Viacom announced that it will "narrow down" its focus from its 25 TV channels to just 6 global TV channels as it's rapidly forced to shrink its efforts and attention due to the plummeting of revenues and viewership, to adapt to pay-TV broadcasters that's shrinking their channel bouquet offerings such as Multichoice's DStv and Starsat.
Viacom will rebrand Spike TV - a channel not available in South Africa - to Paramount Network in 2018 in the United States, to be the same as its Paramount Channel operated and distributed by Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) in some countries.
Viacom will start to push the Paramount Channel overseas as its new premiere channel in global territories. Paramount Network, together with BET (DStv 129), Comedy Central (DStv 122), MTV (DStv 130), Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and Nick Jr. (DStv 307) will now be where Viacom spends their time and efforts. These channels were chosen because their brands are available globally, while lower-tiered channels like VH1 will from now on get little investment and serve to pop up these 6 channels and their content.
Viacom's dramatic reshaping comes as pay-TV broadcasters worldwide - including pay-TV operators in
South Africa like MultiChoice and China's StarTimes South Africa - are dumping non-performing channels in a fast-changing pay-TV landscape.
"These 6 brands each have compelling, valuable and distinct brand propositions," said Bob Bakish, Viacom CEO, who previously ran Viacom's international networks
division. "They serve diverse, substantial audiences with largely-owned content, have global reach and distribution potential across linear, digital, film, and consumer products,
events and experiences. Viacom's other brands – some of which hold strong positions in their categories and maintain diverse and loyal followings – will be realigned to reinforce the six flagship brands".
The plan is to focus on bringing stronger and fulfilling content to these channels in predominantly America to lift viewers and restore ratings by focusing content creation on smaller, more aligned areas like BET for Black Viewers, for kids Nickelodeon and Nick Jr, and young adults get Comedy Central and MTV.
Bob Bakish said the "strategy will enable Viacom to realise the full potential of its premier global portfolio of entertainment brands".
MTV's scripted programming moving to Paramount
Viacom is immediately moving its scripted TV programming efforts to Paramount Network. There will no longer be drama shows like Teen Wolf made for MTV. MTV will from now on convert back to reality shows and music (already like that in South Africa and rest of Africa). Spike TV will start the TV drama series The Mist later this year. Bob Bakish's example of how Viacom erred and will now change. Viacom commissioned The Mist , but its one show on one channel. Scripted drama for MTV didn't work. It's not clear, but The Shannara Chronicles for its already commissioned second season maybe moving from MTV to Paramount Network.
The rest of Viacom's channels like VH1, VH1 Classic and others will now become "reinforcing channels". They won't get as much content investment or marketing.
Impact on Africa
The reshaping of Viacom's channels' collection seems as if it won't necessitate a large wholesale reorganisation for its operations in Africa under its VIMN Africa divison led by Alex Okosi. Besides the Paramount Channel, the other 5 channels in the new "flagship group" are available in South Africa and in some countries across Africa.
Investment in local and regionalised content for channels like BET Africa, MTV Base and Comedy Central Africa will possibly continue to grow strongly, and investment in more local programming and live marketing events for Nickelodeon will also continue.
Channels like MTV Base and VH1 Classic have a chance of disappearing while NickToons also in (Africa) has a probabilty of staying or going but I dought viewers will have to worry about NickToons and that goes for TeenNick - Not available in South Africa as they could just remain as backup channels for all of Nick's shows.
NickToons (Africa) has managed to excel in program offering thanks to Multichoice compared to the United States and worldwide as it airs little current repeats from Nickelodeon that haven't concluded on the channel yet (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and The Penguins of Madagascar), (more) new episodes (The Fairly OddParents, Peppa Pig, Harvey Beaks and Rabbids Invasion), more acquired programming (Inazuma Eleven, Regal Academy, ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Littlest Pet Shop) and its hiatus classics (The Mighty B!, Rugrats, My life as a teenage robot and many more on a monthly basis) with more new shows and episodes and less repeats on the way.
VH1 Classic replaced VH1 on Multichoice's DStv hardly anything retro new happening there while MTV Base airing more local music.
Paramount: Building distinctive
programming
"It's a studio known worldwide with unparalleled brand recognition. As one of the biggest media companies in the world, Viacom has an incredibly wide-ranging portfolio of
indelible brands that have unique and powerful relationships with broad and diverse audiences across
the globe, including the successful Paramount Channel aired internationally, from France to Latin America to Russia."
"The Paramount Network will take Spike's already strong programming mix and amplify it with the Paramount brand."
"Its focus will be on building distinctive, high-quality scripted and non-scripted original programming – with dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, sports and tentpole events. It will also incorporate third-party programming, as well as films from other studio's libraries".
Theory: Paramount Channel could be one of the channels DStv could consider launching soon only time will tell
