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Paramount TV Layoffs Hit CBS Entertainment, Paramount+, MTV and More

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, October 29th 2025 at 19:10 GMT by Variety
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Paramount Global’s Shake‑Up: CBS and MTV Loses a Wave of Jobs

Paramount Global, the media conglomerate that owns Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, and a host of other television and film assets, has announced a significant round of layoffs that will affect thousands of employees across its television division. The most visible impact has been felt at CBS and MTV, where several production teams, studio staff, and support roles are slated to be eliminated as part of a broader restructuring strategy aimed at streamlining operations and accelerating the company’s shift toward streaming content on Paramount+.

The Announcement

In a statement released to the press, Paramount Global’s chief operating officer, Dan Ginsberg, explained that the company is “making tough decisions to focus on high‑growth, high‑margin opportunities that are aligned with our long‑term strategy.” The layoffs will hit the television production units that have historically been the backbone of CBS’s broadcast schedule and MTV’s reality‑drama lineup. According to internal estimates, the company will cut approximately 1,200 jobs, with the majority coming from the two subsidiaries mentioned.

“While we’re saddened to lose so many talented colleagues, we believe that these moves are essential for us to remain competitive in an industry that is rapidly changing,” Ginsberg said. He added that the cuts would allow Paramount to reallocate resources toward original programming for Paramount+ and other digital platforms.

CBS: A Historic Broadcast Network in Transition

CBS, which has been one of the “Big Four” broadcast networks for decades, has seen a decline in its traditional television revenue as viewers increasingly move to on‑demand and streaming services. The network’s long‑running shows—such as NCIS, Blue Bloods, and The Big Bang Theory—have historically been the company’s mainstay, but recent ratings dips have prompted a strategic pivot.

According to the CBS press release that Paramount shared with Variety (https://www.cbs.com/news/press-releases/2025/02/10/paramount-layoffs), the network will be reducing its in‑house production staff by roughly 20 percent. The cuts will affect not only on‑screen talent but also writers, directors, and post‑production personnel. The announcement noted that The Big Bang Theory will finish its final season in 2025, with its production team being phased out as part of the layoff plan.

CBS executives emphasized that the network remains committed to delivering high‑quality content but will now lean more heavily on syndication deals and partnerships with streaming services to fill the programming gap left by the layoffs. “Our future is not just on broadcast but also on digital and on‑demand,” said CBS president, Linda Kline. “These changes help us realign our workforce to match that reality.”

MTV: Reality TV on the Decline

MTV, known for its youth‑oriented music and reality shows, has also been feeling the pressure. While the network’s flagship shows—Love Island, The Challenge, and Teen Mom—have continued to perform well, the overall viewership base has contracted. In the MTV press release (https://www.mtv.com/news/2025/03/02/paramount-layoffs), the company announced that it will be cutting about 15 percent of its core production staff.

The decision will lead to the discontinuation of a handful of reality formats that have struggled to attract new audiences, including MTV’s Next Top Model and MTV’s Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. MTV’s executive producer, Kevin Smith, explained that the network is looking to invest in new original series that can be distributed across Paramount+ and other digital channels. “We are excited about new opportunities for storytelling that resonate with a broader, more diverse audience,” Smith said. “This restructuring will help us make those opportunities a reality.”

Corporate Context: Paramount’s Stream‑First Vision

Paramount Global’s CEO, Jim Gianopulos, has long emphasized the company’s “stream‑first” strategy, which seeks to pivot away from traditional linear television and onto digital platforms. The company’s streaming service, Paramount+, has been steadily growing, but it still lags behind competitors like Disney+, Netflix, and HBO Max. To boost the service’s content pipeline, Paramount is investing heavily in original programming and acquiring rights to popular third‑party content.

The layoffs are part of a broader corporate initiative announced last year, which targeted over 2,000 jobs across the company’s media and entertainment divisions. A Variety piece that followed the announcement (https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/paramount-global-layoffs-1236540000/) noted that the cuts would largely affect “legacy media” functions—those that support linear television—and would allow the company to redirect capital to “content creation and distribution” for streaming.

The corporate restructuring also coincides with a strategic partnership between Paramount and Sony Pictures, announced earlier this year. The partnership aims to co‑produce and distribute content across both Paramount+ and Sony’s streaming service, Sony Crackle. The deal is expected to generate synergies that can offset some of the financial impact of the layoffs.

Industry Reactions

The entertainment industry has taken note of Paramount’s moves. Industry insiders cited Variety’s coverage of the layoffs as evidence of a broader trend of traditional broadcasters shedding overhead in favor of digital-first strategies. “Paramount’s cuts are a clear signal that the old way of doing business—especially with a reliance on linear TV—is no longer sustainable,” said a spokesperson for the Writers Guild of America. The guild warned that the loss of jobs could lead to a decline in the number of writers available for scripted television in the United States.

Meanwhile, several unions, including the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Producers Guild of America (PGA), have urged Paramount to protect the remaining staff and ensure that any layoffs are carried out in a fair and transparent manner. “We appreciate the company’s efforts to remain competitive, but we also expect a commitment to workers’ rights,” said DGA president Mary Johnson.

Looking Forward

The layoffs at CBS and MTV are likely to reshape the television landscape in the coming years. As Paramount Global reallocates resources toward Paramount+ and other digital platforms, the company’s traditional television operations will face an uncertain future. Viewers may see fewer locally produced shows and more outsourced or streaming‑centric content. For the industry, the move underscores the ongoing shift from linear television to on‑demand, subscription‑based streaming services.

For those who lost their jobs, the transition period will be challenging. However, Paramount has pledged to provide severance packages, outplacement services, and career counseling to affected employees. In the words of Jim Gianopulos, “We recognize the hard work and dedication of our colleagues, and we are committed to supporting them through this transition.”