Paramount Media Networks is an American mass media division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of its television channels and online brands. The division was originally founded as MTV Networks in 1984, named after the MTV cable network. It would be known under this name until 2011; when it would be thereafter known as Viacom Media Networks until 2019; and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks until 2022. The division's television assets are managed through three units: the MTV Entertainment Group, Showtime Networks, and the Nickelodeon Group. Paramount's international assets are overseen by Paramount International Networks.

History

Pre-launch: Warner Communications joint venture (1977–1984)

Warner Cable Communications was founded on December 1, 1977, by Warner Cable, itself a division of Warner Communications, to launch QUBE, an interactive cable television network. Seeing the potential in the creation of new cable networks, Warner Cable divested QUBE's biggest brands, Star Channel, Pinwheel and Sight on Sound, into nationwide outlets. Star Channel began by satellite in January 1979 and was renamed The Movie Channel by the end of the year. The original Channel C-3, by then known as Pinwheel, became Nickelodeon in April 1979. As a result of these actions, Warner Cable Communications would then be rebranded as Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, becoming a joint venture between Warner Cable and American Express. In 1980, Warner-Amex formed a joint venture with Cablevision's Rainbow Media division to launch Bravo, a cable network dedicated to arts and films, on December 1, 1980. Full control of the channel, however, was sold to Rainbow Media in 1984; NBC would acquire Bravo in 2003, and the channel is now currently owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal. On August 1, 1981, MTV debuted. In 1983, concerned by the strategic and financial failure of its pay-TV venture The Movie Channel (started to reap the benefits Time Inc. was having with HBO and Cinemax), WASEC established a joint venture with Viacom, merging TMC with their premium movie network Showtime to form Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc.; WASEC, however, had no operational involvement in the joint venture.

Launch as MTV Networks, Viacom gets full ownership (1984–2011)

On June 25, 1984, Warner Communications made the decision to divest Nickelodeon, MTV, and VH-1 (launched in 1985 over the channel space of Turner's Cable Music Channel) into a new public corporation called MTV Networks. A year later, Warner would acquire the 50% stake from American Express. On August 27, 1985, Warner sold 31% of MTV Networks to Viacom, with Warner also selling 19% of its Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc. joint to Viacom as well. In November 1985, Viacom announced that it had plans to buy the remaining 69% of MTV Networks from Warner for $326 million, and the acquisition was completed on May 20, 1986. In 1988, the company partnered with fellow Viacom subsidiary Viacom Enterprises to handle advertising sales of Superboy, a syndicated television series. The division was later evolved into One World Entertainment in the early 1990s, who partnered to launch a VH1 syndicated series. In 2003, MTV Networks assumed full ownership of Comedy Central from AOL Time Warner. On December 31, 2005, the remnants of MTV Networks and Showtime Networks were separated following Viacom's split into two entities: CBS Corporation, which retained CBS, UPN, Simon & Schuster and Showtime Networks (Showtime, The Movie Channel, and Flix), and a spun-off company under the Viacom name, which took ownership of Paramount Pictures, BET Networks and MTV Networks (Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH1). MTV Networks was renamed Viacom Media Networks in 2011.

Expansion (2011–2019)

In the fall of 2012, media analysts began to report that ratings among some of Viacom's leading brands in the U.S. were experiencing declines in viewership. MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon were of most concern to investors as the three account for roughly 50% of Viacom's operating profit, estimated David Bank of RBC Capital Markets. In 2017, Viacom announced a five-point restructuring plan, in which the company would pour most of its resources behind six "flagship brands". These were MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. Channel, BET, and Paramount Pictures. In February 2017, cable channels CMT and TV Land were moved from the Kids and Family Group to the Global Entertainment Group under Kevin Kay, joining up with Spike TV. During the same month, it was announced that Spike would be relaunched as Paramount Network in 2018, aligning with the namesake film studio and being positioned as Viacom's main general entertainment outlet. In October 2018, Kevin Kay was announced to be leaving his position as head of the Entertainment Group. CMT was transferred from the Entertainment Group to the Music Group under president Chris McCarthy, with his exit. Executive Kent Alterman would take charge of Paramount Network and TV Land to go with his current leadership of Comedy Central and Bellator MMA. In 2019, after acquiring the free streaming service Pluto TV, Viacom would launch several channels on the service branded after its Media Networks and company–owned IP.

Reintroduction and re-merger with CBS (2019–present)

In August 2019, Viacom announced that it would merge with CBS Corporation, reuniting the two entities under the ViacomCBS name. The merger closed on December 4, 2019. Announced on November 11, 2019, as part of the re–merger, the Media Networks division was renamed ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks, and reorganized. MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo were reorganized into the "Entertainment & Youth Group", with the addition of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, and TV Land. BET Networks was merged with Showtime Networks under CEO David Nevins, who also temporarily gained oversight of Pop TV (formerly co-owned with Lionsgate); Pop TV was transferred to the Entertainment & Youth Group on January 15, 2020. On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was renamed as Paramount Global, and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks was renamed Paramount Media Networks. On May 9, 2023, Paramount announced that it would restructure its U.S. domestic network business. In 2022, MTV Entertainment Group partnered with Second Chance Studios to help formerly incarcerated individuals launch media careers.

Channels list

Current channels

Former channels and blocks

Units

MTV Entertainment Group

MTV Entertainment Group serves as the holdings company for Paramount's mature-oriented, general entertainment brands; such as its namesake flagship MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount Network.

Showtime Networks

Showtime Networks oversees Paramount's premium cable television channels, including the namesake Showtime service.

Nickelodeon Group

Nickelodeon Group (also known as "Nickelodeon Networks Inc."; and as its family distribution name "Paramount Kids and Family Group") is an American entertainment company that oversees Paramount's children's entertainment assets, including its namesake cable network.

Other assets

Through its Networks division, Paramount also owns internet properties, such as MTV News and AwesomenessTV.

Former assets

Paramount ran a virtual world system, Virtual MTV, in the late 2000s. The company has owned various other internet properties including virtual pets website Neopets; Flash game websites AddictingGames.com and Shockwave.com; online content production company Atom Entertainment; along with RateMyProfessors.com, GameTrailers, and iFilm, all of which have been shut down or sold off during 2000s and 2010s. During the first quarter of 2008, iFilm was merged into Spike with its website re–branded and re–purposed as Spike.com. In 2014, Viacom purchased a stake in multi-channel network Defy Media, while offloading GameTrailers, Addicting Games, and Shockwave to Defy.

Harmonix and gaming

In 2006, Viacom acquired Harmonix, a video game studio oriented towards music video games and the original developer of the Guitar Hero franchise, for $175 million. The two subsequently collaborated on the creation of Rock Band. That year, Viacom also acquired the gaming–oriented communications platform Xfire. In 2010, Harmonix was divested to an investment firm to become an independent studio, and Xfire was sold. In 2011, Viacom established a short–lived, in–house development studio known as 345 Games, which was dedicated primarily to developing games based on Comedy Central, MTV and Spike properties.