Viacom Africa's Alex Okosi Speaks At The 2017 CGMS; Emphasises Public-Private Partnerships

Alex Okosi, Executive Vice-President (EVP) and Managing Director (MD) at Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa and BET International placed an important call to action to Public Private Partnerships with the network’s future-focused message on the continent’s education challenges at the Children’s Global Media Summit 2017 (CGMS 2017).

Viacom’s Alex Okosi calls on collective mobilisation for an inclusive Generation U at Children’s Global Media Summit 2017

World Bank reports that while the number of children enrolled in schools in SSA Africa is growing, the region currently has 30 million children not receiving any form of schooling, in Nigeria that statistic is 11.4 million.

Speaking in step with the keynote address by Britain’s Prince William, Okosi highlighted the network’s commitment to development through “empowerful” content. He shared case studies of Nickelodeon’s education initiatives which featured financial literacy, mathematics and science for primary school kids. He also highlighted the MTV SHUGA project which together with the MTV Staying Alive Foundation has improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to family planning, contraception, gender-based violence, transactional sex and HIV prevention. The series reaches 720m people via 180 channels globally.

Okosi concluded with, “The most important question I have for you today is how can we all work together to help truly create a global Generation U that is inclusive of all the children in the world?”

Curated by the BBC and held in Manchester, UK, from 5 to 7 December, CGMS 2017 focused on five themes: education, empowerment, entertainment, innovation and freedom. The Children’s Global Media Summit brings together creatives, technology innovators, policymakers, executives and thought leaders from around the globe to inform and redesign the future of media for Generation U and explore the impact that digital technology will have in children’s futures.

Original source: Screen Africa; Additional source: Bizcommunity.com.

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Bryan Konietzko And Mike DiMartino Talk About The Ending Of "The Legend of Korra"

Note - This NickALive! blog post contains spoilers about the closing chapter of "The Legend of Korra" that some NickALive! readers may prefer to avoid. Please scroll down the page if you wish to continue.

Following Nickelodeon USA premiering the epic one-hour series finale episode of "The Legend of Korra" on nick.com, the Nick App and NickToons USA on Thursday 18th December 2014, the creators of "Legend of Korra" have broken their silence to clear up any confusion about the show's surprise ending!

Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino have never been shy about discussing fan expectations. But the creators of "The Legend of Korra" have both written definitive pieces confirming that their second "Avatar" series does in fact end with Korra and Asami embarking on a romantic relationship. Or as Konietzko puts it on his official Tumblr blog: "Korrasami is canon".

You can read Bryan and Mike's posts about the final episode of "Legend of Korra", in which they discuss how they came up with the concept for Korrasami, how they feel about the ending of "The Legend of Korra", and the different, mostly positive, reactions from fans, on their official Tumblr blogs - Bryan Konietzko, who has bragging rights as the first Korrasami shipper, and Mike DiMartino.

NickHeads in the USA can watch the one-hour conclusion of "The Legend of Korra", "Day of the Colossus" (part one) and "The Last Stand" (part two), in full here on Nick.com and on Nickelodeon's Emmy Award-winning Nick App!

[Original source: Hypable]

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Viacom International Media Networks Executive Raffaele Annecchino Speaks At Abu Dhabi Media Summit 2013 About How Viacom Is Catering For Generation C

The television industry news website Broadcast is reporting that while speaking at Abu Dhabi Media Summit 2013, the largest gathering of global leaders in the field of media and entertainment, Raffaele Annecchino, who is Viacom International Media Networks' (VIMN) Managing Director for the South Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, said broadcasters must target the emerging generation of millenials, also known as Generation C, the group of youngsters who love to create, curate and comment online, across multiple platforms.

"We need to engage consumers by creating content that considers social media and allows people to connect with each other," he said. "We have never had such a strong technical platform that enables us to distribute content."

Annecchino added during his speech that Viacom now developed TV content with a digital strategy in place from the outset. He pointed to the launch of Mon Nickelodeon Junior, a French video on demand service which allows users to create a profile before being served a stream of relevant shows based on their interests across multiple platforms. "Kids today are completely connected, consume content on any device and are addicted to social media," he said.

Now in its fourth year, the Abu Dhabi Media Summit is the world's most important gathering of the leaders and companies driving the transition to a fully digital future - with a special emphasis on the digital frontiers of the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, East Asia & China. Simultaneously eclectic, wide reaching and exclusive, the Abu Dhabi Media Summit has become an essential stop on the global media leadership calendar.

Raffaele Annecchino is Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Viacom International Media Networks' (VIMN) South Europe, Middle East & Africa. In this role Annecchino works to expand VIMN's business and awareness of its brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, VH1, Game One and a suite of digital media services, across Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, the Middle East, Africa, Malta and Turkey.

Most recently, Annecchino oversaw the launch of the world's first Paramount Channel on free-to-air TV in Spain. Set to roll out across several other markets in the coming years, Paramount Channel is a 24-hour movie channel drawing content from the libraries of several Hollywood film studios, including that of Viacom’s Paramount Pictures.

Before joining VIMN, Annecchino held positions with Turner International, Cartoon Network and CNN. Annecchino currently resides in Madrid. Annecchino holds a Bachelor of Economics from European Business School, London, UK and an MBA Executive from Istututo de Impresa International, Madrid, Spain.

Viacom targets Generation C

Generation C, the group of youngsters who love to create, curate and comment online, are the next demographic in the sights of Viacom International Media Networks.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, Viacom’s managing director of south Europe and MEA Raffaele Annecchino said broadcasters must target the emerging generation of millenials across multiple platforms.

"We need to engage consumers by creating content that considers social media and allows people to connect with each other,” he said. “We have never had such a strong technical platform that enables us to distribute content."

Annecchino added that Viacom now developed TV content with a digital strategy in place from the outset.

He pointed to the launch of Mon Nickelodeon Junior a French VoD service which allows users to create a profile before being served a stream of relevant shows based on their interests across multiple platforms.

"Kids today are completely connected, consume content on any device and are addicted to social media," he said.

United Talent Agency's head of digital Eric Kuhn said Generation C had ‘crossed the Rubicon’ in terms of shifting to their consumption of content cross-platform.

"Growing up today, kids ask their parents if they can watch YouTube rather than television," he said. "And the content is stronger for it."

"It's all up for grabs – devices, distribution, advertising, social and content. It’s no longer just about 30 or 60 minute shows or two hour films. A piece of content can be six seconds long."

He added that he expects there to be a renewed push from broadcasters to support TV shows on Facebook, following Twitter's dominance, after the social network opened up its platform to third parties.

But Chris Vollmer, a partner for media consultancy Booz & Company, warned that Facebook may not have the same draw as it did several years ago.

"Teens are starting to realise that Facebook looks a lot like the family picnic. What they want is a private party," he said. "So if they want to express themselves they may go to Tumblr or to Instagram to post photos. They are figuring out where to go to be more specific."

Kuhn added that it was vital to tailor the message to the platform.

"You can't use technology for technology's sake. You need a specific strategy for each service to cut through the clutter and reach your audience."

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Viacom President And Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman Responds To Cablevision's "Frivolous" Antitrust Lawsuit Against Viacom At Deutsche Bank's Media, Internet & Telecom Conference

The entertainment news website The Hollywood Reporter is reporting the Viacom news that, while speaking at Deutsche Bank's Media, Internet & Telecom Conference on Monday, March 4, 2013 in Palm Beach, Florida, Philippe Dauman, the President and CEO of Viacom Inc., criticized the US media and telecommunications company Cablevision Systems Corporation's antitrust lawsuit against Viacom for allegedly "illegally forcing Cablevision to carry and pay for 14 lesser-watched ancillary networks its customers do not want, such as Palladia, MTV Hits and VH1 Classic, in order to carry must-have networks such as Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central", commenting that "the lawsuit that Cablevision filed is ill-advised and frivolous". A replay of the live audio webcast of Mr. Dauman's question-and-answer session is currently available to listen to in the "Events / Webcasts" section of Viacom's official Investor Relations website, ir.viacom.com:

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Slams Cablevision's Lawsuit as 'Frivolous'

The exec says Cablevision would be better off saving tens of millions of dollars on lawyers and instead spending it on making cable customers happy.

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman addressed the recent antitrust lawsuit filed by Cablevision that accuses his company of illegally tying together bigger Viacom-owned networks such as Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV with lesser ones, including Palladia, MTV Hits and VH1 Classic.

Dauman slammed Cablevision on Monday at the Deutsche Bank 2013 Media, Internet & Telecom Conference in Palm Beach, Fla.

"The lawsuit that Cablevision filed is ill-advised and frivolous," he said.

Viacom's chief said the multiyear agreement was negotiated just two months ago and that Viacom had made a number of concessions. "We lowered the price from the ask," he said. "We offered a lot of additional terms relating to TV Everywhere that were consumer-friendly. We even gave them more term."

Dauman said Cablevision got a discount for taking its networks.

"I guess their theory is: 'We got the discount. We got three suits for the price of two. Now we want just the two,'" he said. "That doesn't happen in our business."

He also attacked Cablevision's own programming assets.

"In fact, 11 of our networks have higher ratings than MSG Network on a year-round basis," Dauman said. "That includes Teen Nick that they are complaining about. Nick Jr. has vastly higher ratings. It's common practice for a family of networks to provide a discount if you carry their networks. … Presumably, MSG offers discount to (distributors to) carry MSG2, MSG+, Fuse. The bottom line is that lawyers will get rich on this. The tens of millions of dollars spent would be better spent providing value to Cablevision customers."

Dauman also took a broad look at the financial health of the cable and satellite distributors with whom Viacom is frequently negotiating.

"The distributors' stocks are doing well," he said. "Over the last several years, when we have had economic issues, there have been market-share shifts, but it has held pretty steady."

Dauman also spoke about each of his networks. Responding to a question about how MTV is doing post-Jersey Shore, he said that the network is "in a good place," with "much better balance." He singled out the performance of Teen Mom 2, Awkward, Catfish and Buckwild, saying that the fruits of a commitment to original programming will be made clear when the network presents itself at upfronts next month.

Viacom's chief executive also said he wants to see Paramount get more involved in helping its TV networks. He said the studio would “get back, with very little investment, into the television-production business.”

Viacom, Philippe Dauman, Cablevision

Viacom's Antonio Campo Dall'Orto Shines Light On The World's 'Super-Now Generation' At The Abu Dhabi Media Summit 2012

From Broadcast:

Viacom's Dall’Orto shines light on the world’s 'super-now generation'

Viacom's evp of music brands spotlights the youth market, especially in the Middle East.

Antonio Campo Dall’Orto, executive vice president of music brands for Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), delivered a rousing presentation about the Middle East’s youth market at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit today.

Dall’Orto summarised the key characteristics and insights from ten US and global research studies conducted between 2009 and 2011, which collected data from 24 countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia for the first time.

Dall’Orto started out by confirming that there are almost 2.4 billion ‘Millennials’ (people born 1981-2001) – also known as ‘Generation Y’ and the ‘Echo Boomers’ - in the world today, accounting for 34% of the total global population. The Middle East’s ‘Millennial’ bracket rises to an astonishing 48%.

Millenials' spending power is pushing $1 trillion, he said, making them increasingly important in the consumer chain.

Dall’Orto characterised Middle Eastern Millennials as “better educated, more self-esteemed, more demanding, more tech-savvy and more ambitious” than previous generations: “Their positivity and freedom is provided by technology, the strength of relationship with their parents and their use of humour and wit,” he said.

“This generation want to reform the world in a positive manner rather than rebel against it,” he continued. He singled out its “strong sense of social responsibility” and said it is the “most positive generation in decades.”

They are the “supernow generation,” he added: “They live in the moment and have cancelled failure from their vocabulary. Authenticity is a by-word for this generation – cheating or falseness are considered among the new deadly sins.”

Connectivity and sharing is vital to this generation, he said: “Media consumption is characterised by multitasking in this multimedia world they have grown up in – they are digital natives – it’s not technology it’s life and technology is used to share culture and ideas.”

“We’re seeing the increasing power of the collective fuel new ways of doing things,” he concluded.

Campo Dall’Orto is also the MD of VIMN’s South Europe cluster, a position he has held since 1999, overseeing Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Africa, the Middle East, Malta and Turkey. His remit covers VIMN's brands in the region, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, VH1 and Game One.

Campo Dall’Orto originally joined MTV Networks International in 1997 to lead the launch of MTV Italy as the first MD of the channel.