Viacom's BET, CENTRIC, CMT, MTV, mtvU And Tr3s to Host "A Conversation with President Obama"

NEW YORK, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) today announced that its cable networks BET, CENTRIC, CMT, MTV, mtvU and Tr3s will air a one-hour, commercial free town hall event with President Barack Obama on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m. (ET).  "A Conversation with President Obama" will air live before an audience of approximately 250 young people representing a broad cross-section of backgrounds, interests and political viewpoints.

"A Conversation with President Obama" is a production of MTV News and BET News and will be hosted by MTV's Sway Calloway, BET's April Woodard and CMT's Katie Cook.  President Obama will answer questions on a wide range of topics from the studio audience as well as from viewers who submit questions via Twitter. This special event will also be streamed live over BET.com, CMT.com and MTV.com.

Viacom President and CEO Philippe Dauman said, "Our brands reach and connect with the broadest swath of young people in the U.S. because we understand their interests, their passions and their concerns.  We know that America's youth hold strong views about the challenges our country faces as well as their own aspirations for the future.  We are honored that the President has chosen to appear on our cable networks to continue his dialogue with the nation's young people."  

BET is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture, and is the number one cable network among blacks 18-34 and 18-49 in the U.S.  CENTRIC is a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience.  CMT is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 91 million homes in the U.S.  MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand with a global reach of more than a half-billion households. MTV is the number one full-day, ad-supported cable network among viewers 12-24, 18-24 and teens in the U.S.  Broadcast to more than 750 college campuses and via top cable distributors in 700 college communities nationwide, mtvU reaches nearly 9 million U.S. college students – making it the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. Tr3s: MTV, Musica y Mas, owned and operated by MTV Networks International, reaches 7.4 million Hispanic TV households and 39 million total TV households.

About Viacom

Viacom, consisting of BET Networks, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures, is the world's leading entertainment content company. It engages audiences on television, motion picture and digital platforms through many of the world's best known entertainment brands, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Palladia, Logo, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, BET, CENTRIC, Rock Band, AddictingGames, Atom, Neopets, Shockwave and Paramount Pictures. Viacom's global reach includes approximately 170 channels and 500 digital media properties in more than 160 countries and territories.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com.

SOURCE Viacom Inc.