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New Site - Launching January 30 - Offers Real-Time Chat Capabilities,

Extensive Video And Parent-Controlled Safety Features

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    NEW YORK, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon, the number-one
 entertainment brand for kids and a division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:   VIA and
 VIA.B) MTV Networks, will launch Nicktropolis on January 30, a completely
 new kid-targeted multi-media experience that offers visitors the
 opportunity to engage in a virtual world filled with their favorite
 web-based activities. At Nicktropolis, which will be available at
 http://www.nicktropolis.com or through http://www.nick.com, kids for the
 first time will have their own virtual community where they will have the
 opportunity to play games, watch video, explore Nickelodeon-branded and
 original environments, interact with other kids or Nickelodeon characters
 in real time, and create their own personalized 3D rooms.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070129/NYM186 )
     "Virtual worlds like Nicktropolis are part of our strategy to bring
 immersive, relevant entertainment experiences to our audiences wherever
 they are, and to build communities around our content across every kind of
 platform," said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTVN. "The virtual worlds
 we've been building across our networks give the fans of our brands the
 high level of interaction they want with one another, and with the content
 itself."
     Nickelodeon's Nicktropolis is MTV Networks' latest move in serving its
 audiences through original online and wireless content across all of its
 brands. Over the past two years, MTVN has acquired expansive community and
 gaming assets like NeoPets, AddictingGames.com, Shockwave.com, Harmonix
 Music Systems, GameTrailers, Xfire; RateMyProfessors.com and Y2M for
 college students; and added user-generated content, short-form video and
 networking destinations like IFILM, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films,
 Quizilla, MTV Flux, The Click from The N and Nick's own ParentsConnect.
 With 32 broadband sites and 139 websites in live deployment globally, MTVN
 ranks as the number-one online entertainment destination and the 10th most
 popular overall destination on the Web (comScore Media Metrix December
 2006, U.S. only).
     Nickelodeon's latest research study, Living in a Digital World (2006),
 found that 86% of kids 8-14 are gaming online; more than half (51%) are
 watching TV shows and videos online; 37% are instant messaging and 12% are
 participating in chat rooms.
     "Nickelodeon has a deep connection with kids, and Nicktropolis is built
 from our knowledge that kids' interest in social networking is all about
 gaming," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and
 Family Group. "Nicktropolis serves as a one-of-a-kind multimedia virtual
 entertainment playground for kids that allows them to watch video from our
 immense library of programming, play games, interact with our characters
 and safely communicate with each other through controlled chat."
     Kids enter Nicktropolis by assuming an "avatar" that they design and
 personalize, choosing from an array of hairstyles, skin tones and clothing
 styles. Once a user selects a destination, the avatar appears in the
 particular environment and can move around simply by clicking where he/she
 wants to go.
     The site offers an immersive 3D environment consisting of four main
 areas containing multimedia experiences, gaming, and opportunities to
 personalize their space, create video play lists of their favorite
 Nickelodeon content, and interact in a safe, community environment:
     * "Nickname Lane" is where kids are able to design, furnish and maintain a
       continuously evolving personal space. Each kid begins with a 3D room of
       their own, complete with basic furniture and decorations which the
       player will be able to arrange to their liking using a basic, drag-and-
       drop style level editor.
 
     * "Nicktoon Boulevard" consists of Nickelodeon property branded rooms.  At
       Nicktropolis' launch, there will be several branded rooms such as
       "SpongeBob's Bikini Bottom," "Jimmy Neutron's Retroville," "Avatar
       Nation," and "Danny Phantom's Amityville." Users will transform into an
       avatar from the property themed world (i.e. Plankton avatar in Bikini
       Bottom) when entering a room in Nicktoon Boulevard, and can chat with
       favorite Nickelodeon characters as well as other users.  Each branded
       area includes several rooms within that relate to the specific property.
       For example, "Avatar Nation" features a Fire Tent, Water Palace and a
       General Market, among others.
 
     * "Downtown Nicktropolis" includes several communal, non-branded rooms,
       such as: a Rec Center with video games, a screening area, basketball
       courts and more; the Metro Park which includes a softball field,
       waterfall, bridge and the forest; a Lounge where you can kick back and
       watch Nick programming; and Market Street, which serves essentially as
       the Nicktropolis commerce area for kids to use their NickPoints in the
       Seasonal Store, Gadget Universe, D�cor Nation, Wild Walls and Floors and
       more.
 
     * The "Pier" is a gaming focused environment where kids will find several
       games including bumper cars, fortune telling, a fun house and more.
       Several property themed games will also be introduced throughout various
       areas of Nicktropolis in the coming weeks.  Game participation will tie
       into the NickPoints economy, and points will be awarded for success.
       Players can purchase items with their NickPoints to personalize their
       rooms with such as TVs, with which they can host viewing parties for
       Nickelodeon tentpole events, chairs or other things.
     Nicktropolis incorporates numerous safety features to ensure kids'
 virtual playground experience is as safe as possible. Participation in
 Nicktropolis relies entirely on the anonymous registration system, which
 does not allow kids to divulge personal, identifiable information. As a
 result, it is COPPA compliant. Before entering Nicktropolis, a set of
 ground rules must be read and agreed to by the user, which are sent to the
 parent listed during registration.
     As part of the safety features, parents have the option to control
 their child's settings in Nicktropolis. This includes limiting their
 child's chat settings and setting their security levels of where and with
 whom they can visit on Nicktropolis. Kids can also block users if they do
 not wish to interact with them. Kids can chat in real-time using
 pre-written messages and a sanitized, kid-appropriate dictionary which
 includes a foul language filter and limits the type of information kids can
 provide to other users. Parents' must opt-in for their child to use the
 kid-appropriate dictionary. Nicktropolis is monitored, and features a
 "report button" should any concerns arise.
     Nicktropolis will become the latest destination and interactive and
 creative online environment to join the community of sites within the
 Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group that serve preschoolers, kids, teens
 and parents. This community of sites, which includes Nick.com, Nickjr.com,
 Nick Arcade, Nick-at-nite.com, Quizilla, The-N.com, Noggin.com, Neopets,
 Parentsconnect, GoCityKids, Addicting Games, and Shockwave.com, generated
 almost 25.7 million unique users in December according to ComScore Media
 Metrix.
     Shockwave.com and AddictingGames.com are two of the internet's largest
 casual gaming sites which, along with NeoPets and Nick.com, provide kids,
 tweens and families with a diverse mix of gaming experiences. In September
 2006, Nickelodeon launched TurboNick 2.0 to provide kids with unprecedented
 broadband video features. The site served up approximately 255 million
 streams in 2006, up +580% since its launch year in 2005. And in October
 2006, the Kids and Family Group acquired Quizilla, a top-five and one of
 the fastest growing online, user-generated destination for female teens.
     About Nickelodeon
     Nickelodeon, in its 27th year, is the number-one entertainment brand
 for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in
 everything it does. The company includes television programming and
 production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer
 products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films.
 Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 92 million
 households and has been the number-one- rated basic cable network for
 almost 12 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters
 and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:   VIA, VIA.B).
     About MTV Networks and Viacom
     MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:   VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
 world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
 platforms. MTV Networks, with 135 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/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL
 SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these
 networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its
 audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than
 200 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.
     Viacom is a leading global entertainment content company, with
 prominent and respected brands in focused demographics. Engaging its
 audiences through television, motion pictures and digital platforms, Viacom
 reaches its audiences wherever they consume content. Viacom's leading
 brands include the multiplatform properties of MTV Networks, including MTV,
 VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, CMT: Country Music
 Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 135 networks around the
 world, as well as digital assets such as Neopets, Xfire and Atom
 Entertainment; BET Networks; Paramount Pictures; Paramount Home
 Entertainment; DreamWorks; and Famous Music. More information about Viacom
 and its businesses is available at http://www.viacom.com.
 
 

SOURCE Nickelodeon