Beginning his career as a lawyer, Redstone joined the entertainment industry in the 1960’s with the formation of National Amusements. As Chairman of Viacom, he guided the company’s successful post-theatrical and syndication activities and helped to position Viacom as a major niche player in pop culture through its ownership of MTV, VH-1 and Nickelodeon. In 1994, he successfully completed a $10 billion merger with Paramount Communications and acquired Blockbuster Entertainment. Since 1994 the company has increased from 7,000 employees to approximately 83,000 and has grown into a major media conglomerate.