Viacom Expands Direct-to-Consumer Offering with International Launch of BET Play

Streaming app makes BET available on demand via smartphone and tablet
to fans of black culture in 100 countries

Available now for download on iOS and Android
BET Play
is the only place to live stream the 2016 BET Awards on June 26

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) today announced the launch of BET
Play
, Viacom’s first-ever direct-to-consumer, subscription video on
demand (SVOD) application for the adult audience, giving fans in 100
countries direct mobile access to BET’s signature award shows, current
and classic television series, documentaries, standup comedy,
entertainment news and legendary musical performances.


BET Play offers fans an opportunity to watch English-language BET
content on their iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, as well as
AirPlay-enabled television sets, without the need for a broader pay TV
subscription.

The launch of the BET Play streaming app is timed to coincide with this
year’s star-studded 2016 BET Awards, Red Carpet and after
show featuring spectacular performances, must-see moments, outstanding
talent, and exquisite music. This year’s broadcast promises to be one of
the best yet, with returning hosts Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis
Ross, already-announced performances by Alicia Keys, Maxwell and more,
and a moving tribute to legendary musician Prince featuring performances
by Sheila E., The Roots, D’Angelo and Janelle Monae.

“The launch of BET Play significantly expands the brand’s geographic
availability by making it available direct to consumer in many markets
where it has not previously had an established presence on TV,” said
Michael D. Armstrong, Executive Vice President and General Manager,
International Brand Development, Viacom International Media Networks.

With an innovative, intuitive design and a user-friendly, video-first
interface, BET Play offers hundreds of current long form episodes from
sixteen global franchises, including Being Mary Jane starring
Gabrielle Union, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin
Hart, Chasing Destiny starring Kelly Rowland, Zoe
Ever After
starring Brandy Norwood, and classic interviews from 106
& PARK
, in addition to digital-first short-form original
series such as #BLX, quick clips, musical performances, and more.
BET Play is also the only place to watch live streams of BET’s tent-pole
events and awards shows, including the BET Awards (June 26, 2016
at 8:00PM EDT), BET Hip Hop Awards and the Soul Train Awards.
The BET Play app also features a live linear feed of BET Soul,
the premiere destination and leading music source for all soul music
including: R&B, Neo Soul, Alternative Soul, Classic Soul, relative Hip
Hop, and Caribbean music.

BET Play reaches an international audience where they live –
smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices – and creates a tailored
experience perfect for each of these screens.

“For people around the world who love Black culture, BET Play will
enable fans to access our content when and where they want it,” said
Debra Lee, Chairman and CEO of BET Networks.

BET Play is the latest addition to the Viacom Play Plex suite of mobile
TV apps, which offer smartphone and tablet users around the world access
to the best content from all of Viacom’s international TV brands,
anytime and anywhere.

First launched in the fourth quarter of 2015, the Viacom Play Plex apps
are available to launch in every one of the 180 international
territories in which Viacom owns and operates TV channels. There are
separate mobile Play apps for each of Viacom’s major international TV
channel brands – Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Paramount
Channel, Spike and BET – offering video-on-demand access to a range of
current and library content, as well as a live, local linear stream of
the relevant channel, and other content including games for Nick Play.

To date, Play Plex apps are available in more than 40 markets, have been
downloaded more than 8 million times and streamed 150 million times.

“We’ve seen incredible interest in, and uptake of, our Play Plex suite
of apps, which have completely exceeded our expectations,” said Bob
Bakish, President and CEO, Viacom International Media Networks. “These
products give our audiences the content they want, how they want it, and
offer VIMN the flexibility to adapt to a particular market, partner or
brand’s needs.”

BET Play is available now for download on iOS and Android devices for a
subscription fee of $3.99 a month*. Beginning today, fans signing up for
the service can experience BET Play with a seven-day trial free of
charge.

Notes to Editors:

  • BET Play will be available in 100 markets internationally.
  • BET Awards will air on Sunday, June 26th at 8:00 pm EDT,
    and will be immediately followed by a live after show. Check local
    time zone for live stream.
  • BET Play will be available for $3.99 per month. Check local iTunes and
    Google Play pricing for accurate currency conversion.
  • VIMN launched Viacom Play Plex in November 2015 as an authenticated
    service for brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Channel and
    Comedy Central as an authenticated service. BET Play is the first DTC
    offering from the Viacom Play Plex Suite of Mobile TV Apps.

To preview the BET Play app, click here: https://viacom.box.com/s/hcat8ybi25fprogtw7hyaak5008fc9av

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the
nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and
public affairs television programming for the African-American audience.
The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can
be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom
and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer
brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading
Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news;
CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American
Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home
Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile,
which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices;
and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About Viacom International Media Networks

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc.
(NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular
multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy
Central, BET, Paramount Channel, Channel 5 in the UK, VH1, VIVA, COLORS,
Spike, Game One and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands reach more
than 3.4 billion cumulative subscribers in 180+ countries and
territories via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV
channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties, in 40
languages. Keep up with VIMN news by visiting the VIMN PR Twitter feed
at www.twitter.com/VIMN_PR.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com,
blog.viacom.com
and the Viacom Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom

Contacts

Viacom International Media Networks
Kate Laverge
212-654-4335
347-754-1677
Kate.laverge@viacom.com
or
Viacom
International Media Networks
Maggie Hollander
212-846-7940
646-939-7851
Maggie.hollander@viacom.com

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