Multi-territory linear, multiplatform deals for VIMN
August 2, 2017
Viacom International Media Networks Southern and Western Europe, Africa and Middle East (SWEMEA) Cluster has secured what it describes as a string of important milestones and deals, covering linear, SVoD and multiplatform distribution in Europe and Africa.
VIMN launched the MTV Play VoD mobile app in Germany and Austria. SVoD carriers Showmax and iflix will carry multiple VIMN brands in sub-Saharan Africa. MTV and NickJr. were launched on Orange in Spain. And MTV launched the first ever fully-localised MTV Snapchat Discover channel in France.
“I am very pleased to be confirming these deals across the cluster,” declared Raffaele Annecchino, President and MD of VIMN SWEMEA. “Our strategies vary market by market based on the opportunities available and we remain flexible and committed to working with the best affiliates in each region. This month, we’ve closed deals for linear and non-linear distribution for multiple brands in our portfolio across a range of countries and platforms. I am proud of our success and I look forward to announcing additional agreements shortly.”
On July 27th, VIMN launched its PlayPlex mobile app, MTV Play, in Germany and Austria. The new service replaces MTV’s previous app with the MTV brand of the company’s international flagship VoD service, PlayPlex. Offering users access to a wide variety of content including MTV shows, the PlayPlex suite of mobile apps work across IOS and Android systems, and can feature live streams of Viacom’s branded TV channels, as well as a library of VOD content. There have been more than 20 million global downloads of PlayPlex apps to date and over 390 million streams. The app launch is the latest milestone in several months of success for the cluster.
In Africa, VIMN announced the signing of key SVoD contracts that include multiple brands within the media company’s portfolio and will cover sub-Saharan Africa. An existing 2015 agreement with Showmax has been expanded to include 500 hours of Nickelodeon content from kid favourites such as Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants and more, in addition to 150 hours of new international and local content from other VIMN Brands, including MTV Base shows such as MTV Base Meets… and MTV Shuga, Comedy Central programmes such as South Park, Key & Peele, and Roast Battle Africa, and BET hits such as Being Mary Jane and Real Husbands of Hollywood.
VIMN also signed a deal with iflix, which confirmed its expansion into Africa in June 2017. iflix will carry content from numerous VIMN brands such as Nickelodeon (TMNT, iCarly), Comedy Central (Broad City, Comedy Central Presents… Live at Parkers), MTV (Pimp My Ride, Awkward), VH1 (the Fabulous Live Of….), MTV Base (Behind the Story…) and BET (Nellyville, Punk’d).
In Spain, VIMN brands MTV and NickJr launched on Orange in June. The carrier reaches 507,000 TV viewers in Spain who will now have access to the best in youth and music content on MTV, including scripted shows such as MTV Super Shore as well festivals, concerts and live musical performances from top artists around the world. The deal also expands Orange’s offer to include VIMN’s family-friendly preschool brand NickJr, anchored by hit shows such as Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer and Nella the Princess Knight.
VIMN announced its latest partnership with Snapchat in France where it launched the first fully-localised MTV Discover channel outside the United States (MTV already maintains domestic and international Discover channels on Snapchat). Snapchat’s Discover feature lets accounts share stories and content from a branded editorial perspective on the popular social media platform. The French version features some international content dubbed in French, strengthened by a localised editorial offering designed specifically for French audiences and produced in France. The MTV Discover channel went live on June 30th.