ViacomCBS renews Twitter content deal for live events, shows

ViacomCBS and Twitter announced a multiyear renewal of their global agreement under which the media conglomerate will continue to deliver premium digital content from its tentpole live events, shows and franchises on the social network.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The partnership covers all global markets in which Twitter and ViacomCBS operate.

Content under the pact will come from ViacomCBS’s portfolio of entertainment, news and sports brands, including BET, CBS Television Network, CBS News, CBS Sports, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV — including the MTV Video Music Awards — Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Channel 5, Network 10 and Telefe.

In addition, under the renewal, Paramount Plus will host three Twitter Watch Parties for select original series (which ViacomCBS didn’t identify).

Most recently, Twitter and ViacomCBS partnered on the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, for which the live preshow was hosted on Twitter and the #VMAStanCam was back for a second run, letting fans vote on Twitter to choose the behind-the-scenes and closeup moments they wanted to see from the awards show. In June, the 2021 BET Awards red carpet was livestreamed on Twitter, hosted by DJ Envy.

As under their previous partnership, each of ViacomCBS’s tentpole programs will be eligible for Twitter marketing support and brand-sponsorship sales rights via Twitter’s Amplify program, which pairs ViacomCBS video with Twitter’s paid reach and ad-targeting capabilities.

“Twitter is the digital water cooler for trending topics and fandom worldwide, and we’re excited to provide front-row access to innovative digital content experiences and culture-defining moments across the best of entertainment, news and sports for Twitter users everywhere,” Andrea Wolinetz, ViacomCBS SVP of distribution and business development for streaming, said in a statement.

Jennifer Prince, Twitter’s head of global content partnerships, said the renewal of the ViacomCBS deal will give advertisers “the opportunity to align with ViacomCBS’s entire portfolio on a global scale” through highlights, Twitter Moments, and new formats like the Paramount Plus watch parties. Variety