# Paramount Media Networks

Paramount Media Networks is the division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of its television channels and online brands. The division was originally founded as MTV Networks in 1984, named after the MTV cable network. It would be known under this name until 2011; when it would be thereafter known as Viacom Media Networks until 2019; and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks until 2022.
The division's television assets are managed through three units: the MTV Entertainment Group, Showtime Networks, and the Nickelodeon Group, while also holding AwesomenessTV. Paramount's international assets are overseen by Paramount International Networks.

## History
### Pre-launch: Warner Communications joint venture (1977–1984)

Warner Cable Communications was founded on December 1, 1977, by Warner Cable, itself a division of Warner Communications, to launch QUBE, an interactive cable television network. Seeing the potential in the creation of new cable networks, Warner Cable divested QUBE's biggest brands, Star Channel, Pinwheel and Sight on Sound, into nationwide outlets. Star Channel began by satellite in January 1979 and was renamed The Movie Channel by the end of the year. The original Channel C-3, by then known as Pinwheel, became Nickelodeon in April 1979. As a result of these actions, Warner Cable Communications would then be rebranded as Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, becoming a joint venture between Warner Cable and American Express.
In 1980, Warner-Amex formed a joint venture with the now-defunct Cablevision's Rainbow Media (now AMC Networks) division to launch Bravo, a cable network dedicated to arts and films, on December 1, 1980. Full control of the channel, however, was sold to Rainbow Media in 1984; NBC would acquire Bravo in 2003, and the channel is now currently owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal.
On August 1, 1981, MTV debuted. In 1983, concerned by the strategic and financial failure of its pay-TV venture The Movie Channel (started to reap the benefits Time Inc. was having with HBO and Cinemax), WASEC established a joint venture with Viacom, merging TMC with their premium movie network Showtime to form Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc.; WASEC, however, had no operational involvement in the joint venture.

### Launch as MTV Networks, Viacom gets full ownership (1984–2011)

On June 25, 1984, Warner Communications made the decision to divest Nickelodeon, MTV, and VH-1 (launched in 1985 over the channel space of Turner's Cable Music Channel) into a new public corporation called MTV Networks. A year later, Warner would acquire the 50% stake from American Express.
On August 27, 1985, Warner sold 31% of MTV Networks to Viacom, with Warner also selling 19% of its Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc. joint to Viacom as well.
In November 1985, Viacom announced that it had plans to buy the remaining 69% of MTV Networks from Warner for $326 million, and the acquisition was completed on May 20, 1986.
In 1988, the company partnered with fellow Viacom subsidiary Viacom Enterprises to handle advertising sales of Superboy, a syndicated television series. The division was later evolved into One World Entertainment in the early 1990s, who partnered to launch a VH1 syndicated series.
In 2003, MTV Networks assumed full ownership of Comedy Central from AOL Time Warner.
On December 31, 2005, the remnants of MTV Networks and Showtime Networks were separated following Viacom's split into two entities: CBS Corporation, which retained CBS, UPN, Simon & Schuster and Showtime Networks (Showtime, The Movie Channel, and Flix), and a spun-off company under the Viacom name, which took ownership of Paramount Pictures, BET Networks and MTV Networks (Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH1).

### Expansion (2011–2019)

MTV Networks was renamed Viacom Media Networks in 2011. In the fall of 2012, media analysts began to report that ratings among some of Viacom's leading brands in the U.S. were experiencing declines in viewership. MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon were of most concern to investors as the three account for roughly 50% of Viacom's operating profit, estimated David Bank of RBC Capital Markets.
In 2017, Viacom announced a five-point restructuring plan, in which the company would pour most of its resources behind six "flagship brands". These were MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. Channel, BET, and Paramount Pictures. In February 2017, cable channels CMT and TV Land were moved from the Kids and Family Group to the Global Entertainment Group under Kevin Kay, joining up with Spike TV. During the same month, it was announced that Spike would be relaunched as Paramount Network in 2018, aligning with the namesake film studio and being positioned as Viacom's main general entertainment outlet. BET Networks launched BET+ in September of 2017.
In October 2018, Kevin Kay was announced to be leaving his position as head of the Entertainment Group. CMT was transferred from the Entertainment Group to the Music Group under president Chris McCarthy, with his exit. Executive Kent Alterman would take charge of Paramount Network and TV Land to go with his current leadership of Comedy Central and Bellator MMA.
In 2019, after acquiring the free streaming service Pluto TV, Viacom would launch several channels on the service branded after its Media Networks and company–owned IP.

### Reintroduction and re-merger with CBS (2019–2024)

In August 2019, Viacom announced that it would merge with CBS Corporation, reuniting the two entities under the ViacomCBS name. The merger closed on December 4, 2019. Announced on November 11, 2019, as part of the re–merger, the Media Networks division was renamed ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks, and reorganized.
MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo were reorganized into the "Entertainment & Youth Group", with the addition of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, and TV Land. BET Networks was merged with Showtime Networks under CEO David Nevins, who also temporarily gained oversight of Pop TV (formerly co-owned with Lionsgate); Pop TV was transferred to the Entertainment & Youth Group on January 15, 2020.
On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was renamed as Paramount Global, and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks was renamed Paramount Media Networks. In 2022, MTV Entertainment Group partnered with Second Chance Studios to help formerly incarcerated individuals launch media careers. On May 9, 2023, Paramount restructured its U.S. domestic network business.
Near the end of 2023, Paramount announced that the mobile apps for Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, and Showtime would cease operations at on January 31, 2024. The reason was to encourage users to sign up for Paramount+. The Nickelodeon Group shut down Noggin on July 2 of that same year for the same reason.

### Paramount/Skydance merger (2024–present)

On April 29, 2024, President and CEO Bob Bakish was replaced by led by Brian Robbins, George Cheeks, and Chris McCarthy. This action was the result of Bakish's reported opposition of the Skydance deal. McCarthy was legally designated the company's "interim principal executive officer" in order to comply with SEC regulations stipulating that one person must conduct "the normal course of business".
By July 2, 2024, Skydance renegotiated the deal and reached a preliminary agreement to acquire National Amusements and merge with Paramount. The deal was referred by National Amusements to Paramount's special committee. Also, Paramount reportedly entered talks for a sale of the BET Media Group to buyers led by BET CEO Scott Mills for $1.6-$1.7 billion.
In December 2024, before merger, Paramount consolidated its television and streaming units into one division.

## Channels list
### Current channels

| Category | Name | Notes | Launch |
| MTV Entertainment Group ||||
| MTV Branded Television | MTV | $^1$ | August 1, 1981 |
| MTV Branded Television | MTV2 | $^{25}$ | August 1, 1996 |
| MTV Branded Television | MTV Classic | $^{18}$ | August 1, 1998 |
| MTV Branded Television | MTV Live | $^{19}$ | January 16, 2006 |
| MTV Branded Television | MTV Tres | $^{22}$ | August 1, 1998 |
| MTV Branded Television | MTVU | $^{21}$ | January 20, 2004 |
| General Entertainment Content | CMT | $^4$ | March 5, 1983 |
| General Entertainment Content | CMT Music | $^5$ | August 1, 1998 |
| General Entertainment Content | Comedy Central | $^2$ | April 1, 1991 |
| General Entertainment Content | Logo TV | $^{26}$ | June 30, 2005 |
| General Entertainment Content | Paramount Network | $^3$ | March 7, 1983 |
| General Entertainment Content | Pop TV | $^{14}$ | 1981 |
| General Entertainment Content | Smithsonian Channel | $^{12}$ | September 26, 2007 |
| General Entertainment Content | TV Land | $^{13}$ | April 29, 1996 |
| General Entertainment Content | VH1 | $^{20}$ | January 1, 1985 |
| Nickelodeon Group ||||
| Kids and Family Entertainment | Nickelodeon | $^6$ | April 1, 1979 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | Nick at Nite | $^{23}$ | July 1, 1985 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | Nick Jr. | $^{24}$ | January 4, 1988 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | Nick Jr. Channel | $^7$ | September 28, 2009 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | TeenNick | $^{10}$ | September 28, 2009 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | NickMusic | $^8$ | May 1, 2002 |
| Kids and Family Entertainment | Nicktoons | $^9$ | May 1, 2002 |
| AwesomenessTV ||||
| AwesomenessTV Holdings | Awesomeness Films | | June 23, 2015 |
| AwesomenessTV Holdings | Awesomeness Ink | | October 14, 2014 |
| AwesomenessTV Holdings | Awesomeness News | | 2017 |

### Secondary channels owned by Showtime Networks

Flix does not have secondary channels.
| Category | Name | Launch date |
| Showtime | Showtime | July 1, 1976 |
| Showtime | Showtime 2 | October 1, 1991 |
| Showtime | Showtime Showcase | 1996 |
| Showtime | SHO×BET | September 1999 |
| Showtime | Showtime Extreme | March 10, 1998 |
| Showtime | Showtime Family Zone | March 2001 |
| Showtime | Showtime Next | March 2001 |
| Showtime | Showtime Women | March 2001 |
| The Movie Channel | The Movie Channel | April 1, 1973 |
| The Movie Channel | The Movie Channel Xtra | October 1, 1997 |
| Flix | Flix | August 1, 1992 |

### Former channels and blocks

* BET Media Group (moved under CBS Entertainment Group)
* Bravo (sold to Rainbow Media in 1984; later purchased by General Electric's NBC Entertainment division in 2003, and NBCUniversal a year after)
* C-3 (officially launched as Nickelodeon in 1979; in 1988, the "Pinwheel" block replaced with the "Nick Jr." block)
* Sight on Sound (officially launched as MTV in 1981)
* Nick GAS (1999–2007), 2009 (on Dish Network); replaced by the 24-hour The N on cable, DirecTV and more with Time Warner's Cartoon Network (West feed on Dish Network)
* VH1 Uno (2000–08); became MTVU, focusing on music videos aimed at college-aged students.
* NickMom (2012–15), late-night block on the Nick Jr. Channel, focusing on mothers.
* Noggin (1999–2009, 2015–2024); replaced by the Nick Jr. Channel in 2009, but relaunched as a streaming app in March 2015. The app was discontinued in 2024.
* TEENick (Nickelodeon block, 2001–09) and The N (Noggin block, 2002-07); merged to form TeenNick
* NickRewind (2011–22), classic-oriented, late-night block on TeenNick, still active on YouTube.
* SNICK (1992–2005), channel space now held by Nick at Nite.
* Nick on CBS/Nick Jr. on CBS (2000–06), discontinued after Viacom split into the second incarnations of CBS Corporation and Viacom.
* Showtime Beyond (1999–2020), became SHO×BET focusing on African-American actors in film.
* MTV News, discontinued on June 24, 2024.
* MTVX, became MTV Jams in 2002, focusing on hip-hop music, rebranding under the BET banner in October 2015.
* United Paramount Network, merged with The WB to form The CW, with Kids' WB becoming a block on the channel until 2008; it is now controlled by Nexstar Media Group.
* VH1 MegaHits, became Logo TV in 2005, focusing on cultural LGBTQIA2S+ themes.