Viacom and Microsoft Announce Digital Content Partnership

December 20th, 2007, 22:45 Posted By: wraggster

Viacom Inc. and Microsoft Corporation today announced a broad-based, strategic alliance under which major divisions of both companies will collaborate on advertising, content distribution, event promotions and games over the next several years.

The comprehensive agreement spans across the two companies and includes a number of significant components. Among them:
-- Microsoft will license, on a non-exclusive basis, long and short-form television and theatrical content from across Viacom's cable network and motion picture businesses, including MTV, Comedy Central, BET and Paramount Pictures for use on Microsoft properties such as MSN and Xbox 360.
-- Microsoft's Atlas division will become the ad server for Viacom's U.S. websites and Microsoft will have the exclusive right to sell remnant display advertising inventory on Viacom's U.S. websites.
-- Microsoft will buy advertising on Viacom broadcast and online networks over a five-year period and the companies will work together on promotions and sponsorships for MTV Networks and BET Networks award shows;
-- Viacom will work with Microsoft on opportunities to become a preferred publishing partner across Microsoft's casual gaming platforms.

Content Distribution
Viacom will provide Microsoft with a broad selection of short-form and long-form audio-visual content from MTV Networks, Paramount and BET Networks for distribution by Microsoft on properties such as MSN.com and Xbox 360. A wide range of content from Viacom properties is already distributed to Xbox 360 users through Xbox LIVE Marketplace and this deal adds popular content from BET Networks. In addition, Viacom will work with Microsoft's casual gaming platforms (MSN and Windows) to provide downloadable casual games to the substantial base of consumers playing quick-to-develop, easy-to-learn games on these platforms.

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