ViacomCBS Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Erin Calhoun, EVP, Communications, Showtime Networks & Paramount Television Studios, has been appointed to a new role as EVP, Communications, Paramount Streaming and Cross-Company Publicity.

Universal Studio Group has found its new business affairs chief – three months after the departure of Masami Yamamoto.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Raffaele Annecchino, the former president of Paramount Global who left the company last year, is launching a consultancy firm called Blue Ocean Media Partners. In its first deal, he has forged a partnership with Spain’s Mediapro Group, which is looking to expand its footprint in the Middle East.

Paramount Global has re-upped CFO Naveen Chopra through 2026.

Nick Cannon attempted to reach out to Kanye West after he made antisemitic comments. Last year, the Stronger rapper hit headlines after he made a string of offensive remarks about Jewish people on social media and in interviews, leading to him becoming widely condemned and losing a series of sponsorships and partnerships. During a recent interview for the Los Angeles Times, Nick revealed that he tried to speak to Kanye when he first became embroiled in the controversy.

Paramount+ with Showtime. The major media company has announced three executives in key positions of its streaming division: Domenic DiMeglio, Michael Engleman and Puja Vohra.The company said Monday it will be combining its marketing and data teams. This new division will now be titled the Paramount Streaming Data and Marketing Group and will be led by Domenic DiMeglio.

Jennie Punter The producers of “Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story,” which follows a nail-biting stretch in the Dalkurd soccer club’s pivotal 13th season, have released a clip (below) in advance of the film’s world premiere at Toronto’s Hot Docs festival, which kicks off April 27. Dalkurd was founded in 2004 by Kurdish refugees in Sweden as an activity for Kurdish youth in a working-class town. The team immediately and swiftly rose through the country’s professional soccer ranks, its unprecedented success attracting media attention in Europe and abroad—despite notably lackluster local attendance—and making the team a symbol of victory and unity for Kurdish people around the world.

Paramount Global said that, pending court approval, it will receive $167.5 million in settlement of a suit by shareholders of the former CBS Corp. against some of the broadcaster’s former officers and directors, including Shari Redstone and Joseph Ianiello. Called a derivative suit, it’s filed on behalf of the company, whose parent is getting the cash.

They haven’t quite killed Kenny, but Paramount Global tonight took a hard swipe at Warner Bros Discovery over South Park.

filing Friday. The settlement is still subject to approval by Delaware’s Court of Chancery.CalPERS, California’s state pension fund, was the lead plaintiff in the litigation, which also named Shari Redstone and the Redstone family’s National Amusements as defendants.

Owners of the nearly century-old Radford Studio Center, also known as the CBS Studio Center, have unveiled revamp plans for the storied facility — an estimated $1 billion for modern sound stages, production and support offices, sustainability measures, historic preservation and a transportation infrastructure. 

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Former top VIS exec Laura Abril has been appointed EVP of scripted and global business development at Buendía Estudios, producer of “Veneno,” “Cardo” Season 1 and “Offworld,” in a move which signals the large international ambitions of one of Spain’s key production powerhouses. Abril will report to Ignacio Corrales, Buendía Estudios CEO.  Rising through the ranks at Viacom from 2009, Abril crowned her career at the studio as the highest-ranking international TV executive in Spain named in 2019 as head of ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. 

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International SkyShowtime will complete its European roll-out this month with two remaining launches in Spain and Andorra, Variety can reveal. The two markets, which will launch on Feb. 28, take SkyShowtime’s footprint to over 20 markets and completes its European configuration, allowing the platform to now focus on building out a premium content offering that will help it compete with Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ in Europe. The service is also establishing itself amid a turbulent time for one of its namesake brands. Paramount Global revealed earlier this month that legacy brand Showtime will be renamed as “Paramount+ With Showtime” in a bid to integrate streaming service Paramount+ across both linear and streaming platforms. Showtime co-presidents Gary Levine and Jana Winograde are also exiting their current posts amid the shake-up at the pay-TV channel.

rebranding and integration with Paramount+ later this year.As co-presidents, both Levine and Winograde were responsible for developing and supervising all aspects of Showtime Networks programming across all genres, including comedy, drama, unscripted,documentaries and films. The latter exec was also in charge of the company’s production, program operations, business affairs, casting, scheduling, research and home entertainment, operating as liaison to ViacomCBS Global Distribution.

Signaling the end of a media business ritual, Paramount Global has indicated it will not host an upfront presentation for ad buyers at Carnegie Hall next May, instead planning “intimate gatherings” with advertisers in April.

In a surprising move, AMC Networks Chief Executive Officer Christina Spade has stepped down from the role after only three months.

Trevor Noah has set his exit date.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Prime Video has greenlit Season 2 of the hit Spanish series, “Dias Mejores” (“Better Days”), after the success of its first season. Created by Cristóbal Garrido and Adolfo Valor (“Reyes de la Noche,” “Farina”), the new season will continue to follow the stories of its lead characters Sara (Marta Hazas), Pardo (Erick Elías), Graci (Alba Planas), Luis (Francesc Orella) and Dr. Laforet (Blanca Portillo). News was announced at the Iberseries & Platino Industria television event that was held in Madrid over Sept. 27-30. The co-production between ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) and Madrid-based Zeta Studios, producers of Netflix hit, “Elite,” will stream exclusively on Prime Video in Spain.

Paramount Global is making moves in its advertising division. Jo Ann Ross, a 30 year veteran of the company, has been named chairman of Paramount advertising – an advisory role, with John Halley assuming her previous role as President in the division. As part of Halley’s new role, he will report to Bob Bakish, president and chief executive officer of Paramount.“Jo Ann is a true trailblazer in our industry and a dominant force behind the success of CBS, ViacomCBS, and now Paramount Global,” Bakish said in a statement.

Paramount Global has extended its U.S. media rights deal with Union of European Football Associations to continue broadcasting one of the most popular professional soccer packages on the market until 2030.The deal, which includes the rights to the UEFA Champions League, was worth $1.5 billion.

Paramount Global has renewed its U.S. rights deal for UEFA soccer, agreeing to pay $1.5 billion for a six-year extension through 2030.

reportedly for a 10-episode new season and comes on the heels of a February 2021 announcement that “Criminal Minds” would return on Paramount+ for a limited run. Additionally, the streamer revealed a companion docuseries, “The Real Criminal Minds.” It will feature a real-life former FBI profiler who will examine real cases and criminal behavior, aided by clips viewers will recognize from the fictional series.

Kelsey Grammer is teasing the long-awaited revival could begin shooting this fall. ViacomCBS officially greenlit the Paramount+ series last February.

EXCLUSIVE: SEAL Team showrunner/executive producer Spencer Hudnut is expanding his relationship with CBS Studios, the studio behind the military drama series, with a new overall deal. SEAL Team is currently in production on its sixth season at Paramount+. SEAL Team, along with Evil, relocated to the ViacomCBS streaming service from CBS in May 2021, where it has ranked among the streamer’s most-watched dramas.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentRaffaele Annecchino, president of Paramount International Studios, Networks and Streaming, is leaving the company.A terse internal Paramount memo obtained by Variety says that JC Acosta, president, International Studios, Streaming and Networks for Southern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa; Maria Kyriacou, president, Australia , Canada, Israel and UK; and Mark Specht, EVP and managing director, Central and Northern Europe and Asia, “will be stepping in as interim heads to lead the international business.”There was no immediate comment from Paramount International on Wednesday.As he rose through the ranks at what is now Paramount Annecchino is known to have had a close rapport with Paramount CEO Bob Bakish, but it appears that this rapport has suddenly gone sour.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe producers of “Live PD” are reviving the show’s live format on Reelz, but under a new working title: “On Patrol: Live” is set to premiere later this summer, the network announced Wednesday. Just like “Live PD,” the show will air live, twice a week (on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. A new “South Park” special arrives on Paramount+ this Wednesday.“The Streaming Wars,” which drops on June 1 at 12 a.m.

just like Stephen Colbert, who opened the presentation did – about the company’s moniker changes in recent years.“I’ve loved being part of the CBS family. I love being part of the Viacom family.

CBS — bringing the rest of Paramount with it — is back at its longtime upfront home, Carnegie Hall, and the network’s late-night host Stephen Colbert is back onstage ribbing his employer.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorParamount Global’s stock price shot up more than 10% in early trading Tuesday following the news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has scooped up more than $2 billion worth of shares in the company in recent months.Paramount stock opened Tuesday at $28.47 after closing Monday at $28.02, before Berkshire Hathaway’s stock purchases were disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.Berkshire Hathaway has been in an investor in one of Paramount’s predecessor companies, Viacom, in the not-too-distant past. Buffett’s purchases of late suggest that he sees the company as under-valued, or that he expects the company to be involved in M&A .Paramount Global, which changed its corporate moniker from ViacomCBS earlier this year, has struggled with the conventional wisdom that the company is too small to compete in what is fast becoming a global content marketplace.

Paramount+ will welcome back yet another South Park special event when June rolls around.

Paramount Global shares were down about 1% midway through the trading day after the company reported a mixed bag of first-quarter results.

the company, led by CEO Bob Bakish, posted revenue of $7.4 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.52, in part because CBS hosted the Super Bowl in early 2021. Paramount’s stock is down 1% in pre-market trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the results.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentVivendi, the parent company of French pay TV company Canal Plus Group and advertising banner Havas Group, saw its revenues increase by 13.4% to €2.3 billion ($2.4 billion) during the first quarter of 2022.The company’s financial results were mainly driven by the growth of Canal Plus Group, Havas Group, as well the Vivendi Village, which is behind live events, and the video game outfit Gameloft. Results also took into account Prisma Media, the recently acquired publishing group.

Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish made $20 million in 2021, a drop from when he made $38.9 million the year prior.Bakish’s pay was disclosed in an SEC filing on Friday for Paramount Global, formerly ViacomCBS. Bakish did not receive a bonus in 2021 or receive any new stock awards, and his total pay came from $3.1 million in salary and $16.8 from a non-equity incentive plan. Unlike other media conglomerates, ViacomCBS did not cut the salaries of its executives in 2020 as the pandemic took hold, though most of his earnings that year came from stock awards in what was ViacomCBS’ full first year.

Paramount Global is raising $1 billion in fresh cash through a bond sale expected to close March 29.