Paramount Movie Network Put On Ice As ViacomCBS Nixes Rebrand Plans For ‘Yellowstone’ Network

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Network is safe, for now.ViacomCBS has reversed plans to rebrand the cable network, home to Kevin Costner-fronted hit series Yellowstone, as Paramount Movie Network.Deadline understands that the company has put the plans, which first emerged in September 2020, on hold, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had a major impact on production.The original strategy was to turn Paramount Network into the Paramount Movie Network, which would air 52 original movies a year with one mini-series or scripted series airing per quarter.Development of these movie projects was originally being overseen by Meghan Hooper White, who joined the company from A+E Networks as EVP and Head of Original Movies and Limited Series in May 2020 but left little over a year later.As part of the rebrand plans, which were announced by Chris McCarthy, President and CEO ViacomCBS Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios, the company canceled a slew of unscripted series including Ink Master, Wife Swap and Battle of the Fittest Couples that had aired on the station and unveiled plans to move series such as Bar Rescue and Lip Sync Battle to other channels within the portfolio.In February 2021, the company revealed that tattoo format Ink Master was set to continue on sister streaming service Paramount+, and Bar Rescue returned to Paramount Network for its eighth season last May.

The Last Cowboy, the unscripted series from Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan, moved from Paramount Network to CMT at the end of last year.The success of Sheridan’s ranch drama Yellowstone has also played in to the decision to keep the Paramount Network in place.The show, which stars Costner as rancher John Dutton, has been a huge ratings