Paramount Television Studios
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Predecessor | Paramount Television (original) |
| Founded | March 4, 2013 |
| Fate | Closed in 2024; relaunched in 2025 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Matt Thunell (President, since 2025 relaunch) |
| Products | Television programs |
| Parent | Paramount Skydance Corporation |
Paramount Television Studios, previously known as the second iteration of Paramount Television, serves as the television arm of the American film company Paramount Pictures, functioning within the framework of Paramount Skydance Corporation. Established on March 4, 2013, by Viacom, the studio leveraged the rise of streaming platforms to broaden its presence in television production. Paramount sought to reduce its reliance on film income, understanding television’s importance beyond merely renting studio stages.
This organization replaced the original Paramount Television, which underwent rebranding as CBS Paramount Television before evolving into CBS Studios following corporate restructurings and trademark arrangements. After the 2019 merger between Viacom and CBS Corporation forming ViacomCBS (currently known as Paramount Global), the revived Paramount Television was renamed Paramount Television Studios in January 2020.
On August 13, 2024, amidst extensive layoffs, Paramount declared the closure of this division, moving its projects over to sister company CBS Studios. Nevertheless, on August 4, 2025, Paramount Television Studios was relaunched subsequent to the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, creating Paramount Skydance Corporation. This revival placed the studio under President Matt Thunell, tasked with supervising integration alongside assets such as MTV Entertainment Studios and Skydance Television.
History
On March 4, 2013, then Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman announced Paramount’s re-entry into television production by developing a series inspired by one of its films, intending to reestablish a presence in TV with limited initial expenditure. Later that day, Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey unveiled a collaboration with Sony Pictures Television for a CBS series adaptation of Beverly Hills Cop, though the pilot ultimately was not picked up.
Amy Powell was named president of Paramount Television on July 22, 2013. Up until the 2019 Viacom and CBS Corporation merger, this revived version of Paramount Television operated separately from CBS, unlike its predecessor. Productions from this entity are distributed through Paramount Home Entertainment, whereas titles produced before 2005 remain under CBS Home Entertainment due to ownership rights.
Among its developments were a TV adaptation of School of Rock for Nickelodeon and a planned prequel series titled Ashecliffe for HBO linked to the film Shutter Island. In May 2014, Anonymous Content secured a three-year first-look agreement with Paramount Television for scripted projects. Later that year, Chapter Eleven signed a two-year deal following Kyle Killen’s exit from 20th Century Fox Television. Additionally, Robert Zemeckis’s Compari Entertainment entered into a two-year first-look arrangement.
January 2017 saw Paramount Television establish a first-look partnership with Federation Entertainment. In July 2018, Amy Powell was dismissed amid controversy regarding workplace remarks; Nicole Clemens took over as president in September.
By late 2018, Paramount Television reported revenues reaching $400 million with nine series underway. CEO Jim Gianopulos forecasted an increase to 20 series and a doubling of profits during 2019. On August 16, 2021, Auriel Rudnick signed an overall deal with the studio.
On April 11, 2023, Paramount Television Studios secured a multi-year first-look deal with Brillstein Entertainment Partners. In 2024, management responsibilities shifted to fellow division CBS Studios at CBS Entertainment. Following workforce reductions at Paramount Global, it was announced that Paramount Television Studios would cease operations by mid-August 2024; active and developing projects were transferred to CBS Studios.
On August 7, 2025, after the consolidation of Paramount Global and Skydance Media into Paramount Skydance Corporation, Paramount Television Studios was reestablished to unify television production assets. This included combining Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Skydance Television under one entity led by former Skydance Television president Matt Thunell as president. Dana Goldberg joined as co-chair overseeing the relaunch alongside Keith Cox serving as head of scripted programming.
In October 2025, Paramount Television Studios incorporated Nickelodeon Productions and Awesomeness’ production divisions, managing their ongoing and upcoming projects including the Victorious spin-off Hollywood Arts, which transitioned from Nickelodeon to Netflix as its inaugural Nickelodeon-branded series under the revived studio. This integration also brought Nickelodeon Animation Studio together with MTV Animation.
Shortly thereafter, Drew Brown from Skydance Television was appointed Head of Production at Paramount Television Studios following Awesomeness’ integration. Shelley Zimmerman and Carolyn Harris assumed roles as EVP and Head of Development respectively, while Arturo Reyes became Head of Production Finance. Former Netflix EMEA VP Mel Rauch was named Head of Finance. These leadership appointments reflect strategic consolidation and growth initiatives post-merger.
Paramount Worldwide Television Licensing & Distribution
Paramount Worldwide Television Licensing & Distribution functioned as the television distribution branch of Paramount Pictures, operating within the Paramount Skydance umbrella.
This division originated from Paramount’s initial syndication entity, Paramount Domestic Television, which was renamed CBS Paramount Domestic Television in 2006. It subsequently combined with King World Productions to form CBS Television Distribution, now known as CBS Media Ventures. On the international front, Paramount International Television merged with CBS Broadcast International in 2004, resulting in CBS Paramount International Television, which was later renamed CBS Studios International in 2009.
Paramount made a return to television distribution on March 4, 2013, by launching a new syndication division. In 2020, this division consolidated with CBS Studios International to establish ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group, currently called Paramount Global Content Distribution. Distribution rights within the United States were transferred to Paramount Pictures' own distribution department; additionally, certain film rights were licensed to Trifecta Entertainment & Media, while series produced by Paramount Television Studios transitioned to CBS Media Ventures by 2024.
See also
- CBS Studios, corporate affiliate of Paramount Television Studios
- Paramount Television, the original form of this division
- Paramount Domestic Television, former television distribution entity
- CBS Media Ventures
- Desilu Productions, the forerunner of Paramount’s TV division
- Viacom Productions
- Paramount Pictures
- List of Paramount Pictures executives
External links
- Articles with short description
- Paramount Television
- Paramount Pictures
- Television production companies of the United States
- American companies established in 2013
- American companies disestablished in 2024
- Mass media companies established in 2013
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2024
- Re-established companies
- Paramount Skydance subsidiaries
- Predecessors of CBS Studios