Paramount Skydance TV Announces New Animation Exec Appointments

Following the departure of longtime Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation President Ramsey Naito last week and sweeping layoffs, news from the post-merger Paramount Skydance reveals a raft of executive appointments across its TV Media division. The new leadership structure was unveiled in a memo from Chairman George Cheeks.

In the missive, Cheeks asserts that leadership’s purpose is “to reinvent and strengthen our brands to build a stronger future that’s rooted in exceptional storytelling across entertainment, news and sports. We’ll celebrate each brand, while leaning into franchises, driving revenue, growing viewership and deepening engagement across platforms.”

He added that “cable brands will focus on a more curated slate, optimizing programming and marketing resources to amplify what resonates most. That means leaning into franchises like SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, RuPaul’s Drag Race, South Park, Ms. Pat and The Daily Show, while continuing to develop new IP across our studios and seeking new ways to amplify and connect with audiences.”

On the animation-weighted end of Paramount Skydance’s TV brands, former VP of Programming for Nickelodeon International Jules Borkent will now oversee Nickelodeon Kids & Family’s business and strategy, “working in partnership with key stakeholders to maximize the Nick brand.”

Ashley Kaplan (previously Nick’s EVP Unscripted and Digital Franchise Studio) and Alec Botnick (EVP Comedy Development, Head of Animation & Alternative, CBS Studios) will lead Nickelodeon’s animation studio for digital, television and streaming, overseeing series such as SpongeBob and PAW Patrol and developing new ones. They will also oversee animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands for owned and third-party platforms.

Ari Pearce (previously SVP, Original Programming and Development at Comedy Central) will lead Comedy Central, including new comedy development and oversight of hit series like South Park and The Daily Show.

Laurel Weir, formerly EVP & Head of Programming, Strategic Insights & Research for Paramount Media Networks, will lead programming for multiple brands including MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and other cable networks, and will oversee the Global Programming Acquisitions Group across TV Media.

[Source: Variety]