Viacom is a large media conglomerate that owns various television networks like MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and movie studios like Paramount Pictures. It produces TV shows, films, radio, magazines, and websites. Viacom uses its different sectors like TV, radio, publishing, and the internet to promote and distribute its films by airing movie trailers, interviews, and offering promotional competitions. Its ownership of multiple media platforms allows for cross-promotion of content and symbiotic relationships that mutually benefit production companies and consumer product companies.

1. Viacom
MTV
Nickelodeon Movies
VIVA
MTV Films
TV, Film, Radio, Magazines, Websites
ComedyCentral.com
Paramoun MTV Games (including Rock Band) The Hills
t DreamWork
CMT: Country Music Television s Shockwave.com

2. How different sectors help get a film released
TV Radio
• TV is useful because it gives • Advertisement through movie trailers
you a place to broadcast your • Air the movie soundtracks
movies in order to reach a • Interviews with film stars/film makers
wider audience • Promotional offers/competitions
• You can show advertising for
the movie in the form of trailers
• Promotional
Publishing
offers/competitions Film
• Advertise movies • Trailers before movies in the
• Interviews with film stars/film cinema, same genre/age of
makers audience
• Promotional
offers/competitions
Internet
• Trailers/advertising
• Movie and soundtrack downloads
• Film website

3. Symbiotic relationships in the
media
Symbiotic relationships allow companies to mutually benefit from the
production of a movie. For example the toy company Hasbro worked with
DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures to produce Transformers: Dark of the
moon. This allows the movie to have a bigger budget, meaning that it can be
produced to a higher quality than if one company was tackling the project
alone. Hasbro benefits because they are able to produce the toys to go with
the movie which are guaranteed to have interest because they are coming
from a movie that will be well known. It also benefits the other companies
because it helps to spread the name publicity of the movie to a wider
audience.

4. Glossary
Multi Media Conglomerate – a company that owns large numbers of
companies in various mass media such as TV, radio, publishing, movies
and the internet
Horizontal Integration – the merger of companies at the same stage of
production in the same or different industries
Cross Media Convergence – a range of media platforms are integrated
within a single piece of media technology
Synergy – different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome
Symbiotic – different companies work together to promote a range of
related products