Entertainment conglomerate Viacom has reported results for the full year and fourth quarter ended 31 December, 2001. For the full year 2001, Viacom reported a 16 per cent increase in revenues to $23.22 billion, a 28 per cent gain in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $4.55 billion and an 80 per cent increase in free cash flow to $3.0 billion, or $1.70 per diluted share. In 2000 revenues were $20.04 billion..

However for the fourth quarter of 2001, Viacom reported revenues of $6.04 billion, EBITDA of $1.06 billion and free cash flow of $1.38 billion, or $.77 per diluted share a decline from versus revenues of $6.36 billion, EBITDA of $1.36 billion and free cash flow of $942 million, or $.61 per diluted share, for the same prior-year period.

Viacom reported a net loss of $224 million, or a loss of $.13 per share for the year ended 31 December 2001. This included a net loss of $43 million, or a loss of $.02 per share, for the fourth quarter. Full year and fourth quarter results include one-time charges to EBITDA for Blockbuster, MTV Networks and UPN of $512 million, of which $159 million is reflected in the fourth quarter.

An official release states that as previously projected, the Company believes that, if current economic conditions continue, Viacom will achieve double-digit pro forma EBITDA growth for the full year 2002. While economic trends in the first quarter of 2002 continue to mirror the soft conditions experienced in the fourth quarter of 2001, the Company believes there is potential to outperform its current 2002 projection should the economic climate improve materially..

Chairman and CEO Viacom Sumner M Redstone said: "Viacom‘s results clearly demonstrate our ability to excel under unprecedented negative economic conditions. We delivered on our promises in 2001, which is a tribute to the strength of our assets, the breadth of our leading brands and, most of all, to the talent and commitment of our world-class management team. Despite the continuing soft economic climate, we are committed to pushing ahead to aggressively generate internal growth and to pursuing accretive acquisitions in our core competencies."

The release informs that for the 19th consecutive quarter, MTV was the No. 1 cable network for the core 12-to 24-year-old audience. For the first time in MTV‘s 20 year history, five series delivered ratings of 2.0 or higher for ages 12-34, including Real World X, which was the top-rated cable series of 2001 on Tuesday nights.

Nickelodeon finished 2001 with its biggest kids‘ audience in its 22-year history and advanced its standing (25 consecutive quarters) as basic cable‘s No. 1 network among kids and households in total day for 2001 and fourth quarter. No such luck in India though.

For the year, Entertainment reported revenues of $2.95 billion and EBITDA of $317 million, versus revenues of $2.76 billion and EBITDA of $369 million in the prior year. For the quarter, Entertainment reported revenues of $785 million and EBITDA of $28 million versus revenues of $701 million and EBITDA of $25 million in the prior year period.

The full year and fourth quarter results reflect higher features and theaters revenues, principally led by higher home video revenues However, the full year increases were more than offset by the print and advertising costs associated with the higher number of pictures in theatrical release during the second half of the year.

If you have had no problems keeping track of 21 members of the Virani family, try dealing with 32 as India‘s Numero Uno Hindi family drama Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi fast forwards 20 years into the future from next week.

Star Plus, that has been riding high on the TRP charts thanks to the Balaji soap for the last one and half years, is now making efforts to ensure that viewers stay glued and devoted to the next generation of Viranis as well. A new marketing initiative in the form of a mock remote control, with details of the new avatar KSBKBT, coupled with the extended Virani family tree, has been doing the rounds of local media.

The channel will telecast a wrap up of the serial thus far on a special episode this Saturday at 8:30 pm. From next Monday, Mihir, to the sorrow of his fans, will be out of the serial. Get ready for a gracefully aging Tulsi, and the numerous progeny of the rest of the third generation Viranis, as the serial zooms into 2022. The rest of the present cast is unchanged. The new entrants in the cast include Ritu Chaudhary, Mehul Kajaria, Mausami Mewawalla, Hansika Motwani, Sandeep Baswana and others.

The injection of innovation into KSBKBT has in all probability been inspired by the plateau that the serial had struck in its storyline recently. Earlier this week, a member of the first generation, Goverdhan Virani, breathed his last on the serial, paving the way for a change in the plot.

First Toon Cricket, and now toon merchandising. Cartoon Network is determined to cash in on its popularity in the subcontinent by creating brands out of its characters.

Warner Brothers has tied up with Gotham Entertainment Group to produce comic books featuring Cartoon Network‘s popular cartoon stars. Dexter, Johny Bravo, the Powerpuff Girls, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones and The Jetsons will now speak in local languages in comic, colouring and storybooks for kids via a licensing agreement between Warner Brothers consumer products worldwide publishing and Gotham Entertainment Group in India. Needless to say, Cartoon Network denizens will now assail kids not only on TV, but also on the streets, at school and in their rooms.

All the books in the series will first be published in English, with plans to publish in Indian languages including Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu before the year is out.

The 36-page comics will be brought out every month and will be made available nationwide at bookstores and newsstands for Rs 10 each. Gotham will also launch activity books, colouring books, stickers and game books featuring the Cartoon Network characters. The books in the series will help develop memory, reading and spelling skills, and an opportunity to learn scientific experiments using simple household items.