Viacom CEO Bob Bakish On ‘Cloverfield Paradox’ Sale, OTT Plans And Nickelodeon Leadership

In a newsy earnings call, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish addressed the decision to sell Paramount’s The Cloverfield Paradox to Netflix, where it launched on Super Bowl Sunday, calling it “a bit of a one-off.”Bakish, who has had the top job for a bit more than a year, covered several other hot topics, though a disclaimer at the top of the call said he would not address the recent news of formal discussions with CBS. The company reported earnings this morning that beat Wall Street estimates but reflected U.S. advertising weakness and an 8% revenue decline. Investors still seemed encouraged, boosting shares 6% to $32.45 within the first hour of trading.