Viacom
Viacom, Inc. operates media brands that create entertainment content worldwide. The company creates television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, games, consumer products, podcasts, live events, and social media experiences. It operates through two segments, Media Networks and Filmed Entertainment. The Media Networks segment provides entertainment content and related branded products for consumers through approximately 300 locally programmed and operated TV channels, including Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, BET, Comedy Central, SPIKE, VH1, TV Land, CMT, Logo, Channel 5, Telefe, Colors, Paramount Channel, TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick Music, MTV2, MTV Classic, MTV Live, BET Her, BET Gospel, and BET Hip Hop, as well as through online, mobile, and apps. The Filmed Entertainment segment produces, finances, acquires, and distributes motion pictures, television programming, and other entertainment content under the Paramount Pictures, Paramount Players, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Nickelodeon Movies, and MTV Films brands. This segment exhibits motion pictures theatrically through home entertainment, licensing to television and digital platforms, and ancillary activities. The company releases its content through DVDs, Blu-ray discs, transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand, pay television, cable television, free television, and free video-on-demand, as well as airlines and hotels. Viacom, Inc. is headquartered in New York, New York.
Past deals in TV
Chili S.p.A.
Private Equity Round in 2016
Chili SpA provides online video streaming services. The company offers television series, films, documentary, animation movies, adventure movies, biography, crime movies, horror and mystery movies, and thriller films. It also provides cinema previews, new releases, digital catalogue, and on-demand video services. The company offers its service through television, Blu-ray players, and digital video disc. Chili SpA was founded in 2012 and is based in Milan, Italy.
MTV
Acquisition in 1985
MTV is the leading global youth media brand in 180 countries, reaching 450 million households in nearly 30 different languages across every platform. A unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), MTV operations span cable and mobile networks, live events, theatrical films and MTV Studios, a unit that produces new and reimagined content for SVOD and linear platforms based on MTV’s library of over 200+ youth titles and franchises.
Bellator MMA
Acquisition in 2011
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator Fighting Championships is the first MMA promotion to hold a nationally televised tournament format, and airs LIVE on MTV2 every Saturday night.
Pluto, Inc.
Acquisition in 2019
Pluto, Inc. provides streaming television services for watching live television channels and shows, movies, and Internet videos. The company also offers services in various categories, including news, sports, lifestyle, viral videos, cartoons, and more. It offers services through an app for mobile, web, and connected TV streaming devices. The company was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in West Hollywood, California with additional locations in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago, and Berlin. As of March 4, 2019, Pluto, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Viacom International Inc.
Philo
Series C in 2018
Philo offers an entertainment-focused streaming service nationwide. It was inspired by Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of electronic television. Philo was created to build a better TV experience. The company started in the college market as a laboratory for creating a next-generation TV platform.
Philo has previously received investment from New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Rho Ventures, Xfund, Home Box Office Inc. (HBO), Mark Cuban’s Radical Investments, WME, and CBC New Media Group.
Philo is based in San Francisco, with offices in New York and Cambridge, Massachusettes.
Xfire
Acquisition in 2006
Provides social gaming and networking services, shares in-game screen shots and videos, and live-streams gameplay
Paramount Pictures
Acquisition in 1993
Paramount Pictures is major global player in feature film production and distribution, video and DVD worldwide distribution, and production of programs for television broadcast and syndication.
WhoSay
Acquisition in 2018
WhoSay is a celebrity and influencer content marketing company. WhoSay works with over 2,000 celebrities who use WhoSay’s invitation-only platform and applications to manage their relationship with fans across all social and mainstream media.
WhoSay provides brands with a unique opportunity to reach fans across all verticals through authentic celebrity storytelling and a unique combination of content marketing and media targeting.
PocketWatch, Inc.
Series B in 2018
Pocket.watch is the new studio creating global franchises from the YouTube stars and characters loved by Generation Alpha.
Pocket.watch specializes in entertaining and inspiring kids and families through digital-first content and sparking their imaginations with lifestyle products ranging from toys to toothbrushes.
Paws, Inc.
Acquisition in 2019
Paws, Inc. publishes comic books. The company was incorporated in 1981 and is based in Albany, Indiana. As of September 30, 2019, Paws, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Nickelodeon.
Rainbow
Funding Round in 2011
Founded in 1995, Rainbow is now a European leader in the production of children's animation. Rainbow has a unique ability to create content for all kinds of media, providing many different ways of communicating with the public: TV series, movies, events, the internet, DVDs, magazines, toys, video games, and all product categories subject to licensing. As a result, Rainbow is able to meet the demand for total family entertainment.
Social Project LLC
Acquisition in 2008
Social Project LLC develops Flux, a social platform with fans participating across various Websites. It also offers third-party publisher network transition services. Social Project LLC was formerly known as Tagworld, Inc. and changed its name to Social Project LLC in September, 2007. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Santa Monica, California. Social Project LLC operated as former subsidiary of Viacom Media Networks. As of February 22, 2017, Social Project LLC operates as a subsidiary of Vivendi SA.
Social Project LLC
Series B in 2006
Social Project LLC develops Flux, a social platform with fans participating across various Websites. It also offers third-party publisher network transition services. Social Project LLC was formerly known as Tagworld, Inc. and changed its name to Social Project LLC in September, 2007. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Santa Monica, California. Social Project LLC operated as former subsidiary of Viacom Media Networks. As of February 22, 2017, Social Project LLC operates as a subsidiary of Vivendi SA.
Joost Operations SA
Series A in 2007
Joost Operations SA provides Web video streaming services. It allows watching videos, music, TV, and movies over the Internet. The company was formerly known as Baaima N.V. Joost Operations SA was founded in 2006 and is based in Luxembourg with additional offices in Leiden, the Netherlands; London, United Kingdom; and New York, New York.
VidCon
Acquisition in 2018
VidCon is an online video community that brings together people in the video entertainment.
The company believes that online video is the most important cultural force since the motion picture. It also deeply believes that they are in the very early, defining moments of an extremely powerful global force. VidCon strives to be the physical center of that revolution.
In 2009, Hank and John Green decided that there should be a conference and convention for online video. It should all be in one place, affordable, focused on fun and celebration and growing online video in a sustainable and intentional way. VidCon 2010 was a hit, selling out months before the event and featuring most of the biggest names in online video.
Comedy Central
Acquisition in 2003
Comedy Central is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that produces funny videos, comedy apps, jokes, news, and previews. It is owned by Viacom Media Networks Entertainment Group, a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of [Viacom](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/viacom).
Comedy Central owns an award-winning programming slate which includes The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, South Park, Tosh.0, and original stand-up.
The channel brings comedy programming, in the form of both original and syndicated series and stand-up comedy specials as well as feature films.
Comedy Central was launched in 1991 and is headquartered in New York.
AwesomenessTV
Acquisition in 2016
AwesomenessTV is a multi-platform media company owned by DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq: DWA) and Hearst Corporation, the latter of which has a 25 percent interest. Included under the AwesomenessTV banner are AwesomenessTV, a leading destination for original programming serving the global Gen Z audience; the ATV Network, a community based MCN with over 90,000 channels; Big Frame, an influencer talent management company; DreamWorksTV; Awestruck; Awesomeness Films; Wildness; as well as consumer products, music and branded entertainment divisions. AwesomenessTV was founded by Brian Robbins (Smallville, Varsity Blues, All That) and Joe Davola (In Living Color, Smallville, MTV Networks). Check out www.awesomenesstv.com.
Channel 5
Acquisition in 2014
Channel 5 is a television network that offers a broad mix of content, including factual programs, entertainment, reality, sport, and 5 News. The television network broadcasts in the United Kingdom.
Channel 5 was launched in 1997 and was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network after BBC1, ITV, BBC2, and Channel 4.
Roku
Series H in 2015
Roku pioneered streaming for the TV, and we aspire to power every TV in the world. We developed a streaming platform that delivers a best-in-class user experience. At the heart of the Roku platform is our proprietary operating system, the Roku OS, which we built from the ground up. Roku is recognized for streaming innovation. This is demonstrated by our growing, passionate and highly engaged customer base who love Roku streaming devices because of our coveted content selection, ease of use, and value.
BET Networks
Acquisition in 2000
Black Entertainment Television, Inc. is a television network in the United States primarily serving African American viewers. Its program schedules primarily include comedy reviews; black-oriented entertainment journals; jazz music programs; rap video programs; sporting events; and news and public affair programs. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia. Black Entertainment Television, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc.
Neopets
Acquisition in 2005
Neopets is a virtual world for kids or anyone young at heart. The world is based around characters users create called pets. Users must keep their pets healthy, fed and in good spirits.
With your pet, you can explore the Neopets world, engage in solo quests or play solo games for rewards, complete missions with other players and meet other characters. Neopets has plenty of places to visit including the Battledome, the undersea city of Maraqua, the Lost Desert or the Virtupets Space Station.
When users complete missions or quests they receive items like Dark Reflectorbs or Neopets money called Neopoints. Pets can visit the Neopian Bazaar or the Neopian Plaza to trade, buy and sell items. Users can also invest in the Neopian stock market.
Neopets is free to play but they also have a subscription version called Neopets Premium that has better features and benefits. Competitors include [Zwinktopia](http://crunchbase.com/organization/zwinky), [Webkinz](http://crunchbase.com/organization/webkinz), [Mokitown](http://crunchbase.com/organization/mokitown) and [Club Penguin](http://crunchbase.com/organization/clubpenguin).
Ananey Communications LTD.
Funding Round in 2017
Ananey Communications LTD. operates as a television content production and broadcasting company in Israel. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. As of April 6, 2020, Ananey Communications LTD. operates as a subsidiary of Viacom International Media Networks UK Limited.
Quibi
Venture Round in 2018
Quibi is a media company that develops media content designed for smartphones. The company is focused on the core audience, producing inspiring shows for an intuitive, mobile-first platform, and creating a culture where everyone is heard. Its content is made specifically for mobile devices and can be viewed in either horizontal or vertical video, with the user able to shift to one or the other within the same video.
It was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
Sportsline
Acquisition in 2004
SportsLine.com, Inc. provides multimedia sports news, information, and merchandise on the Internet. It distributes news, scores, player and team statistics, photos, and audio and video clips; produces and offers fantasy league products, contests, and other games; and produces and distributes interactive programming, such as editorials and analyses. The company operates cbs.sportsline.com, nfl.com, pgatour.com, ncaasports.com, and mvp.com Web sites. It also offers its content to wireless users of digital cellular phones, Web enabled cellular phones, and personal digital assistant devices. The company has strategic relationships with Broadcasting, Inc.; Westwood One; the National Football League; the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the PGA TOUR; Amazon.com; and GSI Commerce, Inc.
The company was formerly known as SportsLine USA, Inc. and changed its name to Sportsline.com Inc. in November 1999. SportsLine.com was founded in 1994 and is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As of December 10, 2004, Sportsline.com Inc. operates as a subsidiary of CBS Corporation.
VIVA Media AG
Acquisition in 2004
Viva Media AG operates the advertising-based music television channel VIVA. The Company broadcasts music video clips and youth- and trend-oriented programming such as comedies and lifestyle shows. Viva Media also produces television programming. The Company operates in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, and Poland.