original source: Variety; Additional source: The Business Times.
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The Secret to SpongeBob’s 20-Year Success? Relentless Optimism

The Secret to SpongeBob’s 20-Year Success? Relentless Optimism


Two decades after the birth of SpongeBob SquarePants, the gang’s adventures in Bikini Bottom are once again reaching new audiences through a televised special with Broadway flair.

The SpongeBob Musical: Live On Stage! debuts on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) and tells the story of SpongeBob and his friends as they navigate what could very well be the end of the world.

“We’re going to reach a whole new audience!” actor Ethan Slater, who plays SpongeBob in the SpongeBob Musical, told InsideEdition.com. “It feels really special.”

The beloved Nickelodeon show was turned into a hit Broadway musical in 2016 and went on to earn 12 Tony Award nominations — including one for Slater — before ending its run a little over a year ago. Now, the musical is getting a new life on television and the opportunity to be seen by millions who might have missed the performance at New York City’s Palace Theatre.

Most of the original Broadway cast are reprising their roles in this new reincarnation, including Danny Skinner, who plays Patrick.

“It's like a joy factory,” Skinner told InsideEdition.com of reuniting with his former castmates. “When we closed that last performance … [It was] like, ‘Oh man, I'm never going to get to be with this group of people again.’ But then this came along and it’s just the best thing.”

Gavin Lee plays a tap-dancing, clarinet-playing, show-stopping Squidward. He said the message behind the show is “very much about everyone is equal and everyone has a right to be here.”

"The Best Job in Show Business"

Tom Kenny, who voices the animated SpongeBob on TV, is also making a cameo in the live production as Patchy the Pirate.

“I have the best job in show business,” Kenny told InsideEdition.com. “I wouldn’t trade places with the biggest movie star.”

Kenny’s upbeat attitude may shed light on just what has made SpongeBob so popular for so long. The original TV show, created by animator Stephen Hillenburg, centers on its title character’s life with his pet snail in a pineapple under the sea. It premiered on Nickelodeon in May 1999 and is now the fifth-longest running American animated series.

Tom Kenny on Why We Need SpongeBob Now More Than Ever



Two decades after the birth of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the gang’s adventures in Bikini Bottom are once again reaching new audiences through a televised special with Broadway flair. “The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!” debuts on Dec. 7. The voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny, appears in the show as Patchy the Pirate. InsideEdition.com’s Leigh Scheps has more on why this classic cartoon is still popular 20 years later.

Hillenburg and Kenny had worked together on another hit Nickelodeon show, Rocko’s Modern Life, where Kenny had voiced Heffer.

“He and I just clicked,” Kenny said of Hillenburg. “Steve had this weird little idea about a sponge that works in a fast food restaurant and asked me if I would be interested in voicing the lead character. I loved it! I immediately told him right then and there, ‘If anybody else plays this character, if I turn on my TV and the person that's not me is doing the voice, I'll be sad for the rest of my life.’"

Kenny said that his portrayal of SpongeBob came directly from Hillenburg, including “the optimism, the humorousness, the brand of humor, the style of comedy.”

“It's one of those rare times where I could totally see the finished product the way he described it,” Kenny said.

How did Kenny find SpongeBob’s iconic voice? It was a process, he explained.

“Steve was not somebody who would put his thumb on the scale and just tell you, ‘Hey, do this. I want you to sound like this,’" Kenny said. "He described what the character's inner workings were. It sounds really pretentious when you're talking about a yellow sponge that wears a necktie, but he said, ‘He's half a child and half a grown-up. He goes to boating school and sometimes he and his best friend, Patrick, hold hands and skip around like 4-year-olds."

With that direction, Kenny crafted SpongeBob’s signature voice, which is now instantly recognizable by fans around the world.

"Eternally Relevant"

SpongeBob’s incredible positivity has also had an impact on everyone who plays him.

“What I learned from SpongeBob is to approach life with energy, optimism and just 110 percent effort,” Kenny said.

Slater, who crafted his own version of the character for Broadway, agreed.

“I feel SpongeBob is eternally relevant: the way that he’s able to see the world as its best self, no matter the circumstance," Slater said. "I think SpongeBob embodies that we can always make our worlds better."

Hillenburg passed away last November at the age of 57 after battling ALS. But his legacy continues to flourish through his characters.

In February, SpongeBob made an appearance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show after more than a million fans signed a petition to make the show’s rendition of “Sweet Victory” part of the performance. SpongeBob’s cameo came right between Maroon 5 and Travis Scott, and a video of the special moment quickly went viral.

Special edition, SpongeBob-themed Nike sneakers designed in collaboration with Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving were also a huge hit. “They really went all out,” shoe reviewer Seth Fowler told InsideEdition.com. The shoes were in such high demand that they sold out immediately.

In honor of the show’s 20th anniversary this fall, fans had the chance to visit a life-size pineapple under the sea as part of an immersive experience in Los Angeles. Visitors were able to participate in a scavenger hunt, obstacle courses and photo-ops.

SpongeBob is also kicking off his third decade with a third movie. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run includes characters voiced by Snoop Dogg, Keanu Reeves and Awkwafina in addition to all of the beloved regulars.

In so many ways, Hillenburg’s characters continue to bring so much love and comedy to so many people.

“This show shows community, friendship and how we can all work together,” Skinner said. “Bad things happen, but we have each other and we can make this the best day ever if we choose to.”

The SpongeBob Musical: Live On Stage! will air on Nickelodeon, Nicktoons and TeenNick in the U.S. and YTV in Canada simultaneously Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m ET/PT. Click the following link for more details!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2019/11/nickelodeon-to-premiere-spongebob.html

More Nick: 'The SpongeBob Musical' National Tour Announces Cast & Dates!
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Frank Biondi Jr., Former Head of Viacom and Universal Studios, Passes Away at 74

Frank Biondi Jr., the seasoned entertainment business executive who served tenures as the CEO of Viacom, HBO and Universal Studios, died Monday of cancer. The Los Angeles Times reported he died at his home in Los Angeles. He was 74. Biondi is survived by Carol Biondi, his wife of 45 years, as well as daughters Anne Biondi Simonds and Jane Biondi Munna. R.I.P. Frank Biondi Jr. I extend my condolences to Biondi's loved ones in this difficult time.


Frank Biondi, former CEO of Viacom, smiles as he takes questions during a news conference announcing a new cable network, the Tennis Channel, in 2001. (Beth A. Keiser / Associated Press)

From The Los Angeles Times:

Frank Biondi Jr., former head of Viacom and Universal Studios, dies at 74

Frank Biondi Jr., who became one of the leading architects of the modern-day media industry while leading companies such as Viacom, Universal Studios and HBO, died early Monday.

Biondi, who was 74, died of bladder cancer at his home in Los Angeles, his daughter Jane Biondi Munna told The Times.

A highly regarded businessman, Biondi helped build HBO and Viacom into formidable entertainment companies and oversaw some of the most important media brands during the 1980s and 1990s. He also served as chairman and chief executive of Universal Studios, and held key entertainment executive roles at Sesame Workshop and Coca-Cola, when it owned Columbia Pictures.

Biondi was a sharp and low-key business executive who understood complicated finances but was also known for his calm, pleasant and straightforward demeanor, often in sharp contrast with the sometimes difficult personalities he worked for.

Hailing from suburban New Jersey, he became a star baseball player before enrolling in Princeton University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1966.

Later, armed with an MBA from Harvard, he had a short career as a financial analyst on Wall Street.

But after the market hammered cable stocks in the early 1970s, he found refuge in a nonprofit called the Children’s Television Workshop, which produced such classics as “Sesame Street” and “Electric Company.”

In the mid-1970s, he was offered the job of head of movie acquisition for Home Box Office, a role he turned down. But the HBO executives were persistent and Biondi joined the budding cable network in 1978, a role he got with the help of longtime friend Michael Fuchs.

“I thought this was really a silly job, to be honest with you, because you paid $.30 - $.40 a movie,” Biondi said in an interview with the industry group now known as the Cable Center. “It sounded like an accountant’s job. So I turned him down. They were mystified. How could I do that?”

He became the president and chief executive of HBO in 1983 and helped establish the successful model of a premium subscription channel with boxing and blockbuster Hollywood movies.

“Frank is not a flamboyant person, as you know,” Fuchs once told the Associated Press. “He picks his spots and picks his words. He’s thoughtful. That puts him in the minority of high visibility entertainment executives.”

Biondi is best known for his lengthy tenure as president and CEO of Viacom, the parent company of MTV, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. He joined the media giant, controlled by chairman Sumner Redstone, in 1987.

During Biondi’s run at Viacom, the firm transformed itself from a debt-heavy cable and theater company into an entertainment colossus by acquiring Paramount Communications and Blockbuster Video for a total of $18 billion.

Biondi, known for his quick mind and facility with numbers, was credited with helping Redstone quickly integrate Viacom’s divisions after the purchases of Paramount and Blockbuster, two of the biggest acquisitions in the New York company’s history. He was widely described as a calm and easygoing foil to the sharp-elbowed Redstone.

During his run, the company’s successes including the Oscar-winning film “Braveheart,” the irreverent MTV cartoon “Beavis and Butt-Head” and the TV sitcom “Fraiser.”

Redstone, however, surprised investors in 1996 when he fired Biondi, saying he wanted the company to “move faster” and that Biondi’s management approach wasn’t working. Biondi, at the time, said he disagreed with the decision but accepted it.

“Sumner came in my office about 3:30 on ... I don’t even remember what day of the week it was anymore,” Biondi recalled in the 2000 Cable Center interview. “He said, ‘I want to make a change. I always wanted to run my own company. It’s been great. I’ll be great.’”

Biondi was immediately hired by Seagram Co. scion Edgar Bronfman Jr. to lead the liquor company’s entertainment enterprise, Universal Studios, formerly known as MCA. However, the entertainment division, in which Seagram had acquired an 80% stake in 1995, was struggling with film flops and executive turmoil as the parent company tried to manage its film, TV, music and theme parks business.

Biondi was fired in 1998 amid a broader shakeup of the company by Bronfman, who was criticized for leading the entertainment division without a clear strategy. Leadership of entertainment brands, including its movie and TV studio and theme parks business, fell to Ron Meyer. Biondi, at the time, said it was clear Bronfman wanted “to run the business himself.”

Leaving Universal after just over two years in the job, Biondi exited with a hefty settlement, reportedly worth more than $25 million, from Seagram.

Since 1999, Biondi has served as senior managing director of WaterView Advisors and was on the boards of several companies, including Madison Square Garden, AMC Networks and STX Entertainment. Robert Simonds, the head of STX Entertainment, is Biondi’s son-in-law.

An avid tennis player, Biondi also helped finance the 2001 launch of the Tennis Channel, now owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Biondi is survived by Carol Biondi, his wife of 45 years, as well as daughters Anne Biondi Simonds and Jane Biondi Munna.

###

From Variety:

Frank Biondi Jr., Former Viacom and Universal Studios Head, Dies at 74

Frank Biondi, former CEO of Viacom, smiles as he takes questions during a news conference announcing a new cable network, The Tennis Channel, in New York. Biondi, a lead investor in the new channel, helped announce the summer 2002 launch of the all tennis networkTV TENNIS CHANNEL, NEW YORK, USA. CREDIT: BETH A KEISER/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK

Frank Biondi Jr., the seasoned entertainment business executive who served tenures as the CEO of HBO, Viacom and Universal Studios, died Monday of cancer. The Los Angeles Times reported he died at his home in Los Angeles. He was 74.

Biondi was the consummate example of the kind of polished, Ivy League-trained business executives who rose through the ranks in the entertainment industry in the 1980s and ‘90s. He was a respected leader known as a whiz with financial data and high-level dealmaking, but he left the creative side of network and studio operations to others.

Biondi was remembered by friends and colleagues as a key player in shaping the contemporary media and entertainment industries. Robert Simonds, chairman-CEO of STX Entertainment who is married to Biondi’s daughter Anne, considered him a mentor.

“Anne and I are devastated to lose Frank so young,” Simonds said. “He was not only an icon and mentor to me, as he was to so many in our industry, he was a noble, kind and beloved father to us and an extraordinary grandfather to our children. We cherish the life and memories we shared and we will proudly carry on his legacy.”

Highly regarded as plain-spoken and gentlemanly, he was content to stay out of the direct spotlight for a decade while working for the larger-than-life Viacom mogul Sumner Redstone. He was famously fired by Redstone in January 1996 after a nine-year run as Viacom’s CEO — a move that helped cement Redstone’s reputation as a mercurial boss.

Biondi was immediately courted by Seagrams’ Edgar Bronfman Jr., then the new owner of Universal Studios. (Redstone tried unsuccessfully to block Biondi from joining the rival studio.) But barely two years later Biondi was ousted in a restructuring amid a slump at Universal and the arrival of Barry Diller as a business partner of Bronfman. After Universal, Biondi never returned to a major executive role.

In 1999, Biondi and several partners formed WaterView Advisors, an investment firm focused on media and technology companies. WaterView had a rocky run in its first few years following the initial dot-com collapse.

In January 2006, activist investor Carl Icahn enlisted Biondi as his choice to be CEO of Time Warner as Icahn waged a proxy fight to shake up the board and management of the company that was still reeling from the AOL merger debacle. Icahn’s proxy battle was settled a few months later.

He was much in demand as a director for public media and tech firms. In recent years, Biondi served on the boards of AMC Networks, Madison Square Garden Co. and ViaSat. His past board seats included Cablevision Systems Corporation, RealD, Hasbro, Yahoo! and Harrah’s Entertainment.

Biondi grew up in New Jersey, the son of a Bell Telephone executive. After graduating from Livingston High School in 1962, he earned a BA in psychology from Princeton University in 1966 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1968.

Biondi’s early career included serving as assistant treasurer from 1974 to 1978 at “Sesame Street” producer Children’s Television Workshop. He moved on to Time Inc. as a VP from 1978 to 1984. He took on additional duties as CEO of Time Inc.’s HBO in 1982. Two years later, Biondi exited Time Inc. after he was replaced as HBO CEO by Michael Fuchs. Biondi moved on to become CEO of Coca-Cola Television from 1985 to 1987, during the period when the soft drink giant owned Columbia Pictures.

In 1987, Biondi was recruited by Redstone to run Viacom, the home of MTV, Nickelodeon and other cable channels, which Redstone acquired the same year. Biondi was a key player five years later when Redstone battled Barry Diller for ownership of Paramount Pictures.

He married ABC research executive Carol Oughton in 1974. His other survivors include a daughter, Jane.

###

From TheWrap:

Frank Biondi Jr, Former Viacom and Universal Studios CEO, Dies at 74

Executive also served as president and CEO of HBO

Former HBO, Viacom and Universal Studios chief executive Frank Biondi Jr. has died at the age of 74.

Biondi died Monday at his home in Los Angeles following a battle with bladder cancer, his daughter told the Los Angeles Times.

As an entertainment executive in the 1980s and ’90s, Biondi helped shepherd the rise of HBO and Viacom after a brief tenure at Children’s Television Workshop serving as a producer on “Sesame Street.”

Biondi first joined HBO in 1978, later rising to president and chief executive in 1983. He was tapped by Sumner Redstone to serve as CEO of Viacom four years later and would go on to oversee the company’s acquisitions of Paramount Communications and Blockbuster Video. However, Redstone fired Biondi in 1996, publicly criticizing his management style in the process.

After his exit from Viacom, Biondi was hired to lead Universal, a job he held for two years.

In the time since, Biondi helped to launch the Tennis Channel and served on the boards of Madison Square Garden, AMC Networks and STX Entertainment.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Biondi, and daughters Anne and Jane.

###

From Variety:

Remembering Frank Biondi Jr., the Exec Who Was Viacom’s ‘Secret Weapon’

Frank Biondi Jr. was never a flashy CEO. He rarely stood in the spotlight at the media companies he led.

But Biondi, who died Nov. 25 at age 74, was a hugely influential figure for a generation of executives who worked for him at HBO, Columbia Pictures Television, Viacom and Universal Studios.

Friends and colleagues remember Biondi as a low-key manager who was buttoned up when it came to business but was never afraid to take a gamble on something that had the backing of his top lieutenants.

“He provided a lot of energy and leader­ship for Viacom at a time when we were deep in debt and we were only able to make a few bets to move ourselves forward,” says Tom Freston, a fellow former Viacom CEO and longtime head of MTV Networks.

Sherry Lansing, who headed Paramount Pictures during Biondi’s time at Viacom, recalls an executive who was equal parts brilliant and kind. “He was calm in all situations,” Lansing says. “He was calm during the bad times, and he was calm — although happy — when we would have a big hit.”

Matt Blank, former Showtime chairman-CEO, first met Biondi when they were working together at Time Inc. and HBO in the late 1970s. It was Biondi who persuaded Blank to move over to Showtime not long after Biondi was recruited by Sumner Redstone to be CEO of Viacom in 1987. “You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who helped more people and guided the careers of more executives than Frank,” Blank says.

Biondi was a quick study on any given subject, attentive and always accessible, friends and colleagues say. Those qualities made him a strong leader and counterpart to the mercurial Redstone. Biondi had a way of making executives feel that he was rooting for them.

“When you made a call to Frank, he always returned it very quickly, and he always tried to be helpful,” Blank says.

The growth of Viacom on Biondi’s watch attracted attention from the business press. The CEO wound up in the unfamiliar position of being front and center of a New Yorker profile by Ken Auletta, published in January 1995, with the headline “Redstone’s Secret Weapon.” One year later, Redstone would fire Biondi — a decision that Viacom veterans to this day believed was spurred by Redstone’s envy over the praise for Biondi in the pages of The New Yorker.

“It was obvious especially in the early days that Frank was the guy calling the shots and running the show,” Freston says. “Sumner was watching the stock price.”

Biondi was also a role model in how he conducted himself outside the office, starting with his devotion to his family and his wife of 45 years, former ABC executive Carol Oughton.

“He would leave the office at 6 o’clock,” Freston recalls. “He drove a modest car. He did not lead a fancy life in any way. For Frank, it was family first, then Viacom, and then sports. He was a hell of a tennis player.”

Biondi grew up in New Jersey, the son of a Bell Telephone executive. After graduating from Livingston High School in 1962, he earned a BA in psychology from Princeton University in 1966 and an MBA from Harvard in 1968.

His early career included serving as assistant treasurer from 1974 to 1978 at “Sesame Street” producer Children’s Television Workshop. He moved on to Time Inc. as a VP from 1978 to 1984. He took on additional duties as CEO of Time Inc.’s HBO in 1982. Biondi left to become CEO of Coca-Cola Television from 1985 to 1987, during the period when the soft drink giant owned Columbia Pictures.

By the time he landed at Viacom, Biondi had gained experience in virtually every aspect of the media business, from production and distribution to running a pay-TV startup to wheeling and dealing on high-level acquisitions.

Freston cites Biondi’s decision to give the OK to produce original animated series for MTV and Nickelodeon as an example of his leadership style. He did it because he had faith in the team leading the charge. “He believed in MTV and Nickelodeon,” Freston says. “He greenlighted the strategy that led to ‘Rugrats’ and ‘Doug’ and ‘Ren & Stimpy,’ and those animated properties went on to become some of the biggest revenue drivers for all of Viacom.”

Biondi also had a strong competitive streak. Freston recalls persuading Biondi in a three-minute phone call in 1989 to allow Viacom to announce the launch of a comedy-focused cable channel after they learned that HBO was about to announce a comedy cabler. The result, after some twists and turns, was Comedy Central, which remains one of Viacom’s biggest assets.

But at the time, there was no such strategic vision, just a desire to play spoiler to Biondi’s former employer.

“We invented the whole thing that morning,” Freston recalls. “There was no business plan. It was really just meant to foil HBO’s big announcement. The business was much more seat-of-the-pants in those days. Frank was a risk-taker despite the fact that he was also a very buttoned-up guy.”

Biondi faced his share of career ups and downs — after he was ousted at Viacom, he spent about two years as CEO of Universal Studios before the ax fell again amid a broader management shake-up. But he bore no grudges, friends say. He had no trouble keeping business and personal issues distinct in his mind.

“Frank stayed very close to some of the people he worked with over the years,” Blank says. Blank notes that he made a point of reaching out to Biondi earlier this year to get his perspective on a possible business opportunity. His counsel, as ever, was sharp and insightful. “He took great pleasure in seeing [executives] go on to have their own successes,” Blank says. “He always made you feel like you were part of the family.”

Lansing echoes that sentiment. “He was an inspiration to me in how to conduct a meaningful life,” she says. “He valued his wife and his children above all else. He rose to the very top of the entertainment industry, but he never lost sight of what was important in life.”

###

Originally published: Monday, November 25, 2019.

CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc. Announce Expected Closing Date of Merger

CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc. Announce Expected Closing Date of Merger

ViacomCBS Transaction Expected to Close on December 4 and
Trading of ViacomCBS on Nasdaq Expected to Begin December 5


NEW YORK — Nov. 25, 2019 — CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A, CBS) and Viacom Inc. (Nasdaq: VIAB, VIA) today announced that their pending merger is currently expected to close after market hours on Wednesday, December 4th. Immediately following the closing, the combined company will be renamed “ViacomCBS Inc.” (“ViacomCBS”), and it is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) on Thursday, December 5th under the new ticker symbols “VIACA” and “VIAC”.

As part of the listing, ViacomCBS will also become eligible for future inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index.

Following the merger, with CBS continuing as the surviving company, CBS will delist its Class A and Class B common stock from the NYSE and will list the Class A and Class B common stock of the combined company, including the outstanding shares of CBS Class A and Class B common stock (which will remain outstanding shares of ViacomCBS), on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”). Trading of the Class A and Class B common stock of ViacomCBS on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbols “VIACA” and “VIAC,” respectively, is expected to commence on the trading day following the effective time of the merger. Until the merger and subsequent transfer of listing to Nasdaq are complete, the CBS Class A and Class B common stock will continue to trade on the NYSE under the ticker symbols “CBS.A” and “CBS,” respectively. The completion of the merger remains subject to customary closing conditions.

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 (Nasdaq: VIAB, VIA) 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 http://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).

Important Information About the Pending Merger Between CBS and Viacom and Where To Find It

In connection with the pending merger between CBS Corporation (“CBS”) and Viacom Inc. (“Viacom”), CBS has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333‑234238) (the “Registration Statement”) that includes a joint consent solicitation statement of CBS and Viacom and that also constitutes a prospectus of CBS (the “joint consent solicitation statement / prospectus”). The Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on October 25, 2019. Viacom and CBS commenced mailing the definitive joint consent solicitation statement / prospectus to Viacom stockholders and CBS stockholders on or about October 28, 2019. This communication is not a substitute for the joint consent solicitation statement / prospectus or Registration Statement or any other document which CBS or Viacom may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF CBS AND VIACOM ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE JOINT CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT / PROSPECTUS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PENDING MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the Registration Statement, which includes the joint consent solicitation statement / prospectus, and other documents filed with the SEC by CBS and Viacom through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or by contacting the investor relations department of CBS (+1-212-975-4321 or +1-877-227-0787; investorrelations@CBS.com) or Viacom (+1-212-846-6700 or +1-800-516-4399; investor.relations@Viacom.com).

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, buy or sell any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

Cautionary Notes on Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “may,” “target,” similar expressions and variations or negatives of these words. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about the consummation of the pending merger and the anticipated benefits thereof. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, including the failure to consummate the pending merger or to make any filing or take other action required to consummate such transaction in a timely matter or at all. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (i) the pending merger may not be completed on anticipated terms and timing, (ii) a condition to closing of the pending merger may not be satisfied, (iii) the anticipated tax treatment of the pending merger may not be obtained, (iv) the potential impact of unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, costs, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition and losses on the future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the combined business after the consummation of the pending merger, (v) litigation relating to the pending merger against CBS, Viacom or their respective directors, (vi) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the pending merger, (vii) any negative effects of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the pending merger on the market price of CBS’ or Viacom’s common stock and on CBS’ or Viacom’s operating results, (viii) risks associated with third party contracts containing consent and/or other provisions that may be triggered by the pending merger, (ix) the risks and costs associated with the integration of, and the ability of CBS and Viacom to integrate, the businesses successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies, (x) the risk that disruptions from the pending merger will harm CBS’ or Viacom’s business, including current plans and operations, (xi) the ability of CBS or Viacom to retain and hire key personnel and uncertainties arising from leadership changes, (xii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments, (xiii) the other risks described in CBS’ and Viacom’s most recent annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and (xiv) management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors.

These risks, as well as other risks associated with the pending merger, are more fully discussed in the joint consent solicitation statement / prospectus included in the Registration Statement. While the list of factors presented here and the list of factors presented in the Registration Statement 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.

###

From The Hollywood Reporter via Billboard:

Viacom, CBS Set Date to Close Merger

CBS Corp. and Viacom said they will close their recombination, creating ViacomCBS, after the market close Dec. 4. The combined company's stock will start trading Thursday, Dec. 5.

The companies this summer unveiled the latest entertainment industry mega-deal, which comes 14 years after Sumner Redstone split his entertainment empire in two with the idea of having two focused companies. The Redstone family will continue to control the combined firm.

Management previously said the merger would close in early December, with Shari Redstone recently saying it would be at the "very beginning" of the month.

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish will lead the merged ViacomCBS as president and CEO, while CBS Corp. acting chief Joe Ianniello will become chairman and CEO of the CBS branded assets. CBS CFO Christina Spade will serve as CFO of the merged firm, and Shari Redstone, vice chair of both companies, will serve as chair of the combined entity.

ViacomCBS will own the Paramount Pictures studio, the CBS broadcast network, such cable network brands as MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and the Paramount Network, as well as such streaming services as CBS All Access, Showtime OTT and Pluto TV. It will have a library of 3,600 film titles and 140,000 TV episodes.

ViacomCBS will also boast a 22 percent share of the U.S. television audience, larger than Comcast, Disney, Fox Corp., Discovery or WarnerMedia.

The stocks of both Viacom and CBS have been trading lower since the merger was first announced as analysts and investors have questioned how much the merged company can thrive beyond the initial phase of cost reductions. "The skepticism is very motivating," Shari Redstone recently said. "We need to prove to the market that we can execute on what our strategy is."

###

From Reuters:

CBS ordered to disclose internal records on Viacom deal

(Reuters) - A Delaware judge on Monday ordered broadcaster CBS Corp to turn over records regarding its plan to reunite with Viacom Inc to a shareholder who wants to investigate if the deal unfairly benefits Shari Redstone, who controls both companies.

The deal is scheduled to close on Dec. 4, combining CBS television network, CBS News, Showtime cable networks with MTV Networks, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and the Paramount movie studios.

The judge, Joseph Slights of Delaware’s Court of Chancery, ordered CBS to turn over materials the CBS board discussed when considering the merger with Viacom, which was split from CBS 13 years ago.

The company was also ordered to provide documents regarding the nomination and appointment of board members to the special committee that approved the merger earlier this year, as well as some communications between Redstone and the board.

CBS declined to comment and Viacom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shareholders were not given the opportunity to vote on the deal, which follows two recent failed attempts to merge the companies that are both controlled by National Amusements Inc, the holding company of Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari.

Larry Hamermesh, a professor at Delaware Law School in Wilmington, said the shareholder is likely to seek damages after the merger closes, rather than trying to block a deal that is closing soon.

Also on Monday, a Viacom shareholder, Louis Wilen, filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the board of Viacom in the same court. The complaint was filed under seal and no details beyond the parties’ names were disclosed.

Shari Redstone’s 2018 proposed merger with Viacom was rejected by the CBS board, a battle that pitted her against Les Moonves, who said the deal was harmful to CBS shareholders.

Moonves was ousted as chief executive officer in September 2018, and National Amusements settled the litigation with an agreement not to seek a merger of the companies for at least two years.

Slights also ordered records from the earlier merger attempts to be turned over to the shareholder, Bucks County Employees Retirement Fund.

Slights found evidence that the deal may bail out Redstone’s stake in Viacom and that Redstone may have violated the 2018 agreement.

Slights did reject some of the requests for information. The judge declined to order the production of documents to determine the independence of CBS directors and refused to order CBS to turn over expert reports from the litigation over the proposed 2018 merger.

###

From Wellston Journal:

CBS-Viacom merger leads to big payouts for top execs

The merger of Viacom and CBS is shaping up to be lucrative for its top two execs.

Acting CBS Chief Executive Joe Ianniello, who will be chairman and CEO of CBS at the combined firm, will bank a hefty payout of $70 million when the deal closes. That payout is tied to a provision in his old CBS contract that entitled him to a lump sum if he wasn’t named CEO of ViacomCBS.

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish, who will grab the reins as president and CEO of the combined ViacomCBS, will see his total compensation jump 55 percent to about $31 million a year, according to an SEC filing.

Last week, Viacom and CBS, to reunite under National Amusements, the holding company of the incapacitated media mogul Sumner Redstone. The $27 billion deal brings together Viacom’s cable channels Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and movie studio Paramount Pictures, with CBS’ broadcast network and cable channel Showtime.

The deal is expected to close by year’s end. As reported by The Post, it could close within the next three months, given that National Amusements Inc., which owns an 80% stake in both companies, has the power to fast-track the deal’s closing if it doesn’t meet regulatory opposition.

Bakish, whose new contract ends four years after the deal closes, will see his salary rise 3% to $3.1 million,

The CEO is eligible for a $12.4 million bonus, up 77%, as well as a $16 million incentive package, up about 60%.

Bakish will also nab a one-time stock grant of ViacomCBS shares worth $5 million.

###

From the Los Angeles Times:

Viacom and CBS reunite in $12 billion deal, but challenges abound

Shari Redstone, who helped engineer the merger, becomes the first chairwoman in Viacom’s history.(Evan Agostini / Invision/AP)

Long known as the squabbling siblings of media, CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. are poised to finally reunite after 13 years apart.

The much-anticipated corporate union, which will be called ViacomCBS Inc., is set to conclude Wednesday after the markets close. The Viacom name gets top billing even though CBS is more valuable.

The merger culminates a three-year campaign by Shari Redstone — daughter of the ailing mogul Sumner Redstone — who out-maneuvered her father’s long-time lieutenants to merge the New York-based media companies.

“This merger was born out of necessity,” said Peter Csathy, chairman of CREATV, an Orange County advisory firm. “It is no mystery that scale is what everyone has been looking for in this fundamentally changing media space.”

Shares in the reconstituted company, which will be valued at about $25 billion, will begin trading Thursday on the Nasdaq market under ticker symbols, VIAC and VIACA.

The all-stock transaction is worth nearly $12 billion, which was the market capitalization of Viacom, the media company that owns MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET and Paramount Pictures, the movie studio known for “Top Gun” and the “Transformers” franchises.

CBS and Viacom stock have each dropped about 20% since the merger was announced in August. CBS closed Tuesday down 1.3%, or 52 cents, to $39.34. Viacom closed down 1.22%, or 29 cents, to $23.47.

Investors are concerned that ViacomCBS has too much exposure in traditional businesses, including TV advertising and cable channels, which have been pummeled by cord-cutting. While CBS has moved into streaming, its offerings have been less ambitious than those launched by rivals.

The merger is latest in the wave of media consolidations. Last year, telecommunications colossus AT&T acquired HBO, CNN, TBS and the Warner Bros. studio in an $85-billion deal. In March, Disney completed a $71.3-billion acquisition of much of Rupert Murdoch’s Hollywood holdings, including 20th Century Fox film and television studios.

CBS and Viacom suddenly found themselves medium-sized players. Both were weakened by years of boardroom battles, costly lawsuits, and management woes.

The company must quickly bring together two starkly different corporate cultures and increase revenue to retain such expensive properties as CBS’ partnership with the NFL. Corporate leaders also must decide whether to push more aggressively into streaming or become a larger content supplier to Netflix and others.

“The company’s digital strategy is trying to strike a tricky balance between licensing revenues, growing its own streaming services and not cannibalizing its legacy revenue,” Barclays Capital media analyst Kannan Venkateshwar wrote in a recent report.

Viacom made its debut as a public company in 1971 when it was spun off from CBS after the Federal Communications Commission ruled that the three television networks could not syndicate their own programming.

The two companies merged in 2000, but six years later, Sumner Redstone separated them again, amid fears that CBS would drag down Viacom, which then was the faster growing company. But within a decade, roles had reversed and it was venerable CBS that had more clout.

Viacom Chief Executive Bob Bakish becomes president and chief executive of the new entity, and he will have a seat on the board.

Shari Redstone becomes the first chairwoman in Viacom’s history.

CBS’ acting CEO, Joseph Ianiello is in line to collect $100 million in severance, including $79 million cash, at the deal’s close. Ianniello received a new 15-month contract, entitling him to tens of millions of dollars more.

Shari Redstone first attempted to facilitate the merger in 2016, but retreated. She tried again in 2018 but was rebuffed by then-CBS chief Leslie Moonves. He was forced out a year ago amid a sexual harassment scandal and the boards of two companies eventually concluded they needed to bulk up.

Though it will be smaller than its rivals — Disney’s market value is $268 billion — ViacomCBS will be one the largest players in TV advertising, capturing an estimated 20% of viewership to traditional television outlets. It also will spend more than $13 billion a year to produce content with plans to increase its profile in video streaming space with CBS All Access, digital news channel CBSN, Showtime and Pluto TV.

The company’s library is stocked with more than 140,000 television episodes, including lucrative children’s franchises including “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and more than 3,600 movie titles.

It will also have international exposure with networks in Britain, Australia and Argentina. CBS’ premium channel, Showtime, once again will have access to movies from Paramount Pictures’ deep library.

The merger was approved by the Redstone family and ratified by the boards of both companies.

###

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Does ViacomCBS Need to Slim Down to Scale Up?

Mogul Shari Redstone must convince Wall Street that ViacomCBS' sprawling set of assets will deliver the profits needed to keep pace with entertainment giants.

As the two companies prepare to recombine, some Wall Street skeptics hope the mogul will sell "non-core" assets (like book publishing, real estate or even a TV channel) to better position the firm for investors.
After Jeff Bewkes was made CEO of Time Warner in 2007, he sold off AOL, Time Warner Cable and even corporate namesake Time Inc. to focus the firm's energies on the creation and distribution of film and TV content (and aggressively position it for an eventual sale to AT&T). Rupert Murdoch, for decades an acquirer, sold most of 21st Century Fox to Disney this year for $71.3 billion to concentrate on live sports and news with Fox Corp.

Now, as ViacomCBS officially forms (expected on Dec. 4), Wall Street analysts and insiders are predicting that controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, CEO Bob Bakish and president and acting CBS CEO Joseph Ianniello are pondering a similar strategy — call it slimming down to scale up.

To be sure, investors are clamoring for something of significance, given shares of both CBS and Viacom have sunk steadily, wiping roughly $10 billion off the combined firm's market cap since they revealed Aug. 13 that they would merge. Bakish's pronouncement of a minimum $500 million in cost synergies within two years just isn't cutting it.

Indeed, there are assets that stick out as divestiture possibilities, such as book publisher Simon & Schuster and Watch! magazine. At CBS, where Simon & Schuster resides, overall revenue rose 6 percent in 2018 to $14.5 billion, but its publishing segment saw a slight decline to $825 million.

"It wouldn't perhaps be far-fetched to think of the book publishing business as a non-core asset for potential divestiture for ViacomCBS," says CFRA Research analyst Tuna Amobi, noting that the division "has recently been a drag on CBS' overall results while also unlikely to play a meaningful strategic role in the direct-to-consumer transition for the combined company."

Beyond narrowing its focus to growth areas with potential — such as selling content to D-to-C streaming platforms like Netflix and investing in its own services, like CBS All Access — the company could use proceeds of asset sales to pay down its $17.4 billion debt. Divesting for a more narrow focus was already a strategy employed by former CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who shed the billboard business in 2013 and radio three years later.

Just before he was forced out in September 2018, Moonves even sold CBS Television City in Los Angeles to Hackman Capital Partners for $750 million, and a source tells The Hollywood Reporter that the merged ViacomCBS will review its real estate portfolio, looking to cash in on a strong market. CBS, for example, considered selling its "Black Rock" skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan for $370 million in 2000, though it could fetch four times that today, based on square-foot averages.


Even Paramount Pictures was in play in 2016, but Viacom couldn't find a suitable buyer willing to pony up at least $10 billion for a hefty stake in the century-old movie studio. Now that CBS All Access, Showtime OTT and Pluto TV are in need of premium content, a sale of Paramount is unlikely, though some on Wall Street wouldn't mind if ViacomCBS sold off some slow-moving cable channels, such as MTV and VH1, even though they've seen some upticks in Nielsen ratings lately.

While Viacom has suggested that revenue synergies could eventually swell to $1.2 billion for the combined firm, Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger stated in a recent report, "We don't believe in the theory," further indicating a need to jettison underperforming assets. This fall, some analysts reduced their near-term growth prospects for ViacomCBS after a regulatory filing indicated that cash flow could fall below expectations amid the merged company's plans to spend at least $13 billion creating content annually for its various platforms.

"The company's management (and the new board) should move quickly to help erase the stench of this deal process by selling non-core assets and aggressively cutting costs," says MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson. Gimme Credit analyst Dave Novosel echoes, "Speculation is that the combined company may seek to sell non-core assets to reduce leverage."


Wall Street watchers have predicted savings will come from such corporate functions as legal, finance, human resources, government relations, communications and technology operations, so employees in those functions are at risk of losing their jobs. At stake are as many as 2,000 jobs, or 9 percent of the ViacomCBS total. Bakish has emphasized that the savings target would not include production and marketing costs amid intense competition for premium content in the streaming era.

On a November earnings conference call, Bakish laid out four key areas of revenue synergy opportunities: distribution, advertising, content licensing and streaming, and he touted a library of 140,000 TV episodes and 3,600 films. "This level of volume is sufficient to supply both our needs and third parties," he said.

And if ViacomCBS sells assets that don't fit with Bakish's four-pronged attack, it could then go on a buying spree. "We will continue to look at opportunities in the marketplace," Bakish said shortly after the deal was announced. Bankers and analysts speculate that the likes of Lionsgate/Starz and Discovery are future merger partners for ViacomCBS, or it will simply continue to purchase content franchises, as Viacom did in August with a deal for the Garfield property.

After all, Credit Suisse analyst Douglas Mitchelson opined in a report earlier this year: "Even a merged CBS-Viacom is still arguably quite sub-scale compared to the other streaming players."


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More Nick: Nickelodeon and CBS Television Studios Announce New Animated 'Star Trek' Series!

Originally published: Monday, November 25, 2019.
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Visit Santa at Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America

We may not be past Thanksgiving yet, but Santa Claus is already coming to town!


Santa will arrive at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minneapolis on Thursday, November 7 to kick off the holiday season.

The festivities start in the Rotunda at 5 p.m. A parade led by the Eden Prairie High School marching band and the Minnesota Dance Collective will bring Santa through Nickelodeon Universe to Santa Land in the Atrium, where he will meet families and take photos through 9 p.m.

If you can’t make Thursday, don’t fret — Santa will be at the MOA through Christmas Eve (Tuesday, December 24).

Below is the official event description for Photos With Santa at Mall of America:

"Ho, Ho, Ho – Santa Claus will be at Mall of America® starting on November 7! Mall of America has the perfect place to pose for photos with Santa and to share your holiday wish list. So pack up the little ones and head on out to Mall of America to share all the joy of the holidays. Visit Santa at your convenience. No appointment necessary! Share your holiday wishes with Santa and purchase great photo packages and other holiday merchandise."

For more information, visit https://mallofamerica.com/santa

Update (12/4) - Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America has announced it's happy holiday highlights!:

Dates: November 7 - December 31

Location: Park-wide

Happy Holidays from Nickelodeon Universe. Take a break from the cold and celebrate the season with us with unique events, activations, and more all season longs. Check out the full list of events below.

Holiday Light Shows
South Entrance of Nickelodeon Universe
Nightly November 7 – December 31

Monday – Saturday:
Spirit of the Season: 7:30 + 9:30 p.m.
Swingin’ Holidays: 8:30 p.m.

Sunday:
Spirit of the Season: 5 + 7 p.m.
Swingin’ Holidays: 6 p.m.

Yule Log Chute
Near the East Entrance of the Park
November 7 – December 31

The halls have been decked and the stockings have indeed been hung with care, the Yule Log Chute is in full holiday swing at Nickelodeon Universe. Come ride the Log Chute and see Paul and Babe in their Holiday attire. You’ll be ho ho hoing all the way down the flume.

Jingle Bell Rock and Ride
South Entrance of Nickelodeon Universe
Friday + Saturday Nights | December 6 – 21 | 8 – 9:30 p.m.

Join our Holiday Elves for a rockin good time, Friday and Saturday nights in December for a swinging Holiday dance party.

Holiday Workshops with Mad Science
Blue Spot
December 14 + 15, 21 + 22 | 1 – 3 p.m.

Guests will get a little help from Santa’s elves as they create a holiday craft with Mad Science. Must have a Nickelodeon Universe all day wristband to participate.

New Year’s Eve Moonlight Circus
Rotunda + South Entrance of Nickelodeon Universe
December 31 | 6 p.m. – Midnight

Join our Ringleader for a New Year’s countdown complete with lights, music, party favors + a ball drop! Live entertainment by Xelias Aerial Studio at 6:30, 8:30 + 10:30 p.m., including contortion, juggling, unicycle and aerial fabric, will be performing in the Rotunda, meet and greets with your favorite Nickelodeon Characters, giveaways and more! Plus, countdown to 2020 at 10 p.m. + Midnight in the South Entrance of Nickelodeon Universe.

VIP Packages available click here to learn more.

VIP Ticket Includes the following

- Nickelodeon Universe Special Event Wristbands - Wristbands valid one day starting at 4 p.m. December 31, 2019 through March 1, 2020*.
- Food and Non-alcoholic beverages provided by GameWorks.
- Reserve seating at Rotunda aerial arts performances.
- Reserved viewing area for the 10 p.m. or Midnight ball drop from Level 3, South.
- GameWorks 2 hour game card.
- Exclusive 2020 glasses + noise makers.
- Private character meet and greet.

*VIP Check-in starts at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31. Special Event Wristbands valid starting at 4 p.m. December 31 or valid any one day until March 1, 2020.

All service fees are the responsibility of the ticket buyer. Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable. Mall of America is not responsible for any lost or stolen tickets.

Please note that during the holiday season, we have extended our Parental Escort Policy to include New Year's Eve, December 31. The PEP policy will be enforced during mall hours on those dates.

One adult may supervise up to 10 youth. During the Parental Escort hours, anyone 21 years or younger should be prepared to show a Mall of America employee an identification card or photo I.D.s.

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Update (11/8) - From KARE:

Santa arrives at Mall of America

Thousands gathered to help welcome Saint Nicholas Thursday evening at the Rotunda.


BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Tis the season.

Hundreds of people gathered Thursday evening to welcome Santa Claus at the Rotunda at the Mall of America. Santa was joined by the Eden Prairie High School marching band and Minnesota Dance Collaborative.

Santa's introduction began with a parade that went through the north side of Nickelodeon Universe and ended at the Santaland in the Atrium.

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From FOX 9:

Santa Claus arrives at Mall of America

Santa Claus will be at the Mall of America through Christmas Eve.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Christmas spirit is in full swing at the Mall of America.

Thursday night, Santa Claus arrived at the mall, where he will be making his list and checking it twice this holiday season.

The Mall of America kicked off his arrival with performances from the Eden Prairie High School marching band and a parade through Nickelodeon Universe. Jolly Ol' St. Nick then began meeting with boys and girls to hear their special Christmas wishes.

Santa will be in Santa Land in the North Atrium every day until Christimas Eve. For a full list of Santa's schedule at Mall of America, click here.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream to Open Friday, October 25, 2019!

Originally published: Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Original source: FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Holidays at Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon Israel's Hit Drama 'The Missing' to Get Indian Remake

Abundantia Entertainment partners with ADD Content to adapt one of the biggest Israeli Dramas, The Missing in India


Global content creation and distribution company ADD Content has signed a deal with Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment to develop an Indian remake of hit Young Adult (YA) drama series The Missing! The original series, titled Ne’elamim/נעלמים in Israel, is created by Yaron Arazi and produced by ADD Content, and has had three hit seasons on Nickelodeon Hot in Israel and has recently been commissioned for a fourth.

Abundantia Entertainment is India’s premier content creator with a focus on the progressive, evolving Indian youth sector, and will adapt The Missing under ‘FILTERS’ – its new content vertical focused on creating IP in the young adult genre.

The Missing is a compelling young adult skewed thriller which follows Emma and Alon, a brother and sister who move to a small town and quickly find out that nothing is quite as it seems in their new neighbourhood, which is awash with murky happenings. The ground water supply has been geologically poisoned, and three teenagers from their high school died under mysterious circumstances a few months earlier – but when an unexplainable photograph of them surfaces, the siblings begin to doubt that they know the full story, as per the official logline.

Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Founder and Head of International at ADD Content said: “The Missing is a gripping series which has built up a strong fan base in Israel, and we’re confident that with Abundantia’s track record of hits for this generation and unrivalled local understanding of the market, we can replicate that success for a whole new audience. We’re also thrilled to be expanding ADD Content’s footprint in Asia with this deal, which marks our commitment to bringing compelling content to this market.”


Founder and CEO at Abundantia Entertainment, Vikram Malhotra, added: “Abundantia has an exciting slate of films and premium original shows in development and production with some of the best creators in the business. At Abundantia, we have always believed in challenging the status quo and disrupting the way stories engage and impact their fans. I am delighted that we have found an amazing YA-focused story in The Missing and a like-minded partner in ADD Content. I look forward to working with Hadas and her team to create the same magic with The Missing in India.”

The Missing is the latest Israeli series that airs on Nickelodeon Israel to get a international remake. The channel's hit drama series The Greenhouse was remade by Netflix as Greenhouse Academy for global audiences, and CBBC are planning a British version of Nick Jr. Israel's Craft Party.

More Nick: Nickelodeon International Renames 'The Covurts' as 'Spyders'; To Premiere in 2020!

Sources: Box Office India, Variety, PTI via Outlook India.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Israel and The Missing News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon Poland Premieres LEGO® 'City Adventures'

NICKELODEON POLAND TO DEBUT LEGO® CITY ADVENTURES, BRAND-NEW ANIMATED SERIES ON MONDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2019

Share it: @NickelodeonPolska @NickAnimation #Nickelodeon


Nickelodeon Poland (Polska) and the LEGO Group will premiere the brand-new high-stakes CG-animated comedy series LEGO® City Adventures on Monday 2nd December 2019 at 16:05. Following the construction of the series premiere, newly constructed episodes will continue to premiere regularly on Nickelodeon Polska. LEGO® City Adventures is locally titled Lego City: Miasto przygód in Poland.

A rollercoaster ride of fantastic fun, the series (10 episodes) depicts the funny, smart, and dynamic slices of life within the sprawling and diverse LEGO City community, following the absurd and action-packed adventures of its residents.

“LEGO CITY is our strongest evergreen property globally, and for the first time we are leveraging episodic content to establish characters and personalities that bring the city to life,” said Jill Wilfert, Vice President, Licensing & Entertainment for LEGO Group. “We’re thrilled to partner with Nickelodeon for this important evolution of LEGO CITY given how well positioned they are to engage children and families with relevant programming.”


“The LEGO brand is known for creating imaginative and innovative content for kids, and we are excited to collaborate with the LEGO Group to bring the unique characters, style and humor of LEGO City Adventures to life on Nickelodeon,” said Layla Lewis, SVP of Global Acquisitions and Content Partnerships, Nickelodeon.

LEGO City Adventures explores the intertwining paths of the city's everyday heroes as they work together to stop a mysterious master criminal who begins to wreak havoc on their town. In the premiere episode “Cubs and Robbers”, a movie promotion stunt goes wrong, unleashing a humongous ‘Cubby the Cop’ balloon on the city. Then, in “Billy the Bug”, Fire Chief McCloud accidentally buys a malfunctioning Twirly Hat for her nephew.

LEGO City Adventures – Extended Trailer


Citizens of LEGO City introduced throughout the series include: Sergeant Duke DeTain (Joe Zieja, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4), an overly heroic cop; Freya McCloud (Misty Lee, DC Super Hero Girls), a crisis-ready fire chief; Shirley Keeper (Alex Cazares, The Loud House), the grumpy street sweeper; Harl Hubbs (Daniel MK Cohen, Fixed), an overeager handyman; Tippy Dorman (James Arnold Taylor, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), an expert doorman with a secret; Solomon Fleck (Roger Craig Smith, Avengers Assemble), the dedicated city mayor; Percival “Wheelie” Wheeler (Mick Lauer, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal), a skateboarding police chief and more.

Created and produced by LEGO Group, LEGO City Adventures is also produced by Flaunt Animation (Scotland) and Passion Pictures (France) and written by Jon Colton Barry (Phineas and Ferb), Steven Banks (SpongeBob SquarePants), Jamie Moyer (Modern Family) and Brian Hunt (Second City Chicago). Jason Oliveri is the executive in charge of LEGO City Adventures for Nickelodeon.


Fans can visit nick.com.pl to watch short-form video clips and view pictures from the series. Fans can also Like the official Nickelodeon Polska Facebook page and follow Nickelodeon on Instagram for the latest Nick Jr. news, highlights, video clips and more.

LEGO City Adventures made its world debut on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on Saturday, June 22nd, 2019, and is currently rolling out on several of Nickelodeon’s international territories.



About Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com/. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

About The LEGO Group

The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company with headquarters in Billund, Denmark, and main offices in Enfield, USA, London, UK, Shanghai, China, and Singapore. Founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and based on the iconic LEGO® brick, it is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials. Guided by the company spirit: "Only the best is good enough”, the company is committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold worldwide and can be virtually explored at www.LEGO.com. For more news from the LEGO Group, information about our financial performance and responsibility engagement, please visit http://www.LEGO.com/aboutus.

LEGO CITY



Gdzie szukać śmiechu?
W wybuchowych historiach z LEGO CITY na Nickelodeonie!

LEGO CITY



Gdzie szukać śmiechu?
W wybuchowych historiach z LEGO CITY na Nickelodeonie!

From TELEPOLIS.PL:

Netia TV: grudniowe nowości i prezenty w ofercie telewizyjnej

Netia TV święta przed telewizorem

Grudzień w ofercie telewizyjnej Netii to okno otwarte oraz premiery nowych kanałów i kultowych seriali. Wybrane programy będą dostępne bez dodatkowych opłat do 6 stycznia przyszłego roku.

Od 3 grudnia do 6 stycznia przyszłego roku użytkownicy usług telewizyjnych Netii mogą bez dodatkowych opłat oglądać 16 kanałów o zróżnicowanej tematyce: Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Baby TV, Nickelodeon, Nick Junior, Nick Toons Fox HD, Fox Comedy, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, National Geographic People, Comedy Central, Comedy Central Family, Paramount Channel oraz Da Vinci Learning.

Od 20 grudnia 2019 roku oferta kanałów TV Netii powiększy się o kolejne trzy pozycje. Do pakietu Seriale dołączą kanały CBS Reality i AMC, natomiast pakiet Kino zostanie wzbogacony o kanał CBS Europa. Nowe kanały również do 6 stycznia będą dostępne w tzw. oknie otwartym, czyli bez dodatkowych opłat.

Wikingowie w oknie otwartym
W najbliższy czwartek 5 grudnia od godziny 20:00 „odkodowany” zostanie kanał History, dzięki czemu wszyscy klienci Netii, którzy nie posiadają na stałe wykupionego dostępu do pakietu Wiedza i odkrycia (w jego skład wchodzi kanał History), będą mogli bez dodatkowych kosztów obejrzeć dwa premierowe odcinki 6. (finałowego) sezonu serialu „Wikingowie”.

Serial "Wikingowie" ukazuje brutalny i tajemniczy świat nieustraszonych Wikingów. Stworzona przez Michaela Hirsta produkcja była wielokrotnie nagradzana, między innymi Satelitą za najlepszy serial dramatyczny, Złotą Szpulą za najlepszy montaż dźwięku i muzyki oraz IFTĄ za najlepszą scenografię i zdjęcia. Łącznie „Wikingowie” otrzymali 10 statuetek i 38 nominacji.

Wataha magnesem ofert pakietowych
Inna premiera to 3. sezon serialu "Wataha". Produkcji HBO (od 6 grudnia w HBO HD i HBO GO) jest dla Netii okazją do przypomnienia w komunikacji marketingowej o ofercie pakietowej z dostępem do HBO. W Netii światłowodowy dostęp do Internetu 300 Mb/s z HBO GO można kupić za 60 zł miesięcznie, natomiast pakiety Internet z TV z ponad 100 kanałami (w tym HBO HD z HBO GO) za 80 zł. Dodatkowo przez pierwsze 3 miesiące abonenci są zwolnieni z opłat abonamentowych.

###

From infoWire.pl:

Grudniowe nowości i prezenty w ofercie TV Netii

Grudzień w ofercie telewizyjnej Netii obfituje w okna otwarte i premiery, zarówno nowych kanałów, jak i kultowych seriali (np. Wikingowie, Wataha). Wybrane kanały będą dostępne bez dodatkowych opłat aż do 6 stycznia przyszłego roku.

Od wczorajszego popołudnia (3 grudnia) aż do 6 stycznia przyszłego roku użytkownicy usług TV Netii będą mogli bez dodatkowych opłat oglądać aż 16 kanałów o zróżnicowanej tematyce: Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Baby TV, Nickelodeon, Nick Junior, Nick Toons Fox HD, Fox Comedy, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, National Geographic People, Comedy Central, Comedy Central Family, Paramount Channel, Da Vinci Learning.

Z kolei 20 grudnia oferta kanałów TV Netii powiększy się o kolejne trzy pozycje. Do pakietu Seriale dołączą kanały CBS Reality i AMC, natomiast pakiet Kino zostanie wzbogacony o kanał CBS Europa. Nowe kanały również do 6 stycznia będą dostępne w tzw. oknie otwartym, czyli bez dodatkowych opłat.

Wikingowie w oknie otwartym

Już w najbliższy czwartek 5 grudnia od godziny 20:00 „odkodowany” zostanie kanał History, dzięki czemu wszyscy klienci Netii, którzy nie posiadają na stałe wykupionego dostępu do pakietu Wiedza i odkrycia (w jego skład wchodzi kanał History), będą mogli bez dodatkowych kosztów obejrzeć dwa premierowe odcinki 6. (finałowego) sezonu serialu „Wikingowie”.

Serial "Wikingowie" ukazuje brutalny i tajemniczy świat nieustraszonych Wikingów. Stworzona przez Michaela Hirsta produkcja była wielokrotnie nagradzona, m.in. Satelitą za najlepszy serial dramatyczny, Złotą Szpulą za najlepszy montaż dźwięku i muzyki oraz IFTĄ za najlepszą scenografię i zdjęcia. Łącznie „Wikingowie” otrzymali 10 statuetek i aż 38 nominacji.

Wataha magnesem ofert pakietowych

Inna premiera - 3. sezonu serialu "Wataha", produkcji HBO (od 6 grudnia w HBO HD i HBO GO) jest z kolei dla Netii okazją do przypomnienia w komunikacji marketingowej o bardzo atrakcyjnej ofercie pakietowej z dostępem do HBO. W Netii szybki światłowodowy dostęp do internetu 300 Mb/s z HBO GO można bowiem kupić już za 60 zł miesięcznie, natomiast pakiety internet z TV z ponad 100 kanałami (w tym HBO HD z HBO GO) już za 80 zł. Dodatkowo przez pierwsze 3 miesiące abonenci są zwolnieni z opłat abonamentowych.

###

From Media2.pl:

Nowe kanały i świąteczne prezenty w telewizyjnej ofercie Netii

Grudzień w ofercie telewizyjnej Netii obfituje w okna otwarte i premiery, zarówno nowych kanałów, jak i kultowych seriali.
Do 6 stycznia 2020 roku użytkownicy usług TV Netii będą mogli bez dodatkowych opłat oglądać aż 16 kanałów o zróżnicowanej tematyce: Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Baby TV, Nickelodeon, Nick Junior, Nick Toons Fox HD, Fox Comedy, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, National Geographic People, Comedy Central, Comedy Central Family, Paramount Channel, Da Vinci Learning.

Nowe kanały TV

Z kolei 20 grudnia oferta kanałów TV Netii powiększy się o kolejne trzy pozycje. Do pakietu Seriale dołączą kanały CBS Reality i AMC, natomiast pakiet Kino zostanie wzbogacony o kanał CBS Europa. Nowe kanały również do 6 stycznia będą dostępne w tzw. oknie otwartym, czyli bez dodatkowych opłat.

"Wikingowie" w oknie otwartym
Z kolei w czwartek 5 grudnia od godziny 20:00 "odkodowany" zostanie kanał History, dzięki czemu wszyscy klienci Netii, którzy nie posiadają na stałe wykupionego dostępu do pakietu Wiedza i odkrycia (w jego skład wchodzi kanał History), będą mogli bez dodatkowych kosztów obejrzeć dwa premierowe odcinki 6. (finałowego) sezonu serialu "Wikingowie".

Serial "Wikingowie" ukazuje brutalny i tajemniczy świat nieustraszonych Wikingów. Stworzona przez Michaela Hirsta produkcja była wielokrotnie nagradzana, m.in. Satelitą za najlepszy serial dramatyczny, Złotą Szpulą za najlepszy montaż dźwięku i muzyki oraz IFTĄ za najlepszą scenografię i zdjęcia. Łącznie "Wikingowie" otrzymali 10 statuetek i aż 38 nominacji.

"Wataha" magnesem ofert pakietowych

Inna premiera - 3. sezonu serialu "Wataha", produkcji HBO (od 6 grudnia w HBO HD i HBO GO) jest z kolei dla Netii okazją do przypomnienia w komunikacji marketingowej o ofercie pakietowej z dostępem do HBO. W Netii światłowodowy dostęp do internetu 300 Mb/s z HBO GO można kupićza 60 zł miesięcznie, natomiast pakiety internet z TV z ponad 100 kanałami (w tym HBO HD z HBO GO) za 80 zł. Dodatkowo przez pierwsze trzy miesiące abonenci są zwolnieni z opłat abonamentowych.

###

More Nick: Viacom Launches Nick Play.and Paramount Play VoD Apps on Canal+ in Poland!

Originally published: Friday, November 29, 2019.

Additional source: Google Translate.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Poland News and Highlights!