Viacom Names Brian Robbins President of Nickelodeon

Viacom Names Brian Robbins President of Nickelodeon

Entertainment Veteran Brings Track Record of Creativity and Success with Young Audiences across Television, Film and Digital Media

Paramount Players Commencing Comprehensive Search for New Leadership

October 01, 2018 02:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Viacom Names Brian Robbins President of Nickelodeon (Photo: Viacom)

NEW YORK--Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) today announced the appointment of Brian Robbins as President of Nickelodeon, effective immediately. Robbins will report directly to Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom.

In his new role, Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon and will be responsible for evolving the brand for a new generation of young audiences, including further bolstering its content pipeline through a mix of new and legacy franchises, and accelerating its push into next-generation platforms and feature film.

Robbins most recently served as President of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, where he worked closely with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s other brands to identify talent and properties to be developed into co-branded feature films. In his new role, Robbins will remain integrally involved in the development, production and marketing of all Nickelodeon co-branded films with Paramount Players, including Dora the Explorer, Rugrats, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and other current projects.

With Robbins’ appointment to Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures is commencing a comprehensive search for a successor to lead Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, President of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players, with support from Robbins during a transition period.

Bakish said, “Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media. With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his firsthand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”

Robbins said, “Nickelodeon is one of the entertainment industry’s most vibrant and groundbreaking brands, with iconic properties, a deep culture of creativity and invention, and an incredibly talented team of kids’ entertainment professionals. I’m thrilled to return to Nickelodeon and draw on its many strengths – including its rich library and rapidly growing studio production business – to deliver must-see content to kids on every platform around the world. During this time of upheaval in big media, I can’t wait to disrupt the disrupters.”

Prior to leading Paramount Players, Robbins co-founded the multi-platform media company Awesomeness in 2012 and served as Chief Executive Officer. Robbins also co-founded the production company Tollins/Robbins Productions and was the Founder and President of Varsity Pictures. In this role, he executive produced numerous television hits for teens and young audiences, including the popular Nickelodeon series Kenan & Kel and All That, the latter of which Robbins adapted into the Nickelodeon feature film Good Burger. Robbins also executive produced Blue Mountain State for Spike TV (now Paramount Network) and produced and/or directed the Paramount films Varsity Blues, Coach Carter and Hardball. His other credits include the television series Smallville and One Tree Hill for CW, and Disney Channel’s Sonny with a Chance and So Random. His film credits include Disney’s Wild Hogs and The Shaggy Dog; DreamWorks’ Norbit and A Thousand Words; and Sony Pictures’ Radio.

Robbins is the recipient of a Directors Guild Award, a Peabody Award and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Pioneer Prize. He is also an Emmy Award nominee.

About Viacom

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling entertainment content - including television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, games, consumer products, podcasts, live events and social media experiences - for audiences in 183 countries. Viacom's media networks, including Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, VH1, TV Land, CMT, Logo, Channel 5 (UK), Telefe (Argentina), Colors (India) and Paramount Channel, reach approximately 4.3 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Paramount Television develops, finances and produces original programming for television and digital platforms.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/viacom.

In-depth coverage:

From Variety:

Producer Brian Robbins Tapped to Lead Nickelodeon

Viacom named producer Brian Robbins as the new head of its Nickelodeon, its largest operation, a bid to steady the kid-focused cable channel even as it has been struggling with declining ratings and shifts in viewing habits among its target demographic.

Robbins, the founder of Awesomeness TV, has most recently been based at Viacom’s Paramount Pictures as head of its Paramount Players genre pic division.

“Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media,” said Viacom CEO Bob Bakish. “With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his firsthand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”

Robbins is the first new executive to lead Nickelodeon in years. He replaces Cyma Zarghami, who was named president of the flagship network in 2004 and then given oversight of a Viacom’s broader suite of networks aimed at kids and families in 2006. She resigned in June, after Viacom gave Sarah Levy, chief operating officer of its entertainment networks, supervision over some of Nickelodeon’s business functions, such as research and production management.

Viacom said Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon and work to make the home of properties such as “Paw Patrol,” “Henry Danger” and “Dora the Explorer” more relevant to younger audiences, who have grown increasingly accustomed to getting their favorite programs on demand or via streaming services. Viacom said Robbins would accelerate a Nickelodeon “push into next-generation platforms and feature film.” Under Bakish, Viacom has placed new emphasis on developing intellectual property into a range of formats. Robbins is expected to remain involved in the development, production and marketing of all Nickelodeon co-branded films with Paramount Players.

Viacom said it would start “a comprehensive search for a successor” to lead Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, president of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations, with support from Robbins during a transition period.

Prior to leading Paramount Players, Robbins co-founded Awesomeness, originally a YouTube channel, in 2012 and served as its CEO. Robbins also co-founded the production company Tollins/Robbins Productions and was the founder and president of Varsity Pictures.

He has much knowledge of all things Nickelodeon, having been involved in the production of network mainstays like “Kenan and Kel” and “All That.” He has also worked on the production of Disney Channel series such as “Sonny with a Chance” and “So Random,” as well as CW series like “Smallville” and :”one Tree Hill.” His film credits include Disney’s “Wild Hogs,” DreamWorks’ “Norbit” Sony Pictures’ “Radio.”

And he brings a unique perspective to the job. Robbins started his career in the entertainment business as an actor, having a role in the sitcom “Head of the Class.”

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Also, from Deadline:

Brian Robbins Named President Of Nickelodeon

A year and a half ago after AwesomenessTV co-founder Brian Robbins joined Viacom to run Paramount Players, he is being named President of the company’s Nickelodeon Group. He succeeds Cyma Zarghami who stepped down in June after more than 30 years with the network. Robbins will report directly to Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish.

A search is underway for Robbins’ replacement as President of Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, President of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players, with support from Robbins during a transition period.

Robbins will manage the creative and business operations at Nickelodeon. As President of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, Robbins worked with Nickelodeon and Viacom’s other brands to identify talent and properties to be developed into co-branded feature films. In his new role, Robbins will remain integrally involved in the development, production and marketing of all Nickelodeon co-branded films with Paramount Players, including Dora the Explorer, Rugrats and other current projects.

“Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media,” said Bakish. “With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his firsthand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”

Robbins, who was a well-known manager and co-founder of Tollin/Robbins before co-founding AwesomenessTV in 2012, drove all creative at the multi-platform media company and produced Expelled, Guidance, Foursome, t@gged, Freakish and the recent theatrical release Before I Fall.

Robbins was one of the first to tap into what is known as GenZ — the 12 to 24 year olds — and realize that the target demo was basically being ignored with content. In two to three years, his company went from a YouTube channel to a company that is worth almost a billion dollars. That’s the kind of thinking that studio needs as it struggles to find its footing again.

While at Tollin/Robbins Productions and as founder and President of Varsity Pictures, Robbins concentrated on the teen and YA demographic. He produced the CW series Smallville and One Tree Hill; Disney Channel’s Sonny With a Chance and So Random; Nickelodeon’s All That and Kenan and Kel; and Spike TV’s Blue Mountain State.

Robbins also was behind the WB series What I Like About You and HBO’s Arli$$. He directed and/or produced Disney’s feature films Wild Hogs and Shaggy Dog, Paramount’s Coach Carter, Hardball and Varsity Blues and DreamWorks’ Norbit and A Thousand Words; and Sony’s Radio.

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Also, from Broadcast & Cable:

Viacom Names Robbins President of Nickelodeon

Search on for replacement at Paramount Players division

Viacom named Brian Robbins as president of Nickelodeon, the leader in the ratings challenged kids TV field.

Robins had been with Viacom as president of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division. He will remain involved in the development, production and marketing of Nickelodeon co-branded films with Paramount Players, including current projects featuring Dora the Explorer and the Rugrats.

He replaces long-time Nickelodeon head Cyma Zarghami, who stepped down in June. Viacom Media Networks COO Sarah Levy ran Nickelodeon on an interim basis.

Nickelodeon and other kids networks have been bucking the tide of young viewers spending more time on mobile devices with YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram than with TV.

Ratings for kids programming has been falling and Nickelodeon has tried to fight back by increasing the amount of original programming on the network. It has also upped its digital programming output and this summer held a live event, Slimefest, in Chicago.

Paramount is beginning a search for a successor to run Paramount Players. In the interim, Wyck Godfrey, president of Paramount Pictures Motion Pictures Group, will oversee day-to-day operations at Paramount Players.

“Brian is a creative powerhouse who has spent his career on the frontlines of our industry, anticipating and driving changes in television, film and digital media,” said Viacom CEO Bob Bakish. “With his unmatched credentials in kids’ entertainment and his firsthand knowledge of Nickelodeon, I have asked Brian to drive the innovation and transformation that will ensure the brand remains the dominant force with young audiences.”

Before Paramount Players, Robbins was a co-founder of Awesomeness and served as Chief Executive Officer. He also co-founded Tollins/Robbins Productions and was the Founder and President of Varsity Pictures.

He executive produced numerous television hits for teens and young audiences, including the popular Nickelodeon series Kenan and Kel and All That.

Robbins also executive produced Blue Mountain State for Spike TV (now Paramount Network) and produced and/or directed the Paramount films Varsity Blues, Coach Carter and Hardball. His other credits include the television series Smallville and One Tree Hill for CW, and Disney Channel’s Sonny with a Chance and So Random. His film credits include Disney’s Wild Hogs and The Shaggy Dog; DreamWorks’ Norbit and A Thousand Words; and Sony Pictures’ Radio.

“Nickelodeon is one of the entertainment industry’s most vibrant and groundbreaking brands, with iconic properties, a deep culture of creativity and invention, and an incredibly talented team of kids’ entertainment professionals," Robbins said. "I’m thrilled to return to Nickelodeon and draw on its many strengths – including its rich library and rapidly growing studio production business – to deliver must-see content to kids on every platform around the world. During this time of upheaval in big media, I can’t wait to disrupt the disrupters.”

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Also, from The Wall Street Journal:

Viacom Taps Brian Robbins to Run Nickelodeon

Despite its challenges, Nickelodeon is Viacom’s most successful cable channel

Viacom Inc. VIAB -3.85% said it has tapped producer Brian Robbins to head Nickelodeon, a move that shows how important the children’s programming business remains for the media conglomerate.

Mr. Robbins is currently the president of Paramount Players, a unit of Viacom’s Paramount Pictures that specializes in content tied to Viacom’s major channel brands like BET, Nickelodeon and MTV. He has close ties to both Paramount Pictures Chief Executive Jim Gianopulos and Viacom Chief Executive Bob Bakish.

Before joining Paramount, Mr. Robbins founded Awesomeness, a content platform that targeted the Generation Z audience. He was also a co-founder of Tollin/Robbins Productions, whose credits included the long-running CW show “One Tree Hill,” and the founder of Varsity Pictures, which produced several shows for Nickelodeon.

Mr. Robbins has been named Nickelodeon group president, a role that has been vacant since June when Cyma Zarghami stepped down after 12 years. Since then, Sarah Levy, chief operating officer of Viacom Media Networks, has served as interim head of the Nickelodeon group. Mr. Robbins will be based in Los Angeles.


Besides the flagship Nickelodeon channel, the group consists of Nick Jr., which caters to preschoolers, and TeenNick. Nickelodeon has long been the dominant children programmer, but its ratings have declined in recent years while the number of viewing options for children on both cable and digital platforms, particularly at Netflix, has increased.

Nickelodeon has experienced ratings declines of more than 20% compared with a year ago among its key demographic of children 2 to 11 years old, according to Nielsen. It also recently severed ties with producer Dan Schneider, who was a hit factory for the channel over the past three decades. His credits included “Henry Danger” and “iCarly.”

Despite its challenges, Nickelodeon is Viacom’s most successful cable channel. It is home to the long-running hit “SpongeBob SquarePants” and its top-rated show currently is “Henry Danger.”

In 2017, Nickelodeon generated $2.1 billion in revenue from advertising and distribution fees, and cash flow of more than $1 billion, according to industry consulting firm Kagan, S&P Global Market Intelligence. Viacom doesn’t report the performance of individual media networks.

Paramount Players was established just over a year ago and has several movies in production including “Dora the Explorer” and “Rugrats” feature films based on the popular Nickelodeon show. Wyck Godfrey, the president of Paramount’s motion picture group, will run Paramount Players in the interim while a search for Mr. Robbins’s successor is conducted, Viacom said.

Mr. Robbins started in the industry as an actor and he and Mr. Schneider starred in the ABC sitcom “Head of the Class” in the 1980s. The two were also production partners on the Nickelodeon show “All That.”

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Originally published: Monday, October 1, 2018 at 10:06pm BST.

Original source: Business Wire.

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