Viacom's MTV Networks Announces Landmark Content & Advertising Alliance With China's #1 Search Engine Baidu

BEIJING, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks (MTVN), owned by Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA) , announced today a landmark content and advertising alliance with Baidu.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) , China's #1 search engine, at a press conference in Beijing. The new strategic partnership will give China's 123 million Internet users easy access to 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickelodeon original video content and music videos licensed by five top Chinese and Asian music companies for online viewing or download through http://www.baidu.com/ starting today. As part of the agreement, MTV will provide the first-ever branded area featured on Baidu - MTV Zone, which will include advertising at launch by Motorola and P&G. This deal extends MTVN China's digital media position, where MTV has 100% reach of the country's mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom.

Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International, commented: "This breakthrough relationship with Baidu delivers Chinese audiences a major digital platform for non-stop, 24-hour access to MTV and Nickelodeon programming content for the first time -- from SpongeBob SquarePants, to Pimp My Ride, to MTV China's vast local original programming like MTV Tian Lai Cun and MTV Music Wire. This alliance with China's #1 Internet search engine is also a key milestone in our digital media position in China and advances our long-term commitment to expanding our brands and local content in China."

Robin Li, Chairman & CEO of Baidu.com, Inc., said: "We're excited to expand our powerful online entertainment platform at Baidu through this first-of-its-kind alliance with MTV Networks. With a diverse offering of original programming, animation and music, Chinese users will be able to experience high quality entertainment on MTV Zone. Content owners and artists will be compensated through this revenue share agreement, which also offers exciting new opportunities for advertisers to reach the online youth demographic in China. We look forward to working with MTV Networks to build on this partnership over the long-term."

MTVN China will provide four categories of content for MTV Zone on Baidu's portal, including:

  * MTV China's locally produced shows such as MTV Music Wire, Tian Lai Cun,
    MTV Chart Countdown, MTV English, MTV Mega Star and MTV China's live
    music events.
  * MTV hit reality shows including Pimp My Ride, Cribs and Laguna Beach.
  * Nickelodeon's hit shows, including animations SpongeBob SquarePants and
    Dora the Explorer, as well as live action series Unfabulous and Drake &
    Josh.
  * Music videos from four Chinese labels, as well as one Asian label.

Content will vary in length, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Internet users will be able to access the high-resolution video content via viewing online, as well as downloading using Baidu's BaiduXsetup software that enables fast downloading. Some downloaded content will require payment, such as music videos, while most will be downloadable free of charge after viewing advertisements. MTVN, Baidu, and where applicable, the record labels, share the revenues. MTV and Baidu also share ad revenues, and Motorola and Procter & Gamble's Rejoice brand have signed on as the first advertisers of MTV Zone downloads.

In addition, MTVN has signed licensing agreements with four of the top music companies in Mainland China, including EE Media, Modern Sky, Music Nation and Ocean Butterflies to enable MTVN to distribute music videos for emerging and established artists. These include Jeff Chang, JJ Lin, Aaron Kwok, Wang Rong, New Pants and others. Music video content will also be available from indie label Avex Group, which represents many artists with strong pan-Asian appeal, such as Japan's Ayumi Hamasaki, Boa, and Namie Amuro; Mainland China's He Jie; and Taiwan's Cindy Wang and Show Lo. Additional agreements to offer videos from local and international artists will be announced soon.

MTVN has numerous agreements around the world to make its content available on multiple platforms, including the Internet, mobile phones and portable devices. Internet partnerships include companies such as AOL, Google Video, iTunes and Amazon, among others, for MTV, Nickelodeon and the company's other leading brands.

About Baidu.com, Inc.

Baidu.com, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share, currently trade on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "BIDU".

About MTV Networks China

MTV Networks has a robust and growing business in China for the MTV and Nickelodeon brands, including television networks, digital media properties, programming syndication, content and event production, co-productions and consumer products. The company has strategic alliances with China's most high profile media players, including CCTV, Beijing TV, Shanghai Media Group and the Beijing Olympics. MTV is the only global brand in China with a 24-hour channel, now seen in 13.1 million households in Guangdong, Hong Kong and hotels and foreign compounds in Mainland China. MTV China original productions are also seen in 175 million TV households across China. Nickelodeon's programming is seen on CCTV14 in 300 million households, along with local content produced through Nickelodeon's partnership with Shanghai Media Group seen on Oriental Children's Channel (OTSE). In addition to MTV Zone on Baidu's portal, MTV content is available to 438 million mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom. MTVN China also operates the #1 music-dedicated Web site, http://www.mtvchina.com/, along with http://www.hahanick.com/. Nickelodeon recently launched consumer products in China for the multi-billion dollar franchises SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA) , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 133 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 150 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.