COMEDY CENTRAL(R) Promotes David Bernath to Executive Vice President, Program Strategy and Multiplatform Programming

COMEDY CENTRAL(R) Promotes David Bernath to Executive Vice President, Program Strategy and Multiplatform Programming

NEW YORK, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL has promoted David Bernath to executive vice president, program strategy and multiplatform programming, it was announced by Michele Ganeless, president of the network, to whom he reports. Bernath is based in the network's New York City office and was formerly senior vice president. In this position, Bernath will continue to oversee COMEDY CENTRAL's program scheduling and acquisitions groups, in addition to managing the network's content across all digital platforms.

"Dave has been a key architect in the success of COMEDY CENTRAL over the last five years," said Ganeless. "His passion for comedy, innovative approach to deal making and keen strategic sense will help the network continue to thrive."

Bernath has negotiated several large, multi-platform deals for COMEDY CENTRAL with some of the biggest players in comedy, most recently spearheading the all-comedy channel's negotiations with Twentieth Television to secure the exclusive basic cable syndication rights to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" that will see the critically-acclaimed FX series start its run on COMEDY CENTRAL beginning this summer. In addition, Bernath negotiated COMEDY CENTRAL's deal with 20th Century Fox TV resurrecting "Futurama" for 26 new episodes, which will also air on the network this summer; acquired the off-net rights to the Emmy® Award-winning "30 Rock;" and signed a groundbreaking series/syndication deal with Gary Sanchez Productions (Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy) and Debmar-Mercury for an original sitcom starring Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite") that will premiere on COMEDY CENTRAL this year.

Prior to joining COMEDY CENTRAL in 2004, Bernath was vice president, programming, at BBC America, responsible for programming and scheduling, including original production and acquisitions. He joined BBC AMERICA in 2002 from E! Entertainment Television where, as vice president, program planning, he was responsible for all program planning and acquisition functions for both E! and the Style networks. He had been with E! since 1994.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 98 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site, at www.comedycentral.com/press.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

Source: COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications

CONTACT: Jenni Runyan, +1-310-407-4771, ,jenni.runyan@comedycentral.com;
or Steve Albani, +1-212-767-8695, steve.albani@comedycentral.com

Web Site: http://www.comedycentral.com/

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