News. Paramount parks to be owned by CBS

Sorry I can't link directly to a article but Im sure its out there.

Viacom will split into two separate companies, CBS inc and Viacom inc.

The part that owns and operates the Paramount Parks will be CBS.

Im not sure if attractions will remain under a license agreement or what.

Chuck

I knew that over a month ago. Nothing major is changing but the removal of the Paramount name.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-05-2005/0004160246&EDATE=

There is a link about the split and the parks going with CBS.

so does that mean we need to change our park abbreviations?

PKI = CKI or CBSKI?
PKD = CKD or CBSKD?
PCar = CCar or CBSCar?

News Anchor: The ride

So...... Moosh is a news anchor now? What channel? ;)

So without the Paramount name (yay!), how will they explain all of the Paramount movie themeing to Mr and Mrs. Parkgoer and their 2.2 children?

/\ The parks will become CBS Kings Island, CBS Kings Dominion, CBS Canada Wonderland, CBS Great America, and CBS Carowinds.

jk. But reall though. How horrible would that sound?

King's Island wouldn't be too bad..

CBSki - kinda like a Polish version of Coasterbuzz? (no offense intended to anyone who is Polish)

I'm all for it being just Kings Island again (I never liked the Paramount add-on), but it will look really odd to have Top Gun, Italian Job, Scooby Doo, Tomb Raider and Spongebob attractions without some mention of Paramount. Personally, I'd like to see them get rid of all the studio tie-ins and just rename the rides.

yeah, but wouldn't that tear away from a lot of the [expensive] theming, which would then have to be taken out?

Paramount Parks did a survey and the options were CBS's Carowinds (et al) or just dropping the 'surname' of Paramount all together, and just doing Kings Island, Carowinds, etc. Another option was just Keeping Paramount. This is just the same thing as when Microsoft split, though they'll be different companies, it isn't like CBS is splititng away from Viacom. And Paramount properties will still be going under CBS, IIRC, and still be called Paramount. Wasn't UPN (United Paramount Network) going under CBS?

This is just a company split, but the company will still be joined in some ways. It would be a lateral move for the Parks to go to CBS. I believe all of the same personel are 'moving' with it.

You could rename all of those to a new non-tie-in theme that would probably be a lot fresher and more suitable than Italian Job and Tomb Raider. I think the expectations from the names already overshadows the rides, so in this case, I think a different name *would* make the rides better to newbies. ;)

+Danny

Does this mean you'll have to wait in line "60 Minutes" for every ride?

Or nothing will change at all because to change would dilute the branding and value of the parks. I'm sure there will be a licensing agreement until the end of time.

Exactly Jeff.

Licensing agreements would be both beneficial to CBS running the parks to keep the names/characters, etc. that people have known and to Viacom to issue those licenses for revenue gains.

well, maybe not that long.. only Six Flags springs for the 75-year contracts :)

Theming? Did someone say "theming" at PKI? Naming a ride after a movie and putting in one special effect doesn't constitute theming. I always laugh when I get those park surveys talking about new "themed" rides. What a joke. If PKI (mind you, my old home park that I've always held near and dear) ever ONCE had a "themed" ride on par with, say, Universal Studios, I would faint.

My vote goes for the old classic and please just call it Kings Island again. But in the same vein, I'd like them not to rename rides as poorly as Geauga Lake did. I still call them the Batman and Superman rides.

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kRaXLeRidAh said:
/\ The parks will become CBS Kings Island, CBS Kings Dominion, CBS Canada Wonderland, CBS Great America, and CBS Carowinds.

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One correction. Due to CRTC regulations, Canada's Wonderland would now have to be called Global Canada's Wonderland. Or maybe CTV Canada's Wonderland. Depends on who picks up the Canadian simulcast.

...

Unless of course City TV picks it up for City TV Canada's Wonderland. Then they could theme Guest Services into Speaker's Corner!

A thought I posted in the news thread..

Paramount had wanted to get out of the Amusement biz in the first place. Perhaps this move will give them an "excuse" to take out the Paramount names and likenesses, thus making the properties easier and cheaper for another company(ies) to purchase. Cedar Fair wouldn't have to worry about renaming everything and getting rid of everything trademarked like with Geauga Lake... Six Flags, or even Great American Family Parks (are they still around?) wouldn't have to worry about the cost of possible licenses, or cost of renovations.

Either way, it'd be a win-win situation for the parks.

Edit: grammar *** Edited 10/6/2005 4:24:51 AM UTC by dannerman***