Mirror Review
October 30, 2025
The newly merged Paramount Skydance corporation is undergoing a major transformation.
Following the $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, CEO David Ellison announced that around 2,000 employees, or roughly 10% of its global workforce, will be laid off.
These Paramount layoffs affect nearly every corner of the company, from CBS and Paramount+ to MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, and Paramount Pictures.
Entire teams in marketing, programming, and communications have been dismantled as the company restructures to cut costs and eliminate overlapping functions.
Ellison’s memo to staff set the tone for what insiders have described as a “reset moment” for the 112-year-old studio, stating:
“We are addressing redundancies that have emerged across the organization and phasing out roles no longer aligned with our evolving priorities. These steps are necessary to position Paramount for long-term success.”
These layoffs are part of David Ellison’s goal to merge Skydance’s tech-focused efficiency with Paramount’s legacy entertainment structure while saving up to $2 billion in operational costs.
The Financial Pressure Behind the Paramount Layoffs
Paramount’s Q2 2025 earnings reveal the pressure behind these decisions.
- Revenue grew just 1% year-over-year to $6.85 billion, while TV Media revenue dropped 6% due to steep advertising declines.
- On the upside, Paramount+ revenue surged 23%, but profitability remains modest.
- Despite a modest $57 million net profit, after a massive $5.4 billion loss the prior year, the company’s Adjusted OIBDA slipped 5%, and EPS fell from $0.54 to $0.46.
The message is clear: without a leaner cost structure, Paramount’s recovery will stall. Hence, the mass layoffs.
Below is a detailed look at which roles are being affected across Paramount’s divisions.
1. Programming and Current Series Executives at CBS Entertainment
Paramount’s linear broadcast division, CBS Entertainment, has seen its current programming department hit hardest.
Departures include:
- Pamela Soper, Senior Vice President of Current Programming, CBS Entertainment
- Amanda Palley, Senior Vice President of Current Programming, CBS Entertainment
These roles were eliminated as part of a consolidation effort to merge creative oversight with the new content structure of the Paramount Skydance corporation.
CBS, once Paramount’s cash cow, now faces shrinking ad revenue and viewership as audiences migrate to streaming.
2. Marketing and Communications Leadership Cuts
The 2025 layoffs also slashed Paramount’s marketing and PR ranks, particularly within the Global Content Distribution and CBS Media Ventures units.
Among those affected:
- Teri Fleming, Executive Vice President & Head of Marketing, Paramount Global Content Distribution
- Jennifer Weingroff, Senior Vice President of Communications, Paramount Global Content Distribution
- Leslie Ryan, Senior Vice President of Communications, CBS Media Ventures
- Patricia Kollappallil, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Paramount+
According to internal sources, CBS’s New York communications team was hit “especially hard,” with multiple vice presidents and PR managers leaving.
The restructuring aims to centralize marketing functions under one global brand strategy.
3. Streaming and Digital Programming Roles at Paramount+
Even Paramount’s streaming arm, Paramount+, faced cuts despite being the company’s growth engine.
Key exits include:
- Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President of Programming, Paramount+
- Gregory Heller, Vice President of Brand & Program Marketing, Paramount+
While the platform grew to 77 million subscribers, operating income margins remain tight. Subscription revenue climbed 22%, but ad revenue fell 4%, and the service lost over a million users after promotional bundles expired.
David Ellison is now pushing for “fewer, bigger, better” shows to improve profitability.
4. Cable Network Layoffs at MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, and CMT
Paramount’s cable channels of MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, and CMT have been gutted as the company scales back legacy TV operations.
At MTV:
- Wendy Plaut, Senior Vice President & Head of Music & Celebrity Talent
- Amanda Culkowski, Vice President of Music Program Development & Documentaries, MTV/Paramount+
At CMT:
- Margaret Comeaux, Senior Vice President of Music Events & Production
At BET:
- Rose Catherine Pinkney, Senior Vice President of Scripted Programming & Development
MTV and CMT, which once defined pop-culture television, are now reducing original programming in favor of digital partnerships and rerun-heavy schedules.
Furthermore, last quarter TV Media revenue fell 6% to $4.01 billion, with advertising down 4% and affiliate fees down 7%, showing the drag of cable on overall profitability.
5. Film, Production, and Studio Leadership Departures
Even Paramount’s famed film division wasn’t spared. Veteran executives from Paramount Pictures and related units are exiting as part of the realignment with Skydance’s production model.
Departing leaders include:
- Randy Spendlove, President of Worldwide Music, Paramount Pictures
- Bryan Oh, Senior Vice President of Production
- Geoff Stier, Executive Vice President of Production
- Andres Alvarez, Executive Vice President of Home Entertainment
- Rachel Cadden, Executive Vice President of International Theatrical Marketing
- Christine Benitez, Senior Vice President of Multicultural Marketing
- Phil Cohen, Senior Vice President of Literary Affairs
In a note to staff, Co-Chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein wrote: “We want to acknowledge the departure of valued colleagues and express our deep gratitude for their contributions. We’re right-sizing our organization to refocus our energy and align with the endless opportunities ahead.”
Despite box-office success from Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, grossing $590 million worldwide, the film division reported an $84 million operating loss, proving that blockbusters and franchises alone can’t offset rising production and marketing costs.
6. CBS News and Broadcast Operations
The Paramount layoffs have also hit CBS News, which shuttered its Johannesburg bureau and let go of about 100 employees.
Affected roles include:
- International correspondents
- Digital production teams behind CBS Evening News Plus and CBS Mornings Plus
- Members of the Race & Culture unit and Saturday Morning staff
These changes reflect a pullback from niche news coverage and a focus on high-impact domestic programming with smaller crews.
7. Senior Departures and Leadership Changes
Several senior figures had already announced exits ahead of the Paramount layoffs, signaling a planned leadership reshuffle:
- Pam Kaufman, President of Paramount Global Consumer Products and International, is departing after 25 years
- Chris Aronson, President of U.S. Distribution, Paramount Pictures — departing December 2025
These moves suggest Ellison’s strategy to flatten management layers and concentrate decision-making at the top.
What’s Next: Phase Two Of the Paramount Layoffs
Insiders confirm that a second wave of layoffs, another 1,000 jobs, is expected in early 2026, primarily across international distribution, marketing, and sales offices in Europe and Asia.
As one Paramount executive told Variety: “It’s a bloodbath. I don’t know who’s going to be left to do the work.”
New org charts are being drafted by David Ellison, Goldberg, and Jesse Sisgold to merge film, TV, and streaming under a unified operating model.
The Bigger Picture: Paramount’s Reset Era
The Paramount layoffs are more than cost-cutting; instead, they mark a structural reset for a legacy studio under modern pressure.
For those inside the company (or those tracking talent markets), those in “adjacent” or legacy functions may face higher risk.
The company’s strategic message is clear: fewer broader priorities, more focus on streaming growth, major franchises, and global scalability.
By consolidating programming, eliminating redundant marketing and PR roles, and trimming senior management, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison’s son, David Ellison, is betting on a leaner, tech-driven future.
The challenge now is whether Paramount can maintain its creative depth while chasing efficiency.
If successful, this could restore Paramount’s position as a 21st-century entertainment powerhouse. If not, the studio may become the latest cautionary tale of a Hollywood icon unable to reinvent itself in time.
