DIRECTV Unveils New MyKids Genre Pack Alongside Expanded Sports, Entertainment, News, and Spanish-Language Lineups

DIRECTV has announced the launch of MyKids, its newest Genre Pack, delivering a complete, family-first viewing experience.

DIRECTV Announces MyKids Genre Pack

Priced at $19.99/month, MyKids features a powerhouse lineup of trusted family content, including Paramount's Nickelodeon suite, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery networks, and several popular independent networks.

The launch is part of a broader expansion of DIRECTV's genre-based offerings, including MySports, MyEntertainment, MyNews, and MiEspañol, resulting from DIRECTV's new licensing agreement with Paramount Global.

MyKids features a custom lineup of beloved family-friendly content, combining streaming giants and top-tier channels into one curated experience. The new MyKids offering includes:

• Paramount's cradle-to-teen Nickelodeon suite: Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., and TeenNick

• Disney's comprehensive family portfolio: Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Disney+

• Fan favorites from Warner Bros. Discovery networks: Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Discovery Family

• Popular independents: BabyFirst TV, LooLooKids TV, and MeTV Toons (Launching 6/30)

• The MyCinema mini pack add-on will also be available to MyKids customers for $9.99/month.

"With MyKids, we're bringing together the most trusted networks and beloved characters from the biggest names in kids' entertainment, including full channel lineups from Disney and Nickelodeon, along with Disney+ —all in one place," said Vince Torres, chief marketing officer at DIRECTV. "And by introducing our most affordable package yet at $19.99 per month, we're making it easier for more families to access the content they care about most. It's about giving families more flexibility, more value, and the confidence that they're getting the very best for their kids."

The launch of MyKids is just one key component of the broader Paramount Global programming expansion. Beginning today, DIRECTV is also enhancing two of its most popular genre packs at no additional cost, MySports and MyEntertainment, with the addition of several Paramount Global networks and local CBS-owned-and-operated broadcast stations serving many of America's largest cities.

• MySports – $69.99/month - MySports now includes 15 CBS-owned and operated stations (O&Os) and CBS Sports Network, further strengthening an already comprehensive lineup. The genre pack currently features more than 25 major sports channels, such as ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, FS1, Golf Channel, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, truTV, and USA Network, along with a variety of professional league and collegiate conference networks. In addition, ESPN+ is already included, and the new ESPN streaming service will be available upon its launch.

• MyEntertainment – $34.99/month - MyEntertainment now offers a range of new Paramount Global channels: BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, Paramount Network, POP, TV Land, and VH1. These additions complement an already diverse catalog of more than 40 entertainment networks, including A&E, Bravo, Discovery, E!, Food Network, FX, Freeform, FYI, HGTV, Lifetime, Oxygen, Syfy, The HISTORY Channel, TLC, Vice TV and others. The package also includes Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic and Max Basic With Ads.

The expansion continues tomorrow with even more content rolling out across additional DIRECTV genre packs:

• MyNews – $39.99/month - CBS O&Os will join the MyNews pack, enhancing local and national coverage. This addition complements a strong lineup of more than 10 national news channels already included — such as CNN, CNBC, FOX News Channel, and MSNBC — plus select local news stations where available.

• MiEspañol – $34.99/month - Tr3s joins MiEspañol, further enriching an already impressive Spanish-language lineup. Subscribers currently enjoy more than 60 channels including CNN En Español, Discovery En Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, FOX Deportes, Hogar de HGTV, Nat Geo Mundo, Telemundo, Univision and others, with plans to incorporate Vix Premium with Ads at no additional cost in the near future.

• MyCinema Mini Pack - The Smithsonian Channel will be added to the MyCinema Mini Pack Add-On, which currently features classic films, romance, and family programming from seven channels, including Great American Family, SONY Movies, and Turner Classic Movies. MyCinema is available to MyKids, MyEntertainment, MyNews and MySports customers for $9.99/month.

These enhancements mark a significant step in DIRECTV's continued strategy to deliver genre-based content bundles that give customers greater choice, value, and a simplified, more personal TV experience. Genre Packs allow customers to choose their channel lineup based on which genre they watch the most. With five options across a variety of genres, consumers get the channels they want and the content they love without filler channel overload. Pricing for Genre Packs starts as low as $19.99 per month + tax. For more information or to subscribe, visit DIRECTV Genre Packs.

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‘The Tiny Chef Show’ Creators Unpack Viral Cancellation Video and Reveal Next Steps: ‘We’re Open to Anything’

The Nickelodeon series was canceled amid the upcoming Paramount-Skydance merger, co-creators Rachel Larsen and Ozlem Akturk have said.

"The Tiny Chef Show" (Nickelodeon)

If you’ve opened any form of social media this week, you’ve probably seen the heartbreaking video of Tiny Chef receiving the devastating news that his Nickelodeon cooking show, The Tiny Chef Show, was canceled at Nickelodeon after three seasons — a casualty of the upcoming Paramount-Skydance merger according to its creators.

The stop-motion video, which sees Chef try to compose himself before sobbing on his bed, quickly went viral, tallying up 428k views on TikTok and 290k views on YouTube as of this writing since Tuesday, June 24.

For Rachel Larsen and Ozlem “Ozi” Akturk, who created The Tiny Chef Show alongside Adam Reid, crafting the viral video felt authentic to Chef. “We always try to play Chef’s life really authentically and this was a big moment — this was his dream show,” Larsen told TheWrap in a interview on Thursday, June 26. “He always wanted to be a cooking show host, and I think to not show how that would affect him isn’t right.”

“This is what Chef wanted for so many years, and suddenly it was a short journey,” Akturk added. “Sharing that with the audience was important.”

The video was also a lifeline for Chef, whose beginning first started on social media before premiering The Tiny Chef Show on Nickelodeon in 2022. Nickelodeon notified the team about a month ago, according to Larsen, giving them a chance to produce the video.

“When that call came through, we were like, ‘OK, it’s go time,’ because for us to have a future and survive, we need money,” Larsen said, adding the team was hopeful that fans would come to their aid to help “at least keep Chef on social media.”

While Larsen noted the team was hoping to catch a portion of the fan base with the video, it ended up reaching a “different stratosphere” entirely. “We didn’t expect that kind of attention, but we’re really happy with that,” Akturk said. “The messages fans are just sharing … it’s just amazing.”

“He’s getting the attention we feel like he deserves,” Larsen said. “Having fans see that and empathize with him and just resonate with him, I think the way we do too, it’s nice — it feels very connecting, and I think that’s probably why we do this, is to connect with people.”

The Tiny Chef Show got caught in the crosshairs of the merger between Paramount Global — which owns Nickelodeon — and Skydance, with Larsen noting the show’s future had been on hold as the merger gets finalized. (The deal was expected to close in the first half of 2o25 but is awaiting approval from the FCC, which is being held up by President Donald Trump’s $20 billion legal battle with Paramount and CBS). 

“Our contract with them was up in July, and I think they probably were just like, ‘This isn’t going to get resolved before then, so we’re just going to let you guys go now,’” Larsen said. “It was a courteous thing to do — not make us wait til the end of the contract.”

Larsen and Akturk told TheWrap about their next steps, if they can survive independently and how fans can help, even if they can’t donate. Spokespeople for Nickelodeon did not respond to request for comment. Check out the interview below:

TheWrap: With the Paramount merger, what would need to happen for the show to get back on Nickelodeon?

Larsen: I don’t know. It’s all speculation, but I think the merger would have to happen, and then the people in charge of the properties would have to go, “We want this back.” But I think that’s just going to take a long time, and I think honestly, it was a courtesy to let us go, because I think they saw how long all of this was taking. We were just literally sitting for a year waiting for an answer.

The perception of your property when you’re connected to a company like Nickelodeon is that you are swimming in money, and it couldn’t be further from the truth, and it’s hard to communicate that with fans, it just feels like a lie.

What are your next plans? Do you plan to shop the show around? Or return to posting on social media and YouTube solely?

Akturk: We’re going to keep doing what we love to do on social media and make it accessible to everyone. And at the moment, we’re focusing on growing our YouTube channel, because we neglected it a bit. We’re going to try to create longer clips, but it just takes so much time and YouTube needs longer format, like eight minutes or something.

Larsen: Everything’s so moment by moment. We just got this news, so we just need money to get through the next couple of months and really figure out, what’s the bigger plan … what does chef want to do? We’re open with the right partner. It’s more about people who see it correctly than anything else, really having partners that see it and see his potential and get it and don’t try to box him in or put too many restrictions on it, and him and us. We’re open to anything. We’re taking each step a little more slowly. We don’t want to be back in that situation … just the threat of being canceled again. It just took a lot out of us, and it was very hard to do the show and keep the socials alive, and we were depleted completely.

What’s the viability of making this independent? Can it survive independently or do you need a studio backer?

Larsen: It depends how much we want to do. If we stay on socials, there’s a path where we grow the YouTube that could be potentially monetized, and the more revenue that comes in, the longer videos we can make.

In terms of the cooking show he had, that would require an investor to come in, or another studio to come in, because it’s really expensive the way it is. For now, we just want to see where are we going to land with the crowdfunding and I know brands are interested, so looking at mixing and matching, to be able to cover our little team and go from there. It’s a lot of overhead, and trying to build enough cash flow to make that work is tricky.

You also had some big celebrity fans who have been guest stars, including Kristen Bell and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Have you reached out for their support?

Larsen: Kristen’s part of our company, so with Dunshire Productions, with Morgan Sackett. They’ve guided us through so much. They’re like our fairy godparents. We talk consistently with them about what we could do next.

Akturk: They have been super supportive. Behind the curtain, they’re doing so much what they can do with their time schedule.

What are ways that fans can help if they can’t donate?

Akturk: Sharing on YouTube with friends, family, just getting the word out, so we can grow the social media accounts. Having more eyes on it, that helps us and helps us in getting brands deals.

Larsen: The comments, emails and DMs of people just saying how much Chef means to them, that literally fuels us. It fuels the engine that can make this, that it resonates with people, and it makes them feel good. People with speech impediments, people with autism [who have reached out], that means the world to us. Having a community feels so good.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

For more information about how you can support Tiny Chef, visit https://www.thetinychefshow.com.

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Originally published: June 27, 2025.

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Paramount to Launch Nickelodeon Toon In France on July 15

Paramount Global is set to launch a NickToons channel in France on Tuesday 15th July 2025!

Nicktoons France will be a localised version of Nickelodeon's Nicktoons channel, which brings viewers the most popular animated series and exclusive new animated shows produced by Nickelodeon, as well as acquired animated content.

NickToons will broadcast 24/7 and is a sub-feed of Nickelodeon's Nicktoons Global pan-regional feed, with a localised French language track. The channel, also known as Nicktoons France, will be operated by Paramount Networks Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia (EMEAA). The channel will launch with the broadcast of the Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Légendes des Tortues Ninja episode "Splinter et April affontent un poisson rouge" ("Splinter and April Fight a Goldfish").

NickToons is set to replace Nickelodeon Teen (previously Nickelodeon 4Teen), Nickelodeon France's localised TeenNick channel for teens and tweens, which will closedown after 10 years of service at the end of the broadcast day on Monday 14th July 2025.

Nickelodeon channels in France can't abbreviate "Nickelodeon" to "Nick" due to domestic language policies, along with "Nick" sounding similar to a French profanity.

Update (25/6): Surprisingly, according to Nicktoons' France's launch promos, the channel will be titled Nicktoons instead of the previously revealed channel name, Nickelodeon Toon. The channel's launch trailers can be found below:

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Originally published: June 14, 2025.

Sources: @spongieupdates, RegularCapital.

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Paramount+ Renews 'MobLand' For Season Two

AFTER SOARING TO 26 MILLION VIEWERS TO DATE, PARAMOUNT+ RENEWS MOBLAND FOR SEASON TWO

#2 Original Series Ever on Paramount+ Only Behind LANDMAN

June 23, 2025 – After soaring to 26 million viewers to date, the Paramount+ original series MOBLAND, the #2 most-watched original series on the service, has been renewed for season two.

The series, which spent five consecutive weeks in Nielsen’s most recent ranking of Top 10 SVOD Original Series, is executive produced by Guy Ritchie and marks his first TV series for Paramount+.

MOBLAND was created and written by Ronan Bennett (Top Boy, The Day of the Jackal), executive produced by David C. Glasser (101 Studios) and written by Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari, Spectre). The series also marks Butterworth’s second hit TV series following THE AGENCY: CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, which is also on Paramount+. The shows’ impact continues a successful track record under his exclusive TV overall deal that Chris McCarthy, Paramount Co-CEO and President and CEO, SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios, signed him to for Paramount+ and SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios.

“With over 26 million viewers and climbing, MOBLAND has become a resounding triumph driven by the creative brilliance of Guy, Jez, Ronan and David C. Glasser, and brought to life by the powerhouse performances by Tom, Pierce, and Helen,” said Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount and President of SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment. “We are elated to greenlight a second season of this global phenomenon, which has dominated both domestic and international charts and soared to #1 in the United Kingdom."

“MOBLAND was one of those incredible moments where Chris McCarthy came to us with the vision of creating the next great mob series, and after traversing the UK countryside in a quest to land Guy Ritchie, we both came to the realization that we knew the exact formula.  With the extraordinary talent of Guy, Ronan, Jez and our incredible cast, we brought that vision to life,” said 101 Studios CEO, David C. Glasser.

“TV was a brand-new world for me and I was reluctant to commit to a TV overall, but Chris, David, and the teams at Paramount and 101 Studios, completely changed my perspective with their bold creative vision and razor-sharp strategic insight," said writer and executive producer Jez Butterworth. "Collaborating with Chris, David, Guy and our stellar cast has been nothing short of inspiring and I’m excited to dive into the second season of MOBLAND.”

The global crime series premiered Sunday, March 30, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia, and on May 30 in international markets including Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Latin America.

MOBLAND stars Tom Hardy (Venom: The Last Dance), Pierce Brosnan (Die Another Day) and Helen Mirren (The Queen), in a story about two mob families who clash in a war that threatens to topple empires and lives. The star-studded cast is rounded out by Paddy Considine (House Of The Dragon), Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Lara Pulver (Da Vinci's Demons), Anson Boon (Pistol), Mandeep Dhillon (CSI: Vegas), Jasmine Jobson (Top Boy), Geoff Bell (Top Boy), Daniel Betts (Fate: The Winx Saga), Lisa Dwan (Blackshore) and Emily Barber (Industry).

The series is commissioned by Paramount+, produced in association with MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios and distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

MOBLAND is executive produced by Keith Cox, Nina L. Diaz, Guy Ritchie, David C. Glasser, Jez Butterworth, Ronan Bennett, Kris Thykier, Ivan Atkinson, Tom Hardy, Dean Baker, Anthony Byrne, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari.

Source: Internal streaming data, Total viewers defined by Total Global Watch Time / Run Time on first 70 days, Ep 101; Int’l Markets: English Speaking- 70 days, Non-English Speaking- 9 Days;  Paramount+ rank based on internal global household data, days 1-90; Nielsen, mins based on P2+ SVOD Originals- wk 4/14/25, 4/21/25, 4/28/25, 5/5/25, 5/12/25.

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About Paramount+

Paramount+, part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment and news brands, is a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combining live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service's cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME^® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlus on social media.

About SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks is a global network of media assets that reaches over one billion people in more than 180 countries featuring some of the most iconic brands in entertainment including SHOWTIME^®, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network among others – and, its Studios arm which produces 120+ series annually, including some of today’s biggest hits such as Yellowstone, YELLOWJACKETS, Emily in Paris, 1883, 1923, GEORGE & TAMMY, South Park, TULSA KING, Rupaul’s Drag Race, The Challenge and Jersey Shore, to name a few.

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SkyShowtime Unveils Exceptional Line-Up of Exclusive Series, Returning Fan-Favourites and Award-Winning Movies Coming This Year

SkyShowtime announces an exceptional line-up of exclusive series, returning fan-favourites and award-winning movies coming this year

Headline series include Dexter: Resurrection starring Michael C. Hall, Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage and Poker Face Season 2 featuring Natasha Lyonne and an all-star guest cast

Titles from Executive Producer Taylor Sheridan confirmed to return include Tulsa King Season 3, starring Sylvester Stallone and Landman Season 2, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Andy Garcia and Sam Elliott

Irresistible new titles include All Her Fault, Atomic, The Iris Affair, The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey and The Paper

Fan favourites set to premiere include NCIS: Tony & Ziva, the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and all seasons of hit legal drama Suits

Autumn and Winter line-up features record number of new local originals including Spanish drama Arcadia, the first Polish documentary Krychowiak: One Step from the Top and Swedish comedy Where the Sun Always Shines

June 17 2025, 08:00 (BST)

SkyShowtime today announced the latest headline entertainment coming exclusively to the service and confirmed premiere dates for some of the hottest upcoming series and movies.

Exclusive titles set to launch in the coming months include the second season of Oscar^® nominated filmmaker Rian Johnson’s Poker Face on 17 July starring the inimitable Emmy^® nominee Natasha Lyonne alongside an all-star guest cast. Dexter: Resurrection is also set to premiere on 12 September, marking the return of Golden Globe^® winner Michael C. Hall to the iconic role he made famous, together with a raft of A-list guest stars including Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage.

'Poker Face' season two

Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan’s expanding universe brings further hotly anticipated fan-favourites to look forward to including the third season of Tulsa King, starring Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone, the fourth season of Mayor of Kingstown, starring Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner in the title role, and Landman season 2, featuring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton, Oscar nominee Demi Moore, Oscar nominee Andy Garcia and Oscar nominee Sam Elliott, with all three set to premiere later this year.

This latest raft of titles joins a line-up of gripping new drama and fresh comedy series coming to SkyShowtime. From suspenseful mystery All Her Fault, starring Emmy, Tony^® and two-time Golden Globe winner Sarah Snook and Emmy nominee Dakota Fanning, action-fuelled adventure Atomic with Alfie Allen and Samira Wiley, and tense thriller The Iris Affair featuring Niamh Algar and Emmy nominee Tom Hollander, to Seth MacFarlane’s comedy Ted Season 2 and powerful crime dramas Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy and The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey.

Brand new mockumentary The Paper, from Greg Daniels (The Office) and Michael Koman (Nathan for You), featuring Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Ex Machina) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus), will also launch exclusively in the Autumn. All seasons of Greg Daniels’ US comedy classic The Office will also be available on SkyShowtime from 20 June. Fans looking to rediscover well known hits will also be able to immerse themselves in the fast-paced, high stakes legal drama of Suits, with all seasons available from 17 July, followed by Suits LA from 28 August. Other iconic series coming to SkyShowtime include the previously announced third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, premiering on 4 August, as well as the newest instalment of the hit global NCIS franchise, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, set to launch this Autumn.

'Tulsa King' season two

Audiences also now have diary dates for more of this year’s big-screen blockbusters, including the five-time BAFTA^® and four-time Oscar nominated stylish gothic horror Nosferatu from acclaimed writer-director Robert Eggers, featuring Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult and The Brutalist, starring double Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Oscar nominees Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, streaming in select markets. These must-see movies join five-time Academy Award^® winner - including the win for Best Picture - Anora, starring BAFTA and Oscar winner Mikey Madison, and cinematic sensation Wicked, starring Grammy^® award winners Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, both streaming exclusively on the platform this summer.

SkyShowtime has also announced a record number of local originals coming to the service later this year. Recently announced Spanish original Arcadia will join the highly anticipated comedy Nails, which premieres this Autumn. Two Polish originals are also in production, including Glina, a continuation of the cult crime series and SkyShowtime’s first Polish original documentary, Krychowiak: One Step from the Top, set to premiere this year. Fresh Swedish comedy-drama Where the Sun Always Shines from critically acclaimed director, writer and actor Felix Herngren will premiere on 10 November, with the second season of hit Nordic crime drama Veronika, directed by Academy Award nominee Mikael Håfström, also coming later this year.

Krychowiak: One Step from the Top

Kai Finke, Chief Content Officer at SkyShowtime said: “We’re excited to announce a host of Hollywood hits coming to SkyShowtime over the next few months, alongside some of the best of local storytelling. Whether it’s diving into the next instalment of hit series Tulsa King from Executive Producer Taylor Sheridan, discovering award-winning favourites such as Anora and Wicked, or seeing your favourite local star headlining a brand-new SkyShowtime Original, we have an incredible line-up of entertainment for everyone to enjoy.”

SkyShowtime is available direct-to-consumer via the SkyShowtime app across Apple iOS, tvOS, Android devices, Android TV, Google Chromecast, LG connected TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, select distribution partners across its markets, and through its website www.skyshowtime.com.

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Notes to Editors

Premiere Dates

Anora

TX date: 19 June all markets excluding Nordics

TX date: 6 August Nordics

Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Dexter: Resurrection

TX date: 12 September

Dexter: Resurrection takes place weeks after Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) takes a bullet to the chest from his own son, as he awakens from a coma to find Harrison (Jack Alcott) gone without a trace. Realising the weight of what he put his son through, Dexter sets out for New York City, determined to find him and make things right. But closure won’t come easy. When Miami Metro’s Angel Batista (David Zayas) arrives with questions, Dexter realises his past is catching up to him fast. As father and son navigate their own darkness in the city that never sleeps, they soon find themselves deeper than they ever imagined—and that the only way out is together. In addition to Hall, the series stars Uma Thurman, David Zayas, Jack Alcott, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Dominic Fumusa and Emilia Suárez, with James Remar and Peter Dinklage. Neil Patrick Harris, Krysten Ritter, Eric Stonestreet and David Dastmalchian are also set to guest star.

Nosferatu

TX date: 5 July The Netherlands

TX date: 4 August Spain, Portugal, CEE

TX date: 22 September Nordics

Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in his wake. Written and directed by Robert Eggers, Nosferatu is produced by Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, and Robert Eggers.  The cast includes Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.

SkyShowtime Original Poker Face S2

TX date: 17 July

Poker Face is a mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She’s back on the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve. Season two guest stars include Awkwafina, Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Jason Ritter, John Cho, Justin Theroux, Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Richardson and more.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S3

TX date: 4 August

In season three when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of season two’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test the characters’ grit and resolve. An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, season three takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek. The series stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun and Martin Quinn, along with guest stars Rhys Darby, Patton Oswalt, Cillian O’Sullivan, Melanie Scrofano and Carol Kane, plus special guest star Paul Wesley.

Suits S1 - S9

TX date: 17 July

Suits delves into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of a top Manhattan corporate law firm where hotshot associate Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) makes a risky move by hiring Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) a brilliant but unmotivated college dropout, as his associate. As he becomes enmeshed in this unfamiliar world, Mike relies heavily on the firm’s best paralegal Rachel (Meghan Markle) and Harvey's no-nonsense assistant Donna (Sarah Rafferty) to help him serve justice. With a photographic memory and the street smarts of a hustler, Mike proves to be a legal prodigy despite the absence of bonafide legal credentials.

Suits LA

TX date: 28 August

Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York, has reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles. His firm is at a crisis point and, in order to survive, he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is going on while we slowly unravel the events that years ago led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved. The series stars Stephen Amell, Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt and Bryan Greenberg. Aaron Korsh (Suits) is creator and executive producer. David Bartis, Doug Liman, Gene Klein, Anton Cropper, Genevieve Sparling, Rick Muirragui and Jon Cowan also executive produce.

The Brutalist

TX date: 30 August The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal

TX date: 16 September Poland

Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost...

The Office (US) S8 – S9

TX date: 20 June

Developed by Greg Daniels and based on the British hit of the same name, this razor-sharp Emmy-winning workplace comedy lays bare the lives of a handful of listless, young and middle-aged adults who toil in a paper supply company, led by Michael Scott (Steve Carrell). As they discuss their respective personal lives, the gang shares daily concerns about layoffs, rivalries and promotions - and keeps a watchful eye on the inevitable office politics, common to us all. One of the most acclaimed series on television, The Office (US) is a consistently hilarious and intelligently written comedy that can at times be as heartbreaking as it is laugh-inducing. Seasons 1 to 7 are currently available to stream across all markets.

SkyShowtime Original Where the Sun Always Shines

TX date: 10 November

Where the Sun Always Shines follows Tom (Per Lasson) and Petra (Lisa Linnertorp), a successful couple who built up a large Ica Maxi store in Linköping and sold it for a record sum to live a life of luxury in Mallorca with their sons. Ready to enjoy an eternal vacation, their lives suddenly take an unexpected turn during Tom's 50th birthday party, leading his brother Timmy (Erik ‘Jerka’ Johansson) and his wife Maja (Rakel Wärmländer) to move their family to the sunny Spanish island, where chaos ensues.

Wicked

TX date: 6 July CEE, Poland, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal

TX date: 22 July Nordics

The Academy Award-winning untold story of the Witches of Oz. Visionary director Jon M. Chu reimagines the classic The Wizard of Oz, spotlighting the untold stories of Oz's most infamous characters, Elphaba and her unlikely friend, Glinda, exploring how they became the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch. Starring Grammy-award winners Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, and Tony-nominee Ethan Slater.

Coming Soon

All Her Fault

TX date: Coming Soon

Marissa Irvine (Sarah Snook) arrives to collect her young son Milo from his first playdate, but the woman who answers the door isn't a mother she recognizes. She doesn't have Milo and has never heard of him. And so begins every parent's worst nightmare. Joining Snook in the cast are Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy, Michael Peña, Sophia Lillis, Abby Elliott, Daniel Monks, Jay Ellis, Thomas Cocquerel, Duke McCloud and Kartiah Vergara.

SkyShowtime Original Arcadia

TX date: Coming this Autumn

Arcadia tells the story of Pablo, who has it all — a quiet life, a close-knit community and a son he adores. As the coach of a Canarian youth wrestling team, he's known for his kindness and calm demeanour in the peaceful town of Arcadia. No one knows the truth about Pablo's dark, dangerous past. Once living on the edge in Mexico, he escaped his violent life to protect his son Bruno. Becoming a father changed everything for him — but running away from his old life came at a cost. His wife, who he left behind, has never forgiven him. Now she’s back, ready to shatter the world he’s built. As old secrets resurface and tension boils, Pablo is forced to confront his past. Can he protect his son and hold onto the paradise he created, or will his former life destroy everything he loves?

Atomic

TX date: Coming Soon

Atomic is a dynamic and entertaining action-fuelled adventure centred on Max (Alfie Allen), a free-spirited drug trafficker making runs through the Middle East, and Mohammed (Shazad Latif), a man haunted by his past and on the run from those determined to kill him. Desperate for redemption, their paths converge in the Libyan desert as they are swept up in a nefarious Venezuelan cartel’s plot to transport uranium capable of fuelling a nuclear bomb. With the fate of humanity in their backpacks, they grapple with a desperate choice: save themselves or save humanity? Pursued by Cassie Elliott (Samira Wiley) - a highly skilled CIA agent whose life mission is to prevent terrorists from acquiring a nuclear bomb - along with MI6 and a network of traffickers, Max and Mohammed find themselves in the absurd situation of, for once, having to be the good guys.

Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy

TX date: Coming Soon

From 1972-1978, 33 young men were kidnapped, murdered and buried in a crawl space beneath their killer's house. And no one was the wiser. Not for all those years. Why? He was charming and funny. Had a good, All-American job. Was a community leader. He even volunteered to entertain sick kids... while dressed as a clown. Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life while weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities and societal prejudices that fuelled his reign of terror. The cast includes Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, and Marin Ireland. Patrick Macmanus is the showrunner, writer and executive producer of the series.

SkyShowtime Original Glina

TX date: Coming Soon

Glina return to screens for the first time in 17 years, taking viewers back to the capital's streets, where policemen from the Homicide Department of the Warsaw Metropolitan Police have to deal with violent crime and murder, the complexity of human passion and coming face to face with their past. The new series will see the return of well-known and popular characters, played once again by Maciej Stuhr, Jacek Braciak, Anna Cieślak and Agnieszka Pilaszewska, among others. Many new characters will also appear.

SkyShowtime Original Krychowiak: One Step from the Top

TX date: Coming Soon

Not a documentary about football, Krychowiak: One Step from the Top instead offers raw, uncensored entertainment that allows viewers to dive into the world of Krychowiak and his wife, French model and bodybuilder Celia Jaunat. Known for his sense of humour and passion for fashion, the star has also made over 100 appearances for the Polish national team. However, his football career was just one of many dreams he has boldly pursued - never looking back and living life to the fullest. In the documentary, focused on his life with Jaunat, the camera does its best to keep up as Krychowiak continues to chase new professional and personal goals.

Landman S2

TX date: Coming Soon

From co-creators Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, Landman stars Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, Academy Award nominee Demi Moore, Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia, Academy Award nominee Sam Elliott, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Paulina Chávez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, James Jordan and Colm Feore. Landman is set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas and is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast Boomtown from Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly, the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fuelling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.

Mayor of Kingstown S4

TX date: Coming Soon

Co-created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, the fourth season of Mayor of Kingstown stars Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner, and newcomers Emmy and Golden Globe winner Edie Falco, BAFTA Award winner Lennie James and Tony Award winner Laura Benanti.  The drama series follows the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption, and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither. In season three, a series of explosions rocked Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob set up shop in the city, and a drug war raged inside and outside prison walls. The pressure was on Mike McLusky (Renner) to end the war, but things got complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatened to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.

SkyShowtime Original Nails

TX date: Coming this Autumn

Nails tells the story of four women from different social classes and of different ages who meet in a nail salon. Their repeated encounters create a curious friendship that will make them accomplices, influencing the most important decision of their lives: to reject who they have become and discover the woman they want to be. Lina, Vanessa, Irene and Marilís are women subjected to chronic stress in their eagerness to fulfil all the requirements demanded to be ‘perfect’ in today’s world. They represent today's femininity. But what has happened to our ability to choose? Are we victims of what is expected of us? These questions will lead our protagonists to rebel against their reality and turn their lives around in order to feel free again. Nails is a hymn to freedom.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva

TX date: Coming Soon

The series picks up after Ziva’s supposed death when Tony left the NCIS team to go raise their daughter. Years later, Ziva was discovered alive, leading her to complete one final mission with NCIS before she was reunited with Tony and their daughter in Paris. Since then – and where we find them in NCIS: Tony & Ziva – Tony and Ziva have been raising their daughter, Tali, together. When Tony’s security company is attacked, they must go on the run across Europe, try to figure out who is after them and maybe even learn to trust each other again so they can finally have their unconventional happily ever after. The series stars Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly in the title roles, alongside Amita Suman, Maximilian Osinski, Julian Ovenden, Nassima Benchicou, Lara Rossi, Isla Gie, Terence Maynard and James D’Arcy.

Ted S2

TX date: Coming Soon

In this comedic prequel series to the Ted films, it's 1993, and Ted the bear's (Seth MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He's now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John's parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach) and Cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he's a loyal pal who's always willing to go out on a limb for friendship. Season 1 of Ted is available to stream on SkyShowtime.

The Iris Affair

TX date: Coming Soon

The Iris Affair is a tense and cinematic chase thriller that pits two brilliant minds against each other in a deadly game of hide and seek across Italy. When enigmatic genius Iris Nixon (Niamh Algar) cracks a string of complex online puzzles, she’s led to a piazza in Florence where she meets charismatic entrepreneur Cameron Beck (Tom Hollander). He invites her to come and work for him to unlock a powerful and top-secret piece of technology. Her curiosity piqued, she accepts. But when Iris discovers its dangerous potential, she steals the journal containing the device’s activation sequence—and vanishes. What follows is a relentless pursuit, from a remote cabin in Sardinia through the bustling streets of Rome, as Cameron races to find Iris in a high-stakes game where trust is dangerous and failure could be catastrophic.

The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey

TX date: Coming Soon

At its heart, the series centres on the story of Patsy and John Ramsey, exploring their unbreakable partnership and the complex dynamics of their marriage and parenting. It delves into how they crafted a narrative of a perfect, privileged life for themselves and their children – a facade shattered by tragedy one Christmas night in 1996. The series stars Academy Award nominees Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen.

The Paper

TX date: Coming this Autumn

From Greg Daniels (The Office (US)) and Michael Koman (Nathan for You) comes a new comedy series. In this new mockumentary, the documentary crew that immortalised Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch in The Office is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it. Domhnall Gleeson (About Time, Ex Machina) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) lead the ensemble cast.

Tulsa King S3

TX date: Coming Soon

Executive Produced by Taylor Sheridan and starring Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone, Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi (Stallone) who, as he’s released from prison after 25 years, is unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Realising that his mob family might not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a ‘crew’ from a group of unlikely characters to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet. Season two followed Manfredi and his crew as they encountered new enemies when they encroached on nemesis territory in Tulsa.

SkyShowtime Original Veronika S2

TX date: Coming Soon

The new season continues to follow Veronika, who is still struggling with the ghosts of her past and her mysterious visions. She's impatient to return to her regular post in the police and wishes for things to go back to normal. As the series unfolds, she finds herself in the middle of a dark and perplexing murder mystery, rooting back 60 years in time. As Veronika is torn between the world of the living and the dead, her facade begins to crack. An inevitable chain of events puts everything she’s worked to rebuild at risk.

About SkyShowtime

SkyShowtime is Europe’s newest streaming service. A joint venture of Comcast and Paramount Global, SkyShowtime brings together the best of Hollywood and local entertainment in one place.

From movies, and original series from the iconic brands of Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount+, SHOWTIME^®, Sky Studios, and Peacock to SkyShowtime Original series, SkyShowtime is Europe’s new home for premium entertainment..

Launched across all of its markets in 2023, SkyShowtime is available in: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. It is available through select television providers in some markets and across Apple iOS, tvOS, Android devices, Android TV, Google Chromecast, LG TVs, Samsung Smart TVs as well as Amazon Fire TV and Prime Video Channels in selected markets. It is also available through its website www.skyshowtime.com.

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Get SkyShowtime: https://www.skyshowtime.com

More Nick: SkyShowtime Announces Big Line-Up of New Hit Movies and Exclusive Series!

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Paramount Reportedly Looking to Sell Its South American Businesses, Including Telefe and Chilevisión

Paramount Global is reportedly seeking buyers for its businesses in Argentina and Chile, which includes Argentinian national television channel Telefe, which Paramount (then Viacom) acquired in 2016, and Chilean free-to-air (FTA) channel Chilevisión, which the company (then ViacomCBS) purchased in 2021. The company is aiming is to obtain between US$100 million from the sale of its local businesses.

The North American company has granted a sales mandate to the consulting firm Quantum Finanzas, led by economist Daniel Marx, to search for a buyer for Argentina's leading broadcast television channel.

The list of candidates is extensive, but like recent major mergers and acquisitions, it is comprised of all local players. Among the interested parties are several groups that bid a few months ago to acquire Telefónica Argentina, such as the Los W group, owned by the Werthein family; Corporación América, owned by Eduardo Eurnekian; and Alpha Media, the media holding company led by Marcelo Fígoli. Sources close to the transaction also confirmed that other businesspeople are closely monitoring the purchase, such as Tomás Yankelevich—the son of Gustavo Yankelevich, Telefe's longtime programming manager—and Martín Kweller, owner of the production company Kuarzo Entertainment.

The Paramount group has already informed the candidates that it intends to obtain US$100 million from the sale of its local businesses. "They are asking for US$100 million, but I wouldn't be surprised if it closes at a lower figure, closer to US$80 million. And they are open to accepting offers for the businesses in Argentina and Chile, or selling Telefe separately," explained a company that reviewed the portfolio.

The figure sought by the sellers is far from the US$345 million that Viacom paid for Telefe in 2016, before ultimately merging with CBS, which gave rise to Paramount Global.

The sale of the assets in South America come as Paramount is in the midst of merging with the American production company Skydance Media. This latest transaction was announced a year ago, but has yet to be fully approved by US antitrust authorities and the FCC.

Rumors of Telefe's sale have been circulating for some time. Darío Turovelzky, executive vice president of Broadcast and Latin American Studies for Paramount Global, spoke to LA NACION about the matter in May of last year. While he did not fully confirm the claim that "Telefe is for sale," he did assure that there were many interested parties in the channel and that he had been in charge of putting them in contact with Paramount executives in the U.S., who are responsible for making this decision.

On the other hand, in the last two years, Telefe has also been reducing its staff through voluntary redundancies and early retirements, and has been changing its business model to make it more profitable and attractive to potential buyers. Other Paramount brands in the region, including Nickelodeon, have also seen big changes in recent years. Nickelodeon Latin America and Nickelodeon Brazil mainly share their programming feeds with Nickelodeon's Central & Eastern pan-regional feed, with only Nickelodeon Mexico retaining a fully-localised feed.

The hiring of the consulting firm Quantum Finanzas earlier this year accelerated what was already an open secret and put the channel's assets on the map. At that point, offers officially began to be received, one of which now appears close to being finalized.

It's currently unknown whether Paramount Global will also be looking to sell 5, the company's British FTA channel.

Shop your favorite Nickelodeon shows at ParamountShop.com

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

Originally published: June 14, 2025.

Original source: LA NACION; H/T: Special thanks to @916786wc for the news!

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Paramount Makes More Layoffs: Several Hundred Domestic Employees Axed, Representing 3.5% of U.S. Workforce

Paramount Global is paring back another 3.5% of its U.S. workforce, eliminating several hundred jobs domestically.

Michael Buckner/Variety

In a companywide memo published on Tuesday, June 10, the company’s trio of co-CEOs — CBS chief George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, president and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, and Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon head Brian Robbins — cited linear TV declines and a “dynamic macro-environment” for the layoffs. The pink-slips come as the media company, parent of CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ and more, is in a holding pattern in its merger with Skydance Media, which is still pending FCC approval nearly a year after the agreement was announced.

CBS Studios casting is among many areas across Paramount impacted by today’s layoffs. They are believed to also include Comedy Central, MTV, kids and adult animation, business development operations, franchises and consumer products. Among those exiting is Lauren Ruggiero, Senior Vice President (SVP) Scripted Series at MTV Entertainment Studios.

Veteran casting director and executive Deborah Aquila, most recently Executive Vice President (EVP) and head of casting for streaming series at CBS Studios, is leaving as part of the companywide layoffs at parent Paramount Global. According to sources, Aquila and four other members of the studio’s casting team, ranging from coordinator to VP, were impacted by the Tuesday cuts.

Also leaving this week is Nick Bernstein, CBS’ SVP of late night programming, West Coast. His departure is tied to the wrap of the network’s After Midnight whose last show is airing on June 12. It is not directly related to the layoffs though any eliminated positions help divisions meet headcount targets.

In a restructuring well over a year ago, Aquila focused on casting for streaming series, including the Star Trek franchise, Happy Face and most recently, the Little House On the Prairie reboot for Netflix, while CBS head of Casting, Lyon, took over. That is a setup that mirrors CBS and CBS Studios’ integration of current programming under Eric Kim, while CBS Studios’ Stephanie Groves oversees current for streaming.

In another move toward streamlining and centralizing shared functions, EVP Claudia Lyon, who oversees casting for broadcast, will add casting for streaming series to her purview to oversee all casting for CBS Studios and CBS. She will continue to report to CBS Studios President David Stapf and CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach.

President Donald Trump’s crusade against the media (in this case CBS News) is holding up the deal despite the fact that Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and Skydance backer Larry Ellison are longtime Trump supporters. Along with filing a $20 billion lawsuit over routine business activities at 60 Minutes, Trump’s appointee to chair the FCC, Brendan Carr, has slow-walked the agency’s review of the merger. While mediation talks are ongoing in the lawsuit, hopes have not recently been high for a near-term settlement.

Paramount reportedly offered $15 million to settle the suit, however, in a letter sent on Friday, May 30 to former 60 Minutes Executive Producer Bill Owens and ex-CBS News and Stations boss Wendy McMahon, plus the Paramount Global board and the state Attorney General, the heads of the Senate Energy, Utilities & Communications Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee in Sacramento, California, Senators Josh Becker and Thomas J. Umberg have began an investigation to see if Golden State bribery and unfair competition laws are about to be violated.

Through last summer and fall, Paramount made layoffs and implemented restructuring aimed at cutting 15% of its domestic headcount, affecting about 2,000 employees. The cutbacks were part of efforts to slash $500 million in annual costs. As of the end of 2024, Paramount Global had 18,600 employees worldwide. As opposed to the multi-phase layoffs last year, the new round is taking effect Tuesday.

“We will be reducing our domestic workforce by 3.5%, with the majority of impacted staff being notified today,” Cheeks, McCarthy and Robbins wrote in the memo, obtained by Variety. They added that the layoffs “may also result in some impacts to our workforce outside the U.S. over time.”

Paramount isn’t alone among big media companies making job cuts: Recently, Disney laid off several hundred employees across TV, film and corporate finance groups, while Warner Bros. Discovery let go fewer than 100 in its cable TV business.

Separately, on Monday, Paramount disclosed that CFO Naveen Chopra is exiting the company after five years as of June 27. He will join gaming company Roblox as chief financial officer on June 30.

Read the memo from the three Paramount co-CEOs:

Hi Everyone,

As we navigate the continued industry-wide linear declines and dynamic macro-economic environment, while prioritizing investments in our growing streaming business, we are taking the hard, but necessary steps to further streamline our organization starting this week. 

We will be reducing our domestic workforce by 3.5%, with the majority of impacted staff being notified today. This process may also result in some impacts to our workforce outside the US over time. As always, any changes will be considered in accordance with local legal obligations.

We recognize how difficult this is and are very thankful for everyone’s hard work and contributions. These changes are necessary to address the environment we are operating in and best position Paramount for success.

Along with our HR leaders, we are committed to ensuring all impacted employees are supported with care and respect during this time.

We are deeply grateful to the many employees who have been a part of creating and propelling our record-breaking hit content — most recently Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, MobLand, and the NCAA Tournament — and for the impressive growth in streaming that our hits continue to drive. As our company transforms, there is so much to be proud of. Our progress is clear, and the results are meaningful.

As always, thank you for your commitment, compassion and support for one another as we continue to transition Paramount for the future.

George, Chris and Brian

In a separate message on Monday, Cheeks, McCarthy and Robbins paid tribute to outgoing EVP and CFO Naveen Chopra, and praised Andrew Warren, currently Strategic Advisor to the Office of the CEO and former Chief Financial Officer of Discovery Communications, who will assume the additional role of Executive Vice President, Interim Chief Financial Officer, saying:

"We thank Naveen for his leadership role during a dynamic period of transformation and growth. We are excited to partner with Andy, who has been our strategic advisor, in his new, expanded role as interim CFO and we are confident that his deep financial expertise and familiarity with our business make him exceptionally well-suited to step into this position."

Andrew Warren brings extensive financial leadership experience to the role, having previously served as CFO at Discovery Communications, where he was instrumental in driving strategic initiatives and growing the global business footprint. He also served as CFO of STX Entertainment and the NBCU Television Group. In his current role as Strategic Advisor to the Office of the CEO at Paramount, he has worked closely with senior leadership on key financial and strategic priorities.

Shop your favorite Nickelodeon shows at ParamountShop.com

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

Additional source: Deadline.

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Paramount Global Nominates Three Board Directors as Skydance Merger Awaits FCC Approval

Paramount Global nominated three new directors on Monday, June 2, seeking to boost its board strength to seven as it awaits regulatory approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.

Paramount Global and Skydance logos are seen in this illustration taken December 17, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Paramount nominated Mary Boies, counsel to Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Charles Ryan, co-founder and general partner of Almaz Capital, and Roanne Sragow Licht, former justice and adjunct professor at Boston University and Roger Williams University.

U.S. President Donald Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against Paramount-owned CBS News in October, alleging that the network deceptively edited an interview with then-vice president and presidential candidate Kamala Harris, to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" in the election.

Trump's lawsuit is seen as a major roadblock to the Paramount-Skydance merger, according to some analysts.

The merger, which is slated to be completed by the first half of 2025, requires approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has authority over the transaction because it needs to approve the transfer of the broadcast television licenses held by CBS.

Paramount, chaired by Shari Redstone, reportedly offered $15 million to settle the suit, however, in a letter sent on Friday, May 30 to former 60 Minutes Executive Producer Bill Owens and ex-CBS News and Stations boss Wendy McMahon, plus the Paramount Global board and the state Attorney General, the heads of the Senate Energy, Utilities & Communications Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee in Sacramento, California, Senators Josh Becker and Thomas J. Umberg have began an investigation to see if Golden State bribery and unfair competition laws are about to be violated.

Trump raised his claim for damages to $20 billion in February.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the company wanted to ensure it had a full board in place in case its negotiations with Trump to settle his lawsuit fell through.

Paramount is scheduled to hold its annual stockholder meeting on Wednesday, July 2.

In additional Paramount news, in a move that blindsided many staffers, Paramount has fired its longtime media agency of record in a cost-saving move as its proposed merger with Skydance Media continues to gestate.

The abrupt change comes as Skydance and its private equity backer RedBird Capital are waiting in the wings to take control of Paramount, pending government approval of the $8 billion deal. Precisely who drove the ad agency decision is a matter of some dispute, according to sources, but Paramount’s relationship with agencies primarily resides with John Halley, president of Paramount Advertising. On the sell-side, Paramount does business with agencies across its networks and streaming services and the opportunity apparently presented itself to create more favorable economics via a buy-side shift of agencies.

WPP Media, formerly known as GroupM before a recent rebrand, had worked with Paramount Pictures for more than two decades, dating back to when the studio was part of Viacom. Three sources familiar with the situation told Deadline that the agency was dismissed and replaced by Publicis, another of the large agency players. The switch, which was not preceded by the customary review period (when an incumbent has a chance to retain the business), will result in significant cost savings and has been characterized as a business decision. Executives relayed the news selectively inside Paramount and to some people externally last Friday and word has spread quickly in subsequent days.

Total annual billings from Paramount, spanning international ads for Paramount+ (Horizon Media handles the streamer domestically) as well as global campaigns for films like the latest Mission: Impossible installment, are in the range of $600 million, according to people with knowledge of the numbers.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much of a savings would be created by the move, and sources indicated that other factors like buying and planning strategy and account personnel were also considered in terms of workflow and strategy. Feedback about WPP from a range of Paramount employees, from directors to SVPs and EVPs had been generally positive in recent months. And unlike creative marketing teams, trailer vendors or others involved in campaigns, media agencies are usually not in the direct line of fire if corporate leadership wants to respond to box office or ratings results.

Horizon’s work on domestic Paramount+ is another question, with rumors circulating that it had moved to IPG in parallel with the larger move. Those agencies did not immediately respond to Deadline’s request for comment.

Publicis also did not respond to a request for comment. Reps from Paramount Global, Paramount Advertising, Skydance and WPP Media declined to comment when contacted by Deadline.

The merger of Skydance and Paramount, which seemed a sure bet at the start of the year, has entered murkier territory thanks in large part to President Donald Trump’s animus toward CBS News.

Sentiment on the Paramount lot, Deadline has learned, has moved from the agonizingly slow crawl of the merger process and more about the abrupt changing of the guard with a longtime third-party vendor. The notion of swapping out an agency of record without warning is virtually unheard of on Madison Avenue. While clients are more antsy than ever and have jumped agencies in an effort to save money, gain efficiencies or for other reasons, the transition usually follows a more orderly and deliberate path.

Halley oversees the sell-side efforts at Paramount but also the outward promotion of the company’s films, series, streaming and other wares and its relationships with agencies. Since ascending to the No. 1 role in 2022, he has shown a willingness to buck convention, as with his conviction about ending decades of tradition by discontinuing the company’s traditional big-stage upfront presentation every spring. In place of the splashy show, the company convenes a number of smaller agency-focused dinners with talent in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Skydance, along with RedBird, sealed its merger proposal with Paramount controlling shareholder National Amusements last July and remained in pole position after a 45-day “go-shop” period expired. Mindful of legal restrictions against “gun-jumping” by parties involved in corporate mergers, Skydance has maintained a fairly low profile as the review has unfolded. (CEO David Ellison, for example, was not a public presence at last month’s Cannes Film Festival despite Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning having its world premiere there.)

On a matter as consequential as the change of agency, sources indicated to Deadline, Skydance and RedBird could well have been consulted about the switch under the terms of the merger agreement.

The merger does not require approval from shareholders given that Shari Redstone and her family control a large majority of the company’s shares.

Shop your favorite Nickelodeon shows at ParamountShop.com

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

Sources: Reuters, Deadline, Kidscreen.

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