The new venture, Viacom 18 Media, will involve television, film and digital media content in a bid to establish a multi-platform entertainment brand.
Viacom 18 will be managed by an equal split of board representatives from Viacom and Network 18, and it has already flagged the launch of launch a new Hindi-language general entertainment channel in India early next year, which will combine locally-produced content with programming from MTV Networks.
Meanwhile in Shanghai, MTV Networks China has secured the services of controversial Hollywood celebrity Paris Hilton for the MTV Style Gala, to he held later this month in Shanghai.
The Style Gala, which is being produced in collaboration with Shanghai Media Group (SMG) and CCTV 6, brings together celebrities from the film, music, TV and fashion industries to recognise style and fashion trendsetters from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The show is expected to be taped live in front of 10,000 people, with the final broadcast expected to reach more than 1 billion people across the three networks.
The show has already signed up a swag of high-profile sponsors, with Jack Daniel’s, Huiyuan Juice, Shanghai Volkswagen-Skoda and Dopod among the list.
