Viacom Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

Below is a Viacom Inc. Press Release via PRNewswire:

Viacom Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

NEW YORK, July 24, 2012 /Viacom Inc. Press via PRNewswire/ -- Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB and VIA) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.275 per share on both its Class A and Class B common stock. The dividend will be payable on October 1, 2012 to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 15, 2012.

(Download Viacom Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110811/NY51392LOGO )

About Viacom
Viacom is home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in over 160 countries and territories. With media networks reaching approximately 700 million global subscribers, Viacom's leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, SPIKE, Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA. Paramount Pictures, celebrating its 100th year in 2012 and creator of many of the most beloved motion pictures, continues today as a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Viacom operates a large portfolio of branded digital media experiences, including many of the world's most popular properties for entertainment, community and casual online gaming.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains both historical and forward-looking statements. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectations concerning future results, objectives, plans and goals, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: the public acceptance of the Company's programs, motion pictures and other entertainment content on the various platforms on which they are distributed; technological developments and their effect in the Company's markets and on consumer behavior; competition for audiences and distribution; the impact of piracy; economic conditions generally, and in advertising and retail markets in particular; fluctuations in the Company's results due to the timing, mix and availability of the Company's motion pictures; changes in the Federal communications laws and regulations; other domestic and global economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting the Company's businesses generally; and other factors described in the Company's news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document, and the Company does not have any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
SOURCE Viacom Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.viacom.com.

US Media Companies Earnings Preview: Media Firms Face Fee Fights, Ad Concerns in 2nd Quarter

From The Wall Street Journal:

US Earnings Preview: Media Firms Face Fee Fights, Ad Concerns in 2nd Quarter

TAKING THE PULSE: Despite weakness in Europe, advertising sales are growing domestically for U.S. media firms, as ad dollars continue to migrate away from print and toward electronic media, especially cable networks. However, disputes over affiliate fees with distributors and higher costs to develop new content continue to hang over the industry.

Wall Street expects major media companies to either post slightly higher earnings or modest declines amid the uncertain economy. But, Lazard Capital Markets recently said that while broad economic concerns are dominating sentiment in the industry, "We believe domestic TV advertising remains reasonable resilient," saying current fears appear worse than the actual trend.

Analysts will also look for comments on how the London Olympics and political campaign advertising are expected to help advertising revenue in the third quarter.

COMPANIES TO WATCH:

Time Warner Inc. (TWX) - reports Aug. 1
Wall Street Expectations: Analysts call for 58 cents in earnings and revenue of $6.95 billion. A year earlier, the company's profit was 59 cents a share, or 60 cents excluding items such as acquisition-related costs, on $7.03 billion in revenue.

Key Issues: The owner of HBO, TNT and CNN faces a challenge generating meaningful profit growth in an increasingly competitive television industry where program costs are rising. Its TNT channel in particular has been a drag on results, as prime-time viewership has slumped. The company has been reluctant to license video-streaming rights for much of its content--a move that has benefited some rivals--but has been pushing HBO Go, the online version of its pay-TV service. While second-quarter results from its Warner Bros. Pictures film studio should show weakness, its third quarter is expected to come in strong thanks to the release of the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises."

CBS Corp. (CBS, CBSA) - reports Aug. 2
Wall Street Expectations: Analysts are projecting a per-share profit of 59 cents with $3.53 billion in revenue. A year ago, the company reported 58 cents and $3.59 billion, respectively.

Key Issues: The most-watched broadcaster has enjoyed improved earnings recently after signing content-licensing deals with online media companies and garnering higher programming fees. A growing international audience and a deal with AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) to license CBS's "CSI: Miami" show also have proved lucrative.

Viacom Inc. (VIA, VIAB) - reports Aug. 3
Wall Street Expectations: Analysts expect a fiscal third-quarter profit of $1 a share on revenue of $3.5 billion. Viacom last year booked a profit of 97 cents a share, or 99 cents excluding certain costs, and revenue of $3.77 billion.

Key Issues: A continued slide in viewers at two of Viacom's flagship networks, Nickelodeon and MTV, should keep up pressure on advertising revenue. The company's Paramount film unit should also see muted sales, after the latest "G.I. Joe" movie was delayed into 2013. On a positive note, Viacom recently reached an agreement with DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV) to restore most of its channels to the satellite-TV provider after a 10-day blackout.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) - reports Aug. 7
Wall Street Expectations: Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect a profit of 93 cents a share on revenue of $11.29 billion for its fiscal third fiscal quarter. A year ago, Disney reported a profit of 77 cents a share, or 78 cents excluding restructuring and impairment costs, on revenue of $10.68 billion.

Key Issues: Disney is expected to benefit significantly from its release of "The Avengers" superhero movie, which became the all-time third highest-grossing movie domestically, a welcome change for the company following the second-quarter flop "John Carter." The company has been seeing strength in its cable channels, thanks to higher programming fees and advertising sales. Disney's theme parks have also been a source of strength.

News Corp. (NWS, NWSA) - reports Aug. 8
Wall Street Expectations: Analysts expect income of 32 cents a share on revenue of $8.71 billion for the company's fiscal fourth quarter. News Corp. earned a profit of 26 cents a share, or 36 cents excluding special items, on revenue of $8.96 billion a year earlier.

Key Issues: In a move investors have long called for, the media giant plans to separate its slower-growing publishing division from its film and television businesses within a year. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch dismissed suggestions that the split was a response to a phone-hacking scandal in its U.K. newspaper division. News Corp.'s Fox News and FX cable channels continue to exhibit strong growth, while its newspapers' income has flagged, due to lower advertising revenue at Australian publications and the absence of the News of the World, the U.K. newspaper at the center of the hacking scandal that the company shut down last year. New Corp. is the parent of this newswire.

(The Thomson Reuters financial estimates and year-earlier figures may not be comparable due to one-time items and other adjustments.)

Comedy Central UK To Start To Show The Popular Animated Nickelodeon Series "The Penguins of Madagascar" From 30th July 2012 As Part Of Summer On Comedy Central

According to Comedy Central UK and Ireland's brand new 'The Penguins of Madagascar' trailer/promo and the official 'Comedy Central' TV Guide on the official Comedy Central UK and Eire website, comedycentral.co.uk, Nickelodeon UK's sister channel, Comedy Central UK and Ireland (formally 'The Paramount Channel' and 'Paramount Comedy', which used to channel share with Nickelodeon UK on Sky Analogue in the 1990's), and is also owned and operated by Viacom International Media Networks Europe and BSkyB, to celebrate the British and Irish school summer holidays, Comedy Central UK and Ireland is scheduling to show the popular animated Nickelodeon series ("Nicktoon") "The Penguins of Madagascar" from Monday 30th July 2012 at 8.00am and 8.30am (repeated at 9.00am and 9.30am on Comedy Central's plus one timeshift channel, Comedy Central +1).

Nickelodeon UK To Premiere Brand New "SpongeBob SquarePants" Special "Spongebob's Runaway Roadtrip" In August 2012 As Part Of Summer On Nickelodeon UK

According to the official Sky Media Ireland websites 'Sky TV's Kid's Television Highlights In August 2012' webpage, to celebrate the British and Irish summer school holidays, Nickelodeon UK will premiere and show the brand new "SpongeBob SquarePants" special called "Spongebob's Runaway Roadtrip", which follows the cast of "SpongeBob SquarePants" as they go on their holidays, on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK in August 2012 (transmission time (TX) to be confirmed by Nick UK), as part of "Summer on Nickelodeon 2012"!:

SpongeBob SquarePants
Nickelodeon

Runaway Roadtrip is a collection of brand new episodes where SpongeBob goes on lots of hilarious trips. This will leave you asking one question - where in the world is SpongeBob??

Below are the product details for Nickelodeon's brand new "SpongeBob SquarePants: Spongebob's Runaway Roadtrip" DVD from the "SpongeBob SquarePants" DVD's product page on the Nickelodeon Shop on Amazon.co.uk, where you can also order the "SpongeBob Squarepants: Spongebob's Runaway Roadtrip" DVD for £7.49 (delivered free in the UK with Super Saver Delivery):

It's vacation time in the deep blue sea.

Join SpongeBob and Patrick on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, Plankton and Karen on a romantic cruise, Mr. Krabs and Pearl on a trip to the Ocean Mint, Patrick on a homebound holiday and Sandy on a trip that's out of this world. These vacations are so packed with adventure, it looks as if everyone's going to need a holiday to get over their vacation!

SpongeBob SquarePants Episode List:

A Squarepants Family Vacation
Patrick's Staycation
Walking the Plankton
Mooncation
Mr. Krabs takes a Vacation

Nick Jr. Channel UK To Premiere Brand New "Dora The Explorer" Special "Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure" In August 2012

According to the official Sky Media Ireland websites 'Sky TV's Children's Television Highlights In August 2012' webpage, to celebrate the upcoming London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Games of the XXX Olympiad) which London, UK will host during summer 2012, Nickelodeon UK and Eire's preschool channel, Nick Jr. Channel UK And Ireland, will premiere and show the brand new special episode of the Nick Junior animated preschool series "Dora the Explorer" called "Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure" in August 2012 as part of "Summer on Nick Jr. 2012":

Dora The Explorer
Nick Jnr

Follow Dora and Boots in Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure! Dora is getting ready for the big gymnastics show when Swiper comes and swipes her ribbon away. She can't start the show without it, but how will she get it back?!

Below is a bit more information about Nickelodeon Preschool's brand new "Dora the Explorer" special episode titled "Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure" from Nickelodeon Consumer Products' and Paramount Home Entertainment's product page for Nickelodeon's "Dora The Explorer: Dora's Fantastic Gymnastic Adventure" DVD on Amazon.com:

¡Vámonos! It's time for a Fantastic Gymnastics adventure with Dora, plus two other journeys too! First, when Dora receives a special Rainbow Ribbon, she learns that she is going to start the Big Gymnastics Show! But when Swiper swipes her special ribbon, Dora and Boots need your help on a gymnastics-filled adventure to get it back! Help them balance-beam walk over Crocodile Lake, trampoline jump through the Flowery Garden, and swing on rings to make it to the gym in time to start the show! The adventures continue when Dora, Boots and you help Pinto the Pony in a Big Horse Show and Swiper get his favorite things back. It's a DVD full of excellent adventures! ¡Fantástico!

According to the "Dora The Explorer: Dora's Fantastic Gymnastic Adventure" DVD's product page on Amazon.co.uk, Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products and Paramount Home Entertainment will release Nickelodeon Junior's "Dora The Explorer: Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure" in the UK (Pal/Region 2) on Monday 20th August 2012. Amazon UK are also currently taking pre-order's for Nickelodeon's "Dora The Explorer: Dora's Fantastic Gymnastic Adventure" DVD, where it is available to purchase for £6.99 with free delivery in the UK with Super Saver Delivery.

You can watch a special preview video featuring footage from Nick Jr.'s brand new Dora The Explorer adventure, 'Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure', here on Amazon USA.