Exhibit 10.1




                                          August 20, 1998


Philippe P. Dauman
121 East 65th Street
New York, New York  10021


Dear Mr. Dauman:


         Reference is made to that certain employment agreement between you and
Viacom Inc. ("Viacom"), dated as of January 1, 1996 (your "Employment
Agreement"). All defined terms used without definitions shall have the meanings
provided in your Employment Agreement.

         This letter, when fully executed below, shall amend your Employment
Agreement as follows:

         1. Term. Paragraph 1 shall be amended to change the date representing
the end of the Employment Term in the first and second sentences from "December
31, 2000" to "December 31, 2003".

         2. Duties. Paragraph 2 shall be amended to replace the third sentence
with the following sentences:

                  "You will be Deputy Chairman, Executive Vice President of
                  Viacom reporting directly and solely to the Chairman of the
                  Board of Viacom (the "Chairman"). You will have primary
                  responsibility for Viacom's legal, government affairs and
                  human resources and administration functions and you agree to
                  perform such duties, and such other duties reasonable and
                  consistent with such office as may be assigned to you from
                  time to time by the Chairman."

         3. Compensation / Deferred Compensation. Paragraph 3(c) shall be
amended to replace the portion of the second sentence after the semi-colon with
the following sentences:

                  "The amount of Deferred Compensation shall be Seven Hundred
                  Ten Thousand Dollars ($710,000) for calendar year 1998, Eight
                  Hundred Eighty One Thousand Dollars ($881,000) for calendar
                  year 1999 and One Million Sixty Nine Thousand One Hundred
                  Dollars ($1,069,100) for calendar year 2000. The amount of



Philippe P. Dauman
August 20, 1998
Page 2

                  Deferred Compensation for calendar years 2001 through 2003
                  shall be no less than One Million Sixty Nine Thousand One
                  Hundred Dollars ($1,069,100) per annum, subject to annual
                  increases each January 1st, commencing January 1, 2001, in an
                  amount determined by Viacom in its sole discretion."

         4. Compensation / Long-Term Incentive Plans. Paragraph 3(d) shall be
amended to add a new clause (iii) at the end thereof:

            "(iii)   Five Year Grant: In lieu of any Annual Grants to be made
                     pursuant to paragraph 3(d)(ii) for calendar years 1999
                     through 2003, you shall receive a five year grant (the
                     "Five Year Grant") under the LTMIP of stock options to
                     purchase One Million (1,000,000) shares of Class B Common
                     Stock, effective as of August 20, 1998 (the "Date of the
                     Five Year Grant"), with an exercise price equal to the
                     closing price of the Class B Common Stock on the AMEX on
                     the Date of the Five Year Grant. The Five Year Grant shall
                     vest in two equal installments on the fourth and fifth
                     anniversaries of the Date of the Five Year Grant. The Five
                     Year Grant shall represent your entire stock option grant
                     for the 1999 - 2003 calendar years."

         5. Benefits. Paragraph 4(a) shall be amended to replace the third
sentence with the following sentence:

                  "It is further understood and agreed that all benefits
                  (including without limitation, Viacom's Pension and Excess
                  Pension Plans, short term disability program, Long-Term
                  Disability program and any supplement thereto, life insurance
                  and any applicable death benefit) you may be entitled to as an
                  employee of Viacom shall be based upon your Salary and, after
                  1996, your Deferred Compensation, as set forth in paragraphs
                  3(a) and (c) hereof, and not upon any bonus compensation due,
                  payable or paid to you hereunder, except where the benefit
                  plan expressly provides otherwise."

         6. Non-Competition. Paragraph 6(a) shall be amended to change the
reference in the proviso in the last sentence thereof to a "one (1%) percent
shareholder" to a "two (2%) percent shareholder".

         7. Incapacity. Paragraph 7 shall be amended to delete the first
sentence and to insert in the third sentence after the words "Viacom's Long-Term
Disability (LTD) program" the words "or any supplement thereto".





Philippe P. Dauman
August 20, 1998
Page 3


         8. Termination. Paragraph 8 shall be amended as follows:

         (a) Paragraph 8(a) shall be amended to replace the last sentence with
         the following sentence:

             "Except for a breach which by its nature cannot be cured, you
             shall have ten (10) business days from the giving of such notice 
             within which to cure and within which period Viacom cannot 
             terminate this Agreement for the stated reasons."

         (b) Paragraph 8(b) shall be amended as follows:

             (i)    The second sentence shall be replaced with the following 
                    sentences:

                    "Such notice shall state an effective date no earlier than 
                    thirty (30) business days after the date it is given. Viacom
                    shall have ten (10) business days from the giving of such 
                    notice within which to cure."

             (ii)   A new clause (vi) shall be added at the end thereof:

                    "(vi)    Sumner M. Redstone during his lifetime, or, after 
                             Sumner M. Redstone's death, his descendants, heirs,
                             beneficiaries or executors or any trust or other 
                             entity controlled by any or all of them, or in
                             which any or all of them have the principal
                             beneficial interest, shall cease to beneficially 
                             own, on an aggregate basis, directly or indirectly,
                             at least 50% of Viacom's issued and outstanding 
                             voting equity securities."

         Except as herein amended, all other terms and conditions of your
Employment Agreement shall remain the same and your Employment Agreement as
herein amended, shall remain in full force and effect.




Philippe P. Dauman
August 20, 1998
Page 4


         If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please sign
one copy of this letter and return it to the undersigned, whereupon this letter
shall constitute a binding amendment to your Employment Agreement.


                                   Very truly yours,

                                   VIACOM INC.


                                   By:   /S/  SUMNER M. REDSTONE
                                      --------------------------------------
                                        Name:     Sumner M. Redstone
                                        Title:    Chairman of the Board and
                                                  Chief Executive Officer

ACCEPTED AND AGREED:


     /S/  PHILIPPE P. DAUMAN
   ----------------------------
          Philippe P. Dauman


Dated:  August 21, 1998