New Viacom Ad Tells Employees To Get Back To Work

NEW YORK—Viacom, the global media conglomerate that includes such properties as CBS, Paramount Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, UPN, Showtime, Blockbuster Video, and Simon and Schuster, began airing a TV ad Monday that orders its employees to get back to work. “Worker efficiency needed a little boost,” said Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone. “But instead of sending an e-mail to everyone at all of our subsidiaries, we just televised a ’Look alive, people’ warning during Ricki Lake.” The 30-second spot also included a reminder that discussion of Super Bowl pools should occur at breaks only.