Viacom said its flagship networks BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon will be added to the free, ad-supported streaming service Pluto TV, which it acquired in January. The company made the announcement and unveiled a slate of digital programming during its second annual NewFronts pitch to media buyers at the PlayStation Theater in New York’s Times Square. “We’re excited to return to the NewFronts after a year of rapid digital acceleration and momentum across the leading social and online video platforms,” Viacom Digital Studios president Kelly Day said in the official release. “Our remarkable growth continues to be driven by an investment in premium original programming and experiences that engage our young, diverse audiences on the platforms they love most, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for our advertising partners to join the conversation.” Viacom bought Pluto for $340 million, signaling a strategy similar to NBCUniversal’s, emphasizing advertising and free streaming rather than the subscription blueprints drawn up by Disney and WarnerMedia. This year and next will be milestones in terms oof new streaming launches, with Apple also coming to market with Apple TV+ this fall, and a cluster of traditional media and tech players focused on closing the gap with Netflix. Pluto TV has more than 15 million monthly active users, Viacom said. The company’s channels will go live on May 1, with content from Viacom’s library appearing on three categories of branded channels. The first is group is Co-Branded Flagship Channels, which are described as “curated” versions of Viacom’s existing networks; Signature Channels, with the most “celebrated and diversified” programming from each brand; and Pop-Up Channels, which deliver series in marathon-style airings. The Pop-Ups will start with MTV’s The Hills, which will re-air ahead of reboot The Hills: New Beginnings, which debuts on June 24. “We are thrilled to expand the Pluto TV offering with the addition of Viacom’s world-class channel brands and iconic programming. This is a major step forward in our mission of entertaining the planet,” Pluto co-founder and CEO Tom Ryan said. Programming from Viacom Digital Studios will circulate across Facebook, Snap, Twitter and YouTube for Viacom’s more than 880 million fans, which Viacom calls the largest social footprint among entertainment companies. With the addition of Pluto TV, Viacom predicts its digital video impressions will grow to 5 billion per month by 2020. VidCon, another recent Viacom acquisition, will mark the 10th anniversary of its flagship conference in Anaheim, CA that is geared to video creators for YouTube and other platforms. About 75,000 attendees are expected at the conference in July, with a new element this year, The Direct Brand Summit. “We have made incredible strides over the past year due to our acquisitions and expansion to grow our digital reach significantly to the direct benefit of our advertising partners.” Viacom Head of Ad Solutions Sean Moran said. “With more touch points than ever before, we look forward to leveraging the full scale and power of Viacom to help our clients create real, authentic connections with our highly coveted and hard-to-reach young audiences wherever they are.”<doc-sep>Just a few months after acquiring video streaming service Pluto TV, Viacom says it will be bringing its major networks to the ad-supported streaming service, with a whole lineup of new channels launching on May 1. The company is making this announcement in advance of its NewFronts presentation for advertisers later this afternoon. Viacom Digital Studios President Kelly Day told me the presentation will outline the company’s broader digital strategy, which includes not just the acquisition of Pluto TV but also of the VidCon and SnowGlobe events businesses. On the Pluto TV side, there will be “flagship channels,” which the company describes as “specially curated versions” of Viacom’s networks — BET Pluto TV, Comedy Central Pluto TV, MTV Pluto TV, Nick Pluto TV, Nick Jr. Pluto TV and Spike Pluto TV. Other channels will have a more specific theme, like CMT Westerns, Comedy Central Stand-up, MTV Dating, MTV Guy Code, MTV Teen, Paramount Movie Channel and Spike Outdoors. And there will also be “pop-up channels,” which allow viewers to binge on a specific show, starting with “The Hills.” While Viacom executives have said they plan to add paid subscriptions to Pluto TV, Day said the company is taking “a bit of a contrarian approach” by not just creating its own subscription service to compete with Netflix. “We believe that free, ad-supported video is still an enormous opportunity,” she said. Other content announcements include the fact that AwesomenessTV is working on “How to Survive: A Break-Up,” a scripted series for its YouTube channel starring popular YouTube star Eva Gutowski. And there will be linear TV announcements that include online elements, like “Black Coffee,” a morning show from BET that will recap major conversations from Black Twitter, and an untitled Comedy Central late night show hosted by David Spade, which will also publish content to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Since launching Viacom Digital Studios to spearhead its online video activity just over a year ago, the company says its social video views and watch time have increased by 83 percent and 119 percent, respectively, and that it’s now receiving an global average of 4 billion views each month, adding up to more than 6 billion minutes watched. “I think that there is tremendous value for our brands in being on platforms where we know audiences are spending a lot of time,” Day said. “We are media brands — and so, if you look at brands like Nickelodeon or MTV, if you’re only focused on the linear audience, you’re missing a huge share of the population and where they’re spending time.”<doc-sep>Today in New York, Viacom announced that they are launching 14 free channels on its newly owned Pluto TV service. Starting May 1, 2019, you will find a huge collection of free Viacom shows and movies on Pluto TV. These new channels include BET, MTV, Comedy Central, Spike, Nick, and Nick Jr. These are not live channels but rather collections of on-demand content owned by these channels. The best part is all of them will be 100% free supported by ads. “We’re excited to return to the NewFronts after a year of rapid digital acceleration and momentum across the leading social and online video platforms,” said Kelly Day, president of Viacom Digital Studios. “Our remarkable growth continues to be driven by an investment in premium original programming and experiences that engage our young, diverse audiences on the platforms they love most, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for our advertising partners to join the conversation.” Here are the channels Pluto TV is adding this week as described by Viacom: Co-Branded Flagship Channels : Specially curated versions of Viacom’s most iconic networks. BET Pluto TV: Kick back and enjoy the best of Black Hollywood through all of your favorite urban movies! Featuring hundreds of hours of classic films and box office hits, this channel is guaranteed to have everything you’ve been waiting for in one place. Grab a snack and get comfortable. You’re going to be stuck here for a while. Comedy Central Pluto TV: Comedy Central Pluto TV is the destination for the best in iconic original comedy series, late night, sketch, and animation. It features specials from “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and a nonstop stash of classic episodes of “Tosh.0,” “Another Period,” and “Ugly Americans,” among plenty of others. If you’re looking for something funny, we have good news: you just found it. MTV Pluto TV: Looking to escape the everyday? Get your party started and take a dive into the most iconic reality and dating shows that only MTV can deliver, including hits like “16 & Pregnant,” “MTV Cribs,” “Are You the One?” and “Punk’d.” You want your MTV Pluto! Nick Pluto TV: Welcome to Nick Pluto TV where you can watch your favorite classic shows like “All That,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Fairly Odd Parents,” and “iCarly.” It’s all on Nick Pluto TV. Nick Jr. Pluto TV: Welcome to Nick Jr. Pluto TV where you’ll find your preschooler’s favorite friends from classic “Blue’s Clues,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Wallykazam” and many more hit Nick Jr. Pluto TV shows. Spike Pluto TV: The first network for men is on Pluto TV! Spike features series like “Duck Dynasty,” “Pit Boss” and “Cajun Pawn Stars,” starring people who play by their own set of rules. It’s your one-stop shop for bold, unapologetic entertainment. : Specially curated versions of Viacom’s most iconic networks. Signature Channels : These channels hone in on the most celebrated and differentiated programming from the flagships—spinning them into dedicated, themed channels. CMT Westerns: Saddle up with CMT Westerns, the best place to kick off your boots and find your favorite country movies. Comedy Central Stand-Up: Are you looking for groundbreaking stand-up comedy? Well, you just hit the jackpot. Comedy Central is the ultimate stand-up source, opening its iconic vault for Pluto TV by featuring content from the world’s best comedians. Whether you’re revisiting classic stand-up series from Dave Attell and John Oliver or discovering early performances from John Mulaney and Amy Schumer, Comedy Central Stand-Up is a gold mine of series and specials that’ll keep you up all night laughing until your parents, spouse, or roommates beg you to turn it off. MTV Dating: Get cozy with some of the most buzzed about reality dating show hits like “NEXT” and “Parental Control.” Do the romantic hopefuls ever find true love? Maybe, maybe not—but we sure don’t mind watching them try and try again! MTV Guy Code: Consider this your man cave, an escape to catch favorite episodes of “Beavis & Butthead,” “MTV Guy Code,” “Rob & Big,” and “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory.” MTV Teen: Is the one-stop shop for teen content, including shows like “Made” and “My Super Sweet 16,” with an abundance of OMGs, LOLs, and cringe-worthy moments. Paramount Movie Channel: The most storied movie studio in Hollywood is throwing open its gates with the Paramount Movie Channel, featuring the greatest movies of the past century all in one place, 24 hours a day. Spike Outdoors: The first network for outdoors-men! Spike Outdoors goes all out with a full slate of shows featuring guys making their living off the land. Man up with the modern day adventurers in “Tougher in Alaska,” “River Monsters,” “Bering Sea Gold” and more! If it’s high octane outdoor shows you crave, journey no further than Spike Outdoors! : These channels hone in on the most celebrated and differentiated programming from the flagships—spinning them into dedicated, themed channels. Pop-Up Channels : Channels present binge-worthy series, in marathon-style airings. MTV’s The Hills: Just in time for the highly anticipated revival series, “The Hills: New Beginnings,” premiering on Monday, June 24, viewers can catch up on the series that changed the reality TV landscape and look back at the most unforgettable and iconic moments from the past seasons of “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills.” : Channels present binge-worthy series, in marathon-style airings. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help. Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!<doc-sep>
For Viacom, the future of television has an increasingly online sheen. The media conglomerate is bringing a slew of content from its flagship cable networks to Viacom-owned Pluto TV — launching 14 channels on the free, ad-supported internet-streaming platform starting May 1 — and outlined its newest slate of original digital programming. As its traditional linear TV business faces declines in viewers and revenue, Viacom has stepped up digital investments over the last two years, including paying $340 million for Pluto TV earlier this year. It launched Viacom Digital Studios in late 2017 and last year grew U.S. social video views and watch time 83% and 119%, respectively. All told, Viacom content garners a global average of 4 billion online video views and over 6 billion minutes watched per month. “Our remarkable growth continues to be driven by an investment in premium original programming and experiences that engage our young, diverse audiences on the platforms they love most, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for our advertising partners to join the conversation,” Kelly Day (pictured above), president of Viacom Digital Studios, said in a statement. Viacom is showcasing the new initiatives Monday afternoon at its second Digital Content NewFronts presentation, being held at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square. Starting Wednesday, May 1, Pluto TV in the U.S. will add channels for BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon featuring content from Viacom’s programming library. The channels will include co-branded channels, which are curated versions of Viacom’s networks; “Signature Channels,” with a selection of top content from each brand; and Pop-Up Channels with marathon-style, binge-able lineups, starting with past seasons of MTV’s “The Hills” and spinoff “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County” (ahead of the June 24 premiere of revival series “The Hills: New Beginnings”). With the addition of Pluto TV, Viacom’s digital video impressions will grow to 5 billion impressions monthly by 2020, according to the company. Pluto TV says it has more than 15 million monthly active users, mostly in the U.S. “This is a major step forward in our mission of entertaining the planet,” said Pluto TV CEO and co-founder Tom Ryan. Pluto TV organizes content into TV-like grids of scheduled streaming programming. Pluto TV’s new Viacom channels will include dedicated channels for library programming from BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, Nick Jr., and Spike (a new outlet for the brand, which is no longer on cable TV); the Signature Channels — CMT Westerns, Comedy Central Stand-Up, MTV Dating, MTV Guy Code, MTV Teen, Paramount Movie Channel, and Spike Outdoors; along with the Pop-Up Channel for MTV’s “The Hills.” In addition, Viacom Digital Studios on Monday unveiled plans to produce new and returning original series around major tentpole events, linear franchises and digital shows from Awesomeness, BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. The slate includes: AwesomenessTV romantic comedy “How to Survive: A Break-Up,” starring top YouTuber Eva Gutowski, set for summer debut; “Brent Rivera’s Dream Vacation,” featuring the AwesomenessTV star going on bucket-list destinations with his friends, coming to YouTube this summer; David Spade’s new untitled late-night show on Comedy Central (debuting this summer weekdays at 11:30 p.m. ET), will launch channels and release content across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Comedy Central destinations; An overall deal with Gus Johnson to create monthly original videos for Comedy Central’s YouTube channel, in addition to more episodes of his “Low Budget” series. He will also star in a number of Comedy Central’s existing digital series, including “That’s an App” and “As Seen on CC”; BET’s “Black Coffee,” a daily morning talk show hosted by Marc Lamont Hill featuring celeb interviews and a catch-up on Black Twitter’s liveliest conversations; “MTV No Filter: Tana Turns 21,” following Instagram celebrity Tana Mongeau and her crew in a behind-the-scenes look navigating vlog life, partying and the occasional controversy, premiering this summer; Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob Smarty Pants Game Show,” a digital game show where two SpongeBob superfans compete to win the Golden Pineapple by answering trivia questions, completing stunts and competing in SpongeBob-themed games, on Facebook and the SpongeBob YouTube channel; Nick greenlit “JoJo and BowBow Show Show” Season 2, coming to YouTube later in 2019, with new animated adventures featuring JoJo Siwa, her pooch Bow Bow, and their furry friends; and “Throw Back with Nickelodeon,” hosted by digital star Anthony Padilla (co-creator of Smosh) waxing nostalgic with Nick stars from the past, slated to hit Facebook Watch this summer.