"The Colbert Report" Taps Tom Purcell As Executive Producer

NEW YORK, March 1 -- Tom Purcell has been promoted to executive producer of COMEDY CENTRAL's "The Colbert Report," it was announced today by Stephen Colbert, executive producer, writer and host of the program. Purcell had previously served as co-executive producer.

"Tom Purcell is a boundless source of energy, intellect and comedy," said Colbert. "I look forward to many years of draining his vitality."

Purcell has been with "The Colbert Report" since its launch on October 17, 2005. During his tenure at the show, he has received a Writer's Guild Award in 2008 and in the same year, he and his writing team won the show's first Primetime Emmy� Award for Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program. The series holds a total number of 15 Emmy nominations. It has also been honored with the prestigious Peabody� Award for Excellence in Broadcasting.

"A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!," Colbert's one-hour original musical holiday special with appearances and performances by some of Americas top musical talent, won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album and the special received Emmy nominations in three categories: Art Direction, Picture Editing and for Original Music And Lyrics.

Purcell is a Chicagoland native and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago. He has performed comedy at the Second City, IO Chicago, and has written for "Cosby," "Grounded for Life" and "The Colbert Report."

"The Colbert Report" is produced by Jon Stewart's Busboy Productions, Inc. in association with Colbert's Spartina Productions, Inc. Stewart, Colbert and Purcell are the executive producers with Meredith Bennett and Richard Dahm as co-executive producers. Jim Hoskinson is the director. Lisa Leingang is the executive in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 98 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of VIACOM Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom ( VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.