From linear TV declines to a major merger with Skydance, Paramount Global’s extensive layoffs throughout 2025 signal a significant shift in content strategy, raising questions for classic film enthusiasts about the future of production and preservation.
The entertainment industry is in a state of constant flux, and Paramount Global has been at the epicenter of this transformation throughout 2025. A series of significant layoffs, spanning both before and after its pivotal merger with Skydance Media, has reshaped the company’s structure, impacting hundreds of employees and signaling a stark shift in strategic focus. For enthusiasts of classic cinema and television, these changes resonate deeply, influencing how beloved stories are preserved, rebooted, and brought to new audiences.
The Driving Forces Behind Paramount’s Restructuring
The primary catalysts for these sweeping changes are clear: a sustained decline in linear television viewership and a dynamic macroeconomic environment. In response, Paramount Global has aggressively prioritized investments in its burgeoning streaming business, notably Paramount+. This pivot necessitates a leaner, more agile organization capable of competing in the intense streaming wars, but it comes at a significant human cost.
Beyond the internal strategic shifts, the company also faced external pressures. Reports from Variety highlighted that in the earlier part of 2025, the pending merger with Skydance Media faced political headwinds, including a lawsuit and a slow-walked FCC review, which created an environment of uncertainty even before the deal was finalized.
The Pre-Merger Cuts: Streamlining for the Future (June 2025)
As early as June 2025, Paramount Global initiated a significant round of layoffs, reducing its U.S. workforce by approximately 3.5%, affecting several hundred domestic employees. A company-wide memo from co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins cited the need to streamline the organization amidst industry-wide linear declines. This round of cuts impacted diverse areas, including:
- CBS Studios Casting: Five members of the casting team, including veteran executive Deborah Aquila, Executive Vice President and Head of Casting for Streaming Series, were impacted.
- MTV Entertainment Studios: Lauren Ruggiero, Senior Vice President of Scripted Series, was among those exiting.
- Paramount Media Networks: Divisions such as Comedy Central and MTV saw reductions in kids and adult animation, business development operations, and consumer products.
- CBS: Nick Bernstein, Senior Vice President of Late Night Programming, West Coast, departed, though his exit was tied to the wrap of “After Midnight” rather than direct layoffs.
This period also saw critical internal restructuring, with Claudia Lyon, Executive Vice President who oversees casting for broadcast, expanding her purview to oversee all casting for CBS Studios and CBS, consolidating functions previously handled separately for streaming and linear productions.
Deeper Cuts and Strategic Realignment Across Media Networks (Early to Mid-2025)
Leading up to and alongside the June layoffs, other significant reductions were implemented to meet cost-cutting targets. In efforts to slash $500 million in annual costs, Paramount Global had already undertaken multi-phase layoffs through late 2024, affecting approximately 2,000 employees or 15% of its domestic headcount.
In one of the most visible changes, MTV News, a cultural touchstone since its launch in 1985, was shut down as part of Paramount Media Networks’ efforts to slash headcount. Chris McCarthy, who heads the unit, confirmed a 25% reduction in the domestic team across Showtime, MTV Entertainment Studios, and Paramount Media Networks.
The company also reported a first-quarter loss of $1.1 billion, a stark contrast to a profit in the prior year, and cut its dividend to preserve cash. This strategic realignment, while difficult, was presented as necessary to “create a more effective approach to our business as we move forward.”
Executive Departures and Consolidations
Beyond the rank-and-file, a number of senior executives transitioned out of the company or saw their roles consolidated:
- Naveen Chopra, Paramount’s Chief Financial Officer for five years, announced his departure in June 2025 to join gaming company Roblox. Andrew Warren, former CFO of Discovery Communications, stepped in as interim CFO.
- At Paramount TV Studios (PTVS), development and current operations were consolidated under Jana Helman, Head of Development. This move led to the exits of Cheryl Bosnak (EVP/Head of Current), Kate Gill (SVP Development), and others.
- Communications functions across CBS Studios and PTVS were also centralized, with Dominic Pagone (SVP/Head of Communications) departing.
Post-Merger Reality: Ellison’s First Major Restructuring (October 2025)
The landscape shifted dramatically following the finalization of the merger with Skydance Media. By late October 2025, under the leadership of Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison, the company initiated its first major round of layoffs post-merger. This wave, affecting around 1,000 employees domestically, was described by one executive as a “bloodbath,” according to reports in Variety.
These cuts primarily targeted the company’s linear broadcast and cable networks, with extensive impacts across:
- Marketing: Teri Fleming, Executive Vice President and Head of Marketing for Paramount Global Content Distribution, was laid off.
- Current Programming: Pamela Soper and Amanda Palley, both Senior Vice Presidents of current programming at CBS Entertainment, were among those let go.
- Communications/PR: CBS’s New York team experienced significant cuts, alongside departures like Leslie Ryan, Senior Vice President of Communications at CBS Media Ventures, and Jennifer Weingroff, Senior Vice President of Communications at Paramount Global Content Distribution.
- Streaming: Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President of Programming for Paramount+, and Patricia Kollappallil, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for the streamer, were impacted.
- Cable Networks: MTV and CMT saw reductions in talent and music programming teams, including Wendy Plaut (SVP/Head of Music & Celebrity Talent at MTV) and Margaret Comeaux (SVP of Music Events and Production at CMT). This reflects the continued sunsetting of once-vibrant talent divisions as networks move away from original music series production.
- CBS News: This division alone saw approximately 100 layoffs, including senior correspondent Catherine Herridge. The CBS News bureau in Johannesburg, South Africa, was shuttered, and several programs, including streaming companion shows and the Saturday morning program, were canceled or scaled back, as confirmed by CBS News reports.
An additional round of approximately 1,000 international layoffs was anticipated in the weeks following these domestic cuts, emphasizing the global scale of the restructuring under the new Paramount Skydance regime.
Implications for Classic Film and Television Fans
The extensive restructuring at Paramount Global, exacerbated by the Skydance Media merger, carries significant implications for the world of classic films and television. As a company with a deep vault of iconic IP, Paramount’s shifts affect every aspect of content creation and distribution:
The consolidation of creative departments, like casting and development, suggests a more centralized approach to content strategy. While this could lead to more cohesive brand management, it also raises questions about the diversity of projects pursued and the autonomy given to individual creative teams, which historically fostered unique and innovative productions.
The heavy cuts to linear TV operations and the pronounced pivot to streaming signify that future investment will overwhelmingly favor digital platforms. For classic film fans, this means reboots, revivals, and archival content are more likely to appear on Paramount+ than on traditional cable channels. The mentioned “Little House on the Prairie reboot for Netflix” (Article 1) exemplifies how valuable IP can be leveraged across various streaming services, but also highlights the licensing complexities in this new era.
The downsizing of once-vibrant talent divisions within networks like MTV and CMT speaks to a broader industry trend where traditional talent-driven, linear programming is becoming less prioritized. This could impact the discovery and nurturing of new talent traditionally associated with these networks, indirectly affecting the pipeline for future creative endeavors, including those that might one day reinterpret classic works.
The Broader Industry Context
Paramount is not alone in navigating these turbulent waters. Other media giants, including Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, have also undertaken significant layoffs and restructuring efforts in 2025. This indicates a systemic industry-wide recalibration driven by similar forces: the expensive transition to streaming, the decline of traditional advertising revenues, and the ongoing challenge of achieving profitability in a fragmented digital landscape.
Ultimately, Paramount Skydance’s transformation is a testament to a changing industry. While the immediate impact is undoubtedly difficult for those affected, the company’s leadership asserts these steps are “necessary to position Paramount for long-term success.” For classic film fans, understanding these shifts is crucial to anticipating how the stories and characters they cherish will continue to evolve in this new, streamlined media environment.
