On May 20, 2016, an attorney for Sumner M. Redstone, Chairman Emeritus of Viacom Inc. (“Viacom” or the “Company”), sent a notice to Philippe P. Dauman, Viacom’s Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and George S. Abrams, a member of the Viacom Board, advising them of Mr. Redstone’s authorization to inform them of their removal as Trustees of the Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Trust (the “Trust”), as directors of National Amusements, Inc. (“NAI”) and as managers of certain subsidiaries of NAI (the “Purported Removal Action”).
On May 23, 2016, Messrs. Dauman and Abrams filed a lawsuit in Probate and Family Court in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, naming the remaining Trustees of the Trust, including Mr. Redstone, as defendants, seeking to invalidate the Purported Removal Action. The Court has scheduled a hearing on June 7, 2016. Also on May 23rd, attorneys for Mr. Redstone petitioned the Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking the court’s confirmation of the validity of the Purported Removal Action.
On May 30, 2016, Frederic V. Salerno, Viacom’s Lead Independent Director, publicly issued a statement on behalf of the independent members of the Viacom Board. A copy of the statement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.
NAI and its subsidiaries own approximately 79.8% of Viacom’s voting Class A Common Stock and approximately 10.1% of Viacom’s outstanding Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock combined. 80% of the voting interest of NAI is owned by Mr. Redstone through the Trust and the remaining 20% is owned by Mr. Redstone’s daughter, Shari Redstone, who is Vice Chair of the Viacom Board, President of NAI and a Trustee of the Trust. |