Search results
The original incarnation of Viacom Inc. (derived from "Video & Audio Communications") was an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in New York City.
- Overview
- History
The original incarnation of Viacom Inc. (derived from "Video & Audio Communications") was an American media conglomerate based in New York City. It began as CBS Television Film Sales, the broadcast syndication division of the CBS television network in 1952; it was renamed CBS Films in 1958, renamed CBS Enterprises in 1968, renamed Viacom in 1970, and spun off into its own company in 1971. Viacom was a distributor of CBS television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and also distributed syndicated television programs.
In 1999, Viacom acquired the then-parent company of CBS, the former Westinghouse Electric Corporation, which had been renamed CBS Corporation in 1997. Viacom was split into the second CBS Corporation and Viacom incarnations, and ceased operations in 2006. The spin-off was structured so that CBS Corporation would be the legal successor to the first Viacom, with the second Viacom being an entirely separated company. The two companies eventually re-merged on December 4, 2019, leading to the formation of ViacomCBS, renamed Paramount Global on February 16, 2022.
The Viacom's origin story set on March 16, 1952 — when CBS founded its broadcast syndication division, CBS Television Film Sales. It renamed as CBS Films in October 1958, and again renamed as CBS Enterprises Inc. in January 1968. The division was incorporated as Viacom International in July 1970, and spun off on January 1, 1971, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed).
In addition to CBS TV series syndication rights, Viacom also held cable systems with 90,000 cable subscribers, at that time the largest in the US. In 1976, Viacom started Showtime, a pay movie channel, with Warner-Amex taking a half-share ownership. The company went into original programming production starting in the late 1970s until the early 1980s with middling results.
May 13, 2024 · Viacom (1952–2006) facts for kids. This page is about the original media conglomerate that existed until 2005. For its successors, see CBS Corporation and Viacom (2005–2019). The original incarnation of Viacom Inc. (derived from "Video & Audio Communications") was an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in New York City.
People also ask
What does Viacom stand for?
What happened to Viacom & CBS?
When did Viacom start?
Is Viacom still a CBS company?
The first logo for ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. The second logo for ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. Paramount Media Networks [1] (founded as MTV Networks in 1984 [2] and known under this name until 2011; thereafter known as Viacom Media Networks until 2019; then known as ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks until 2022) is an American mass ...
Viacom (2005–2019) The second incarnation of Viacom Inc. ( / ˈvaɪəkɒm / VY-ə-kom or / ˈviːəkɒm / VEE-ə-kom; a portmanteau of Video & Audio Communications), was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate with interests primarily in film and television. It was established on December 31, 2005, as one of two ...
The original incarnation of Viacom Inc. (originally an initialism of Video & Audio Communications) was an American media conglomerate. During the 1970s and 1980s, Viacom was a prominent distributor of syndicated CBS television series.
Dec 31, 2005 · Fate. Split into the second incarnations of CBS Corporation and Viacom. Successor. CBS Corporation (legal successor) Viacom (spun off) Area served. Worldwide. Subsidiaries. CBS. Paramount Pictures. MTV Networks. Showtime Networks. BET Networks. Paramount Parks. Famous Players. Simon & Schuster. King World Productions. UPN.
