We’re hearing vicious unconfirmed rumors that the new head of MTV [Ed.--as in the channel] will be Mika Salmi, who is currently the CEO of Atom Entertainment (a recent MTV acquisition).** This will probably be announced Monday. Mika’s bio (from a random conference website left over from 2000):

Mika founded AtomFilms in September, 1998… Prior to launching AtomFilms, Mika was the Director of Business Development for Getty Images and PhotoDisc, Inc. where he was responsible for new business development, acquisitions, and strategic business partnerships. Prior to Getty, Mika was in charge of business development for the media and entertainment industries at RealNetworks. He also spent seven years in the music business in various international roles for both Sony and EMI, and has the distinction of discovering and signing two major artists: Nine Inch Nails and The Presidents of the USA. Mika graduated with honors and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Wisconsin and earned his MBA from INSEAD in Fountainebleau, France.

UPDATE: In the “more passable” vein (fun!) Now we’re told Salmi’s promotion is a bit further down the chain. Salmi’s heading MTV (the channel) but not MTV (the entire division). [Ed.--Less interesting! Boooooo!]
** If we’re wrong, we’ll eat our blog. Or something.
Mika Salmi: CEO, Atom Films [BusinessWeek]
Keynote Bio: Mika Salmi

Apparently recently fired Viacom executive Tom Freston is still in that stage of the break-up. You know, the part where you keep saying how great a girl she was even though she just dumped you. You had so many good times together. You’ll totally always feel “passionate” about her.
Next stop is the Cole Bar in the St. Regis, and few too many cocktails. Next thing you know you’re partying with folks you barely know backstage at the Mercury lounge, coming on to actresses until their bodyguards put you back in your place and calling that bitch who dumped you a stupid slut.
Sorry. That might have been oversharing. But seriously, Tom, you’ve got to get over her. She’s moving on. Seeing other people. It’s kind of sad that you keep talking about how pretty she was. C’mon, Tom. Your romance is over.
Ousted CEO Freston still feels good about Viacom [Reuters]

Yesterday was ousted Viacom CEO Tom Freston’s last day in the office. It was, uhm, emotional. Gawker has some nice pictures up of Freston’s final stroll out the lobby of his office flanked by chanting, applauding and weeping employees. Different pictures up on the Huffington Post.
We’re sure it’s a comfort to Tom to know that he is loved by so many of his former employees. But not quite a comforting as lying down on the $60 million pile of money he’s getting as he’s pushed out the door.

Rumors have long been circulating that Tom Freston and Les Moonves were engaged in pitched battle for the favor of Sumner Redstone, the controlling shareholder of both Viacom and CBS, and the investing public. The two companies split apart earlier this year, and since then the camps of each executive have been accused of leveling attacks against the other.
So our question is how effin’s psyched is Moonves this morning? Moonves office did not return DealBreaker’s call for comment this morning.

Viacom Chief Freston Steps Down, Dauman to Take Over [Bloomberg]

Last night someone mistook us for someone who cared about music and invited us to some MTV parties. We met a totally hot girl who works for the Wilmington Trust Company–asset protection is seriously foxy–but somehow ended up in a picture with Andrew Krucoff.
(P.S. We’re only posting this so that you don’t find out that we’re slutting it up on other websites and think we’ve been keeping things from you. Total effiin’ disclosure, man.)
Team Party Crash: Virgin Mobile VMA-holes After-Party [Gawker]

The Onion, a satirical paper based in New York and given away free in dive bars, is denying rumors that it is in negotiations with Viacom, an entertainment company based in New York that doesn’t give away very much for free at all.
This important story broke in Madison, Wisconsin’s Capital Times. Unfortunately, our subscription to the Capital Times lapsed, so we didn’t hear about this until we read it in DealBook. Andrew Ross Sorkin presumably starts every day reading the news from Madison.
Doug Moe: When Spillane cased Madison [The Capital Times via DealBook]