Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Your Complete Guide to Everything Owned by Viacom

Read MoreHide Full Article

Viacom Inc. (VIA - Free Report) is one of the largest multinational media conglomerates in the world. The company owns various mass media enterprises such as movie studios, television channels, music labels, and even a theme park. Viacom currently operates about 170 networks, reaching 700 million people in 160 countries.

Viacom has evolved over the years, undergoing its most recent transformation in 2005. On December 31, 2005, the original incarnation of Viacom split into two new companies, creating the CBS Corporation and the current Viacom.

So what media outlets does Viacom own today? Here’s a breakdown of the different studios, channels and other assets that the media conglomerate operates.

Paramount Motion Pictures Group

Paramount Pictures Corporation, or simply Paramount, is an American film studio based in Hollywood, California. This famous studio is the second oldest surviving studio in the U.S. Created in 1916 by film producer Adolph Zucker, Viacom bought the studio in 1994.

Paramount has produced hundreds of films over the last century, though some of the company’s earliest work has been lost. The studio has produced film classes and such as The Godfather, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Titanic. It has also produced movies for popular franchises like Star Trek and Indiana Jones.

Paramount also produces movies through various division companies. These companies include features based on popular content from Viacom’s popular television channels, such as Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films, and Comedy Central Films. 

Television production

Most notably, Viacom owns Nickelodeon, or Nick, an American television network that produces popular television shows for children and adolescents. It’s most popular for producing both cartoons and live action shows, such as Spongebob Squarepants and Drake and Josh.

The Nickelodeon Group produces content for multiple television channels. These include Nick, Nick2, Nick Jr., TeenNick, and Nicktoons. These also include the programming services Nick at Nite and NickSplat, which show reruns of popular shows from the 1980s and 1990s, like Full House and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Viacom also owns the Global Entertainment Group. This group owns the famous MTV TV channel, including its sister channels MTV2, MTV Classic and MTVU. MTV gained popularity in the 1980s for airing music videos. In recent years, the channel has scaled back on its music content and has focused on original reality, comedy and drama programs.

Global Entertainment Group also produces content for Comedy Central. This channel was the first cable channel devoted to just comedy-based programming. It has aired popular shows like South Park, The Colbert Report and The Daily Show.

Global Entertainment Group also creates programs for Spike, TV Land, VH1, Logo TV and CMT.

BET Networks is a division of Viacom that runs the Black Entertainment Television (BET) channel. In addition to creating original programs, BET Networks airs a variety of acquired television shows. It includes sitcoms, including Family Matters; drama series, such as Scandal; and late-night runs of talk shows, like The Wendy Williams Show

Sister channels of BET include music TV channels, such as BET Gospel, BET Hip-Hop, BET International, BET Jams, and BET Soul.

Music & Internet

Besides creating films and television shows, Viacom produces music. The company owns the music labels Nick Records and Comedy Central Records. Nick Records produces the music of popular actors from the network's series. Most notably, the label has produced music by Ariana Grande while she acted on the show Victorious.

Music produced by Nick Records also appears on Nick Radio. This radio network launched in 2013 in a partnership with iHeartMedia and is geared towards children and adolescents.

Comedy Central Records is a Grammy winning label that specializes in stand-up comedy albums. The labels have released albums from artists such as Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K., Amy Schumer and Kevin Hart. As of December 2016, Comedy Central Records has produced over 200 albums.

In terms of websites, Viacom owns, of course, Nick.com. Launched in 1995, the website mainly serves as an online portal for Nickelodeon content, offering online games, video streaming of television episodes, radio streaming, and individual websites for each show produced by Nickelodeon.

Ratemyprofessor.com also joins the list of assets owned by Viacom. This popular website allows college students in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. to rate their college professors and campuses. Originally created in 1999, Viacom bought the website in 2007 through MTVU. The site includes over 8,000 schools, 1.4 million professors, and over 15 million ratings.

Other assets

Viacom also has control over various investments. Because of its ownership of Nickelodeon, it produces the Nickelodeon magazine. It also owns Nickelodeon Universe, the largest indoor theme park located in the Mall of America.

Viacom is also famous for producing award shows for its BET and MTV networks. The MTV Video Music Awards began in 1984 as an alternative to the video category for the Grammy awards. It has continuously drawn millions of viewers each year since. BET began hosting the BET Awards in 2001 to honor African Americans and other minorities in music, acting and sports who may be left out of other large award shows.

Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?

Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.

With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.

It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Via Renewables, Inc. (VIA) - free report >>