Bob Bakish

Viacom plans major international expansion of Pluto TV

Viacom is to exploit “a significant opportunity in leveraging Viacom’s global operating footprint to drive Pluto TV’s growth” beginning with the launch of the recently-acquired free OTT TV service in Switzerland and an expansion of the service in the UK, Germany and Austria, with a Latin American launch scheduled for later this year, according to […]

Bakish: Pluto TV acquisition will be OTT ‘game changer’ for Viacom

Viacom’s acquisition of ad-supported OTT TV network Pluto TV will be a “game changer” for the company’s direct-to-consumer strategy, according to the studio’s CEO Bob Bakish, and will play a key role in the company’s direct-to-consumer strategy both domestically and internationally, with the launch of a Spanish-language service planned in the near term. Speaking to […]

Viacom’s Bakish highlights three-pronged digital strategy

Viacom will take a three-pronged approach to the direct-to-consumer business, including plans for an advertising-supported “front door” branded offering, but has no plans to launch any kind of premium Netflix-style service, according to CEO Bob Bakish. Speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) event in London this morning, Bakish said that Viacom is looking at […]

Viacom moving ahead with OTT plan and US$1bn studio production goal

Viacom is moving ahead with plans to launch a new direct-to-consumer platform in the US as well as ramping up its studio production initiative globally to create new first-run content for third-party platforms, according to CEO Bob Bakish. Speaking to analysts after the company posted its fiscal Q3 results, Bakish said that one element of […]

CBS reportedly in bid for Viacom

CBS is set to make an all-stock offer for Viacom that prices the US company below its current market valuation, according to reports Reuters revealed earlier today that the “unusual” merger move may threaten negotiations that would see the two media giants reunite after 13 years. The report states that CBS chief Leslie Moonves will also […]

Viacom plans direct-to-consumer streaming service

Viacom has revealed plans to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service later this year. Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in San Francisco, Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish said that the new service would draw from more than 10,000 hours of library content. “We’re going to implement [the service] on a […]

Viacom shares slide despite solid Q3 gains

Viacom shares have fallen sharply on news of a delayed payment from a Chinese partner and uncertainty about the future prospects of pay TV in the US after the media group posted Q3 results, despite it posting solid gains in revenue and profit. Viacom’s revenues for its fiscal third quarter rose by 8% to US$3.36 […]

Viacom’s Bakish reveals skinny bundle plans

Viacom is in advanced talks with one US service provider to be part of the new wave of ‘skinny bundles’ aimed at cord-cutters and cord-nevers, according to CEO Bob Bakish. Bakish, speaking at the JP Morgan  Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in Boston, said that it made sense to be part of a low-cost […]

Viacom raises US$1.3bn

Viacom has issued a US$1.3 million bond offer and will use the proceeds to pay off existing debt. The US media giant is restructuring under the leadership of new CEO Bob Bakish and has set out a five-point turnaround plan after a rocky 18 months. Announcing the bond deal yesterday the US-listed firm said it […]

New-look Viacom takes TV to film and film to TV

New Viacom CEO, Bob Bakish, has fleshed out his turnaround plan for the media giant and pledged to bring its TV brands to film and vice versa. Announcing a slate of Nickelodeon movies for the Paramount studio, Bakish said the core Viacom channels will each contribute cobranded movies to the slate of Viacom movie studio […]

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