Katana VentraIP

Viacom (2005–2019)

The second incarnation of Viacom Inc. (/ˈvəkɒm/ VY-ə-kom or /ˈvəkɒm/ VEE-ə-kom; a portmanteau of Video & Audio Communications), was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate with interests primarily in film and television. It was established on December 31, 2005, as one of two companies which succeeded the original Viacom, alongside the second CBS Corporation. The controlling shareholder of both companies was National Amusements, a theater company headed by businessman Sumner Redstone. The split was structured so that the original Viacom changed its name to CBS Corporation and spun out its cable and film interests as a new Viacom.[4][5][6][7][8]

This article is about the media conglomerate in operation from 2005 to 2019. For the previous incarnation of the company, see Viacom (1952–2005).

Company type

December 31, 2005 (2005-12-31)

December 4, 2019 (2019-12-04)

ViacomCBS (now known as Paramount Global)

Worldwide

Decrease US$12.838 billion (2019)[2]

Decrease US$2.462 billion (2019)[2]

Decrease US$1.522 billion (2019)[2]

Decrease US$23.671 billion (2019)[2]

Increase US$8.520 billion (2019)[2]

National Amusements (80% voting power)

11,200 (2017)[3]

www.viacom.com (archived Dec 3, 2019)

The second Viacom operated Viacom Media Networks, through which it controlled approximately 170 networks and reached approximately 700 million subscribers in approximately 160 countries.[9] Viacom's studio assets included Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, as well as a 30% ownership stake in the Rainbow S.p.A. animation studio.[10] CBS Corporation retained the over-the-air broadcasting, television production, pay television subscription service, and publishing assets, which were previously owned by the first Viacom. The second Viacom was the world's ninth-largest media company in terms of revenue and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.


Viacom would announce its second merger with CBS Corporation on August 13, 2019. The merger was completed on December 4, resulting in the creation of ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global).[11][12][13]

1912

Lasky Feature Play Company is founded

Paramount Pictures is founded as a film distributor

Famous Players and Lasky merge as Famous Players–Lasky and acquire Paramount

Westinghouse Broadcasting forms with the launch of KDKA-AM

CBS is founded; Famous Players–Lasky assumes Paramount's name

Paramount buys 49% of CBS

Paramount sells back shares of CBS

Desilu is founded and CBS distributes its television programs

CBS creates the CBS Television Film Sales division

CBS Television Film Sales renamed to CBS Films

Gulf+Western buys Paramount

Gulf+Western acquires Desilu and renames it Paramount Television; CBS Films becomes CBS Enterprises

CBS Enterprises renamed to Viacom

Viacom is spun off from CBS as a separate company

Viacom buys full ownership of Showtime and MTV Networks

National Amusements buys Viacom

Gulf+Western renamed to Paramount Communications

Viacom acquires Paramount Communications

Westinghouse buys CBS

Westinghouse renamed to CBS Corporation

Viacom buys CBS Corporation

Viacom buys BET Networks

Viacom splits into second CBS Corporation and Viacom

CBS Corporation and Viacom re-merge as ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS renamed to Paramount Global

Corporate governance[edit]

The previous board of directors of Viacom were George S. Abrams, David Andelman, Joseph Califano, Jr., William Cohen, Philippe Dauman, Alan C. Greenberg, Charles Phillips, Shari Redstone, Sumner Redstone (deceased), Frederic Salerno, William Schwartz, and Robert D. Walter.


Following the Viacom/CBS split, the Viacom board consisted of George S. Abrams, Philippe Dauman, Thomas E. Dooley, Ellen V. Futter, Robert Kraft, Alan Greenberg, Charles Phillips, Sumner Redstone (chairman), Shari Redstone (non-executive vice-chair), Frederic Salerno, and William Schwartz. As of 2010, the Board consisted of George Abrams, Philippe Dauman, Thomas E. Dooley, Alan Greenberg, Robert Kraft, Blythe McGarvie, Bob Bakish, Charles Phillips, Shari E. Redstone, Sumner Redstone, Frederic Salerno, and William Schwartz.[93]

List of conglomerates

Paramount Communications

Stewart, James B.; Rachel Abrams (2023). Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy. New York: Penguin Press.  9781984879424. OCLC 1365390478.

ISBN

Official website

Ketupa.net – Viacom

by Hoover's

Viacom information

by Yahoo!

Viacom profile

SEC filing on Form S-4 from October 5, 2005, describing the split.

Split documentation

SEC filings