Tv, Viacom | featured news

Viacom is grappling with declining audiences at MTV and Comedy Central. Comedy Central's prime-time audience fell 19% in the four weeks through Oct. 21, while MTV's viewership declined 32%.

After a nine-day blackout that denied subscribers access to Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and other channels, the two companies reach agreement on a new long-term deal.

As the dispute between Viacom and DirecTV continued Wednesday, the conglomerate yanked access to some of its more popular programming that was available free on company websites. Fans can no longer watch full episodes of shows like "SpongeBob Squarepants" and "iCarly" or "Jersey Shore" and "The Daily Show," which is sure to further anger the 20 million DirecTV subscribers who continue to find a dark screen when they change the channel to Viacom-owned nets like Nick, MTV, Comedy Central and VH1.

Viacom Inc. said an impasse in contract talks with DirecTV is costing almost 20 million subscribers access to 26 channels, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. DirecTV dropped the channels late Tuesday when two sides couldn’t reach a new fee agreement, New York-based Viacom said in a blog post. There was no word on whether the companies would continue negotiating. “We are hopeful that DirecTV will work with us toward a resolution, and stop denying its subscribers access to the networks they watch most,” Viacom said.

The availability of kids TV shows on Netflix is only a small, contributing factor in the recent ratings challenges of such networks as Viacom's Nickelodeon, Turner Broadcasting System chairman and CEO Phil Kent told an investor conference on Thursday.

Stephen Colbert's satirical comedy is expected to resume airing new episodes on Monday night, ending an unscheduled hiatus last week, Viacom Inc.'s Comedy Central cable channel said Sunday.

Viacom says its net income and revenue grew in the latest quarter, handily surpassing Wall Street's expectations thanks to the strength of MTV, Comedy Central and other networks....