NEW YORK, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) has appointed David Kline to the position of Senior Vice President Technology, Chief Information Officer of Viacom and its MTV Networks unit, it was announced today by Thomas E. Dooley, Viacom’s Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Kline, who joins Viacom on November 1 from Discovery Communications, will be based in New York and report dually to James Barge, Viacom’s Chief Financial Officer and Rich Eigendorff, MTV Networks’ Chief Operating Officer.
In this role, Mr. Kline will not only provide the strategic leadership for the company’s technology infrastructure, but will also oversee the MTV Networks Online Technology and Interactive Services, Content Creation and Distribution Technologies, Applications Development, and Information Security and Compliance.
Mr. Eigendorff said, “As a global media company, our business comes with all the challenges and complexities of delivering content across screens to audiences around the world. David has the breadth of experience and the depth of strategic thinking to build the best technological infrastructure for our operations, our brands, and our fans. We’re thrilled to have him aboard.”
Mr. Barge said, “David is an outstanding leader, accomplished strategist and a great fit for Viacom. Our operations depend on innovative and efficient use of advanced technology for everything from administrative systems to content distribution to emerging advertising models. David’s extensive industry experience and strong record of across-the-board creativity and achievement made him an excellent choice for this important role at Viacom, and we look forward to working with him on plans to take our IT operations to the next level.”
Mr. Kline joined Discovery Communications in 2007, where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and CIO. In this role, he provided global leadership, strategic management and technical guidance for Discovery’s IT operations and facility engineering worldwide. Prior to Discovery, Mr. Kline spent nearly 10 years at Rainbow Media Holdings, the content subsidiary of Cablevision Systems. At Rainbow Media, Mr. Kline rose to the post of Senior Vice President and CIO, Information Systems & Facilities Management, with full accountability for information systems and facilities performance.
Previously, Mr. Kline served in management positions at Integrated Systems Group and North Shore Health Systems.
In 2009, Mr. Kline was named Business Executive of the Year and CIO of the Year Mid-Atlantic States by the Tech Council of Maryland. He is on the CIO Executive Board of the NCTA as well as the Board of Advisors of the Harris Corporation and Hofstra University. He is a graduate of Long Island University with a Bachelor of Science in management and marketing, as well as a Masters of Business Administration in information systems.
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.

“Charter is in a strong, competitive position with significant opportunity in the commercial space,” said Michael Lovett, Charter’s President and CEO. “Under the leadership of Senior Vice President Jim McGann, we’ve generated significant growth in the business communications market, and Don’s experience will further enhance our growth potential. His strong strategic planning abilities are complemented by equally strong financial, operational and technological innovation skills.”

Mr. McGann, who has worked previously with Mr. Detampel, said, “Don’s 30-plus years of experience in telecommunications in the B2B space will serve Charter well as we move further up market. I look forward to working with him to take Charter’s business services to the next level.”

Mr. Detampel joins Charter from New Global Telecom, Inc. (NGT), a wholesale provider of VoIP services to non-traditional telephony providers.  NGT was acquired by Comcast Corporation earlier this year. Mr. Detampel served as NGT’s Executive Chairman prior to the acquisition.

During his three decades in hosting, telecommunications and network infrastructure, he has guided technologically sophisticated companies through their growth stages into stable and mature companies, including Raindance Communications, OneSecure, ConferTech International, Schneider Communications and GlobalCenter, a former wholly owned subsidiary of Global Crossing.

Mr. Detampel has served on the boards of many U.S. and international companies. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Masergy Communications, Inc., Peer 1 Networks, Inc. and Zayo Group, LLC, and also on the Advisory Board of Advanced Data Centers, Inc.

About Charter

Charter is a leading broadband communications company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services, including advanced Charter TV™ video entertainment programming, Charter Internet™ access, and Charter Phone™. Charter Business® similarly provides scalable, tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet access, data networking, business telephone, video and music entertainment services, and wireless backhaul. Charter’s advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Media® brand. More information about Charter can be found at charter.com.

About Charter Business

Charter Business® provides business organizations with scalable, tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions, including business-to-business Internet access, data networking, business telephone, video and music entertainment services and wireless backhaul. Catering to the unique broadband needs of business customers, Charter Business offers competitively priced bundled products over its state-of-the-art, fiber-based network, helping businesses in a variety of industries maximize efficiency while continuing to grow. Charter Business is Metro Ethernet Forum Certified. More information about Charter Business can be found at charter-business.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), regarding, among other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation, the factors described under “Risk Factors” from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this release may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “estimated,” “aim,” “on track,” “target,” “opportunity,” “preliminary,” “tentative”, “positioning,” and “potential,” among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this release are set forth in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, and include, but are not limited to:

• our ability to sustain and grow revenues and cash flows from operating activities by offering video, high-speed Internet, telephone and other services to residential and commercial customers, and to maintain and grow our customer base, particularly in the face of increasingly aggressive competition, the need for innovation and related capital expenditures and the difficult economic conditions in the United States;
• the impact of competition from other distributors, including but not limited to incumbent telephone companies, direct broadcast satellite operators, wireless broadband providers, and digital subscriber line (“DSL”) providers and competition from video provided over the Internet;
• general business conditions, economic uncertainty or downturn, high unemployment levels and the significant downturn in the housing sector and overall economy;
• our ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to raise prices to offset, in whole or in part, the effects of higher programming costs (including retransmission consents);
• our ability to adequately deliver customer service;
• the effects of governmental regulation on our business;
• the availability and access, in general, of funds to meet our debt obligations, prior to or when they become due, and to fund our operations and necessary capital expenditures, either through (i) cash on hand, (ii) cash flows from operating activities, (iii) access to the capital or credit markets including through new issuances, exchange offers or otherwise, especially given recent volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets, or (iv) other sources and our ability to fund debt obligations (by dividend, investment or otherwise) to the applicable obligor of such debt; and
• our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit facilities, any violation of which, if not cured in a timely manner, could trigger a default of our other obligations under cross-default provisions.

All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We are under no duty or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.