VIACOMCBS NETWORKS AND SKY SIGN NEW AGREEMENT IN ITALY
The new long-term deal includes the expansion of ViacomCBS Networks Italy’s portfolio on Sky platforms and a new commercial deal
Milan, January 8th 2020 – ViacomCBS Networks and satellite TV platform Sky Italy have announced a new multi-year deal to extend their collaboration in Italy.
According to the agreement signed by the two companies, Italian viewers of Paramount Network, Spike and VH1 will also be able to watch these channels on Sky. This will bring the number of ViacomCBS brands available on Sky platforms in Italy to 12, including local versions of MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Comedy Central and Italian kids’ channel Super!.
ViacomCBS Networks Italia (then named Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Italia) fully acquired the free-to-air kids TV channel Super! from De Agostini Editore in October. Super! focuses on children ages four to 14, and features a catalogue of local and international content. The channel is fully operated by ViacomCBS Italia.
ViacomCBS and Sky Media also agreed a commercial deal in which ViacomCBS channels and digital advertising in Italy will be entirely sold by Sky Media effective from Sunday 2nd February 2020.
The agreements build on a long-standing and successful relationship between ViacomCBS and Sky across Europe, with Sky distributing and selling advertising across ViacomCBS’ portfolio of channels in the UK for the past decade.
Raffaele Annecchino, President, ViacomCBS Networks Southern & Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, commented: “With Sky as our main distributor and ad sales partner, we can sustain our strong position in the Italian market in the long-term and deliver additional benefits for our viewers and advertisers, including content synergies and wider distribution across multiple platforms. Our new commercial agreement with Sky Media represents an opportunity to effectively support our business and brands over the next years in Italy, which remains one of the most important and valuable markets in which we operate”.
Giovanni Ciarlariello, Chief Media Digital & Data Officer Sky Italia: “This strengthened deal with ViacomCBS Networks will give even more investment opportunities to our customers and confirms Sky Media’s role as a key player in the market as well as the high quality of its innovative services”.
Following the initial announcement that Viacom was to re-merge with CBS, a number of announcements have been made regarding the merged company’s leadership team. Former Mattel executive Venetia Davie recently joined ViacomCBS Consumer Products as VP of UK and Ireland, while Stefanie Schwartz was upped to EVP and GM of Viacom Digital Studios (VDS). Schwartz is replacing current president Kelly Day, who is in talks for another senior role at ViacomCBS.
CBS and Viacom completed their merger on Wednesday 4th December 2019, becoming ViacomCBS.
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ViacomCBS Networks International
ViacomCBS Networks International, a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), is comprised of many of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Its portfolio includes Network 10, Channel 5, Telefe, Viacom 18, ViacomCBS International Studios, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network and Pluto TV among others. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.
Sky Media
Sky Media is the advertising sales arm of Sky Italia, operating across all the platforms of the media company, from linear TV to On Demand and Digital.
Sky Media deals with the advertising sales of Sky-branded and FNG Fox Networks Group, A&E, Disney, Gambero Rosso, LaEffe, Classica pay channels and FTA Sky’s channels. The advertising sales arm is also in charge of sales for the Sky-branded websites, the Fox group sites as well as Twitter and other 300 sites.
The array of innovative commercial opportunities offered by Sky Media also includes Fluid Content, a technology capable of running the content of Sky and its partners through a unique network of over 300 websites. Thanks to Sky AdSmart proprietary addressable TV technology, Sky Media effectively reaches its target and delivers specific messages to the desired audiences.
The latest innovation of Sky media is the “Reach Content”, an advertising planning format able to highlight the in-depth content of commercials through direct interaction with viewers, through the use of Sky Q’s Voice Control.
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Original source: Kidscreen; H/T: Special thanks to RegularCapital WarnerMedia Animation News for the news!
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