David Nevins was a longstanding executive of Paramount Global. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that he would be stepping down from his position. This was no small bit of news to the executive branch of the entertainment industry. Nevins held a position of great significance in Paramount Global, and his choice to leave raises questions about the Paramount+ streaming platform, Showtime, and some of Paramount’s important channels like BET, MTV, and Comedy Central. It’s also possible that Nevins was asked to leave due to the fact that there were simply too many executive roles at Paramount Global. His responsibilities were distributed among three other people.
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The announcement comes at a time when Paramount Global is in a state of flux. Like all media corporations, they are examining their place in this world of changing media as goals shift towards streaming platforms and away from traditional broadcast television. One genre of such traditional television is particularly at risk currently, that of the late-night talk show.
Two late-night talk show hosts on shows underneath the Paramount Global umbrella have both recently announced their departure from their respective TV programs. With all the recent adjustments, it might seem that Paramount Global is looking to organize itself in preparation for some big changes.
David Nevins’ Position
Paramount Global
David Nevins currently holds the roles of chairman and CEO of Paramount Premium Group and CEO of scripted content for Paramount+. He is responsible for the Showtime network, Paramount Television Studios, Black Entertainment Television, and his Paramount+ duties.
His responsibilities will be divided among three other chief executives, Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks, and Tom Ryan. George Cheeks is currently president and CEO of Paramount Global’s CBS unit and will assume control of BET and Paramount Television Studios, though they will operate separately from CBS. Chris McCarthy, the president of Paramount Media Networks, will have the Showtime network added to his responsibilities, including MTV and Comedy Central. Tom Ryan, Paramount’s president of streaming, will now be in charge of Showtime’s streaming unit.
Though Nevins is stepping down, he is doing so gladly and with confidence in his fellow administrators. Apparently, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish tried to get Nevins to stay, but he kindly refused. Although Nevins is unsure what the future holds for him, he seems certain that his particular section of Paramount Global is in good hands. Variety obtained the following staff note:
This all comes at a time when efforts of large media conglomerates are being shifted towards streaming while, at the same time, they are trying to keep their traditional programming relevant to the changing environment. Paramount Global has plans to change just like any other company. The question is, can they change quickly enough to keep up with the environment?
“The industry is transforming rapidly, and I am genuinely excited about what the future holds. Most importantly, the leadership team led by Jana Winograde, Gary Levine, Scott Mills and Nicole Clemens are more than ready. The 2023 slate is set, and I believe the coming year’s schedules from Showtime, BET, and Paramount Television Studios are going to be the most ambitious and exciting group of shows we’ve ever put out in a single year. I can’t wait to watch it happen.”
Paramount Global is Changing Shape
Paramount
As the landscape of media changes to put greater attention on streaming platforms, Paramount Global is responding. Though nothing is written in stone yet, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the company is considering eliminating the Showtime streaming service and bringing its programming into Paramount+. Considering the direction of the streaming industry, this will likely happen sooner or later.
Disney+ and HBO Max have already adopted approaches to streaming in which the consumer can pay for programming divided by channels owned by the distributor. Paramount+ is becoming a recognizable name among streaming channels, and for it to stay that way, it might be best to expand.
But this greater focus on streaming changes the way people watch TV, and one type of traditional TV show may find itself falling by the wayside: the late-night talk show. Paramount Global experienced the loss of two of its biggest talk show hosts recently when James Corden and Trevor Noah said they would be stepping down. This could mean that Paramount might shift its programming to fit the streaming concept better instead of maintaining TV genres based on daily schedules and rating slots.
It could also mean that it is reshaping these particular programs in order to turn shows into ones that maintain their genre but create a more relevant program for the streaming audience. Either way, Paramount Global will be going through some significant changes in the near future.
