PDA

View Full Version : Paramount and Viacom splitting!


John Pannozzi
09-23-2005, 04:56 PM
From http://us.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-09-22



Paramount Is Paramount, Says Viacom Chief
Tom Freston (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm1910720/), who will become CEO of the new Viacom after the company's planned split, said Wednesday that he will concentrate on rebuilding Paramount as a Hollywood powerhouse. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs media conference in New York, Freston observed that Paramount in recent years has fallen to "the bottom of the heap in Hollywood" and just "bringing it back to where it was would be significant growth in itself." He said that he had considered buying "a couple of studios" but had determined that "build vs. buy works better for us," indicating that he plans to focus on closer production ties between Paramount and Viacom cable networks MTV, Nickelodeon and BET.
The Penguin
09-23-2005, 07:03 PM
indicating that he plans to focus on closer production ties between Paramount and Viacom cable networks MTV, Nickelodeon and BET.Okay I was interested and excited about what this might mean, but this part seems like it doesn't really mean anything. If Paramount is still going to play almost second-fiddle to the "MTV Films" brand every now and again then what's the point of the "split"?
Lord Dalek
09-23-2005, 07:34 PM
Okay I was interested and excited about what this might mean, but this part seems like it doesn't really mean anything. If Paramount is still going to play almost second-fiddle to the "MTV Films" brand every now and again then what's the point of the "split"?They aren't really being split. Viacom (the parent company/syndication powerhouse) is spinning off it's tv (AKA CBS, UPN, Former Warner-Amex channels) and film branches (Paramount) into two individual entities in order to save money. The "A \/|/\CO/\/\ COMPANY" byline will not be disappearing.
The Penguin
09-23-2005, 07:40 PM
They aren't really being split. Viacom (the parent company/syndication powerhouse) is spinning off it's tv (AKA CBS, UPN, Former Warner-Amex channels) and film branches (Paramount) into two individual entities in order to save money. The "A \/|/\CO/\/\ COMPANY" byline will not be disappearing.Well I got that, it just doesn't feel as "split" as the thread implied.
livingfruitvirus
09-23-2005, 08:32 PM
They aren't really being split. Viacom (the parent company/syndication powerhouse) is spinning off it's tv (AKA CBS, UPN, Former Warner-Amex channels) and film branches (Paramount) into two individual entities in order to save money. The "A \/|/\CO/\/\ COMPANY" byline will not be disappearing. They split with a bunch of companies months ago. CBS, UPN, Paramount TV, Infinity Broadcasting, Simon and Schuster, Blockbuster, Outdoor and maybe a few other companies formed CBS Corp., while MTV Networks, BET, and Paramount Studios formed Viacom, Inc. Now I guess Paramount is about to be spit out.
Peter Paltridge
09-23-2005, 10:00 PM
For once, I'd like to see two companies break up instead of merge.
STARTOUNZ
09-24-2005, 10:53 AM
For once, I'd like to see two companies break up instead of merge.That happened with AOL and Time Warner.
Temple Fugate
09-24-2005, 12:02 PM
That happened with AOL and Time Warner.I don't remember the specifics, but didn't Time Warner just drop the "AOL-" from its name but keep the company in a lower capacity?

And I may sound like a killjoy, but I don't see Paramount ever regaining the status it had back during the studio era. At least, not without a lot of work and years of climbing.