David Bittler, the executive vice president of communications for Paramount Global Kids and Family, has departed the company, TheWrap has learned.
The 25-year Paramount/Viacom veteran had devised and led multi-platform campaigns across theatricals, streaming, linear television, consumer products and live experiences. He also steered communications for Nickelodeon, Awesomeness and Paramount+ kids and family franchises such as “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “PAW Patrol,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
Additionally, he worked on major events such as Comic-Con, Licensing Show, MIP, Cannes Lions and the Annecy Animation Festival and was a C-suite advisor and speechwriter for the media giant’s leaders and executives.
Prior to Paramount, Bittler held senior leadership roles at MTV Networks, Nick at Nite, Spike TV, CNBC, CNN and Logo TV, where he spearheaded the historic debut of the first ad-supported LGBTQ+ television network.
Bittler is the latest Paramount executive departure following the closing of Skydance’s $8 billion merger.
Other executives who have left the media giant include Paramount co-CEOs Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins; Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios executive vice president and head of communications Liza Burnett Fefferman, chief operating officer Keyes Hill-Edgar; chief creative officer and content president Nina Diaz ; Paramount Streaming CEO Tom Ryan and Paramount Motion Picture Group head Mike Ireland.
Paramount’s new leadership is eyeing up to 3,000 layoffs by November as part of its efforts to exceed $2 billion in cost savings.
Read Bittler’s full memo below:
Hello, all you beautiful people!
For those who remember, that was the MTV Networks-era opening line for so many of the speeches and email missives delivered to us, and I humbly use it today to harness that spirit to signal my departure from these storied halls of 1515 Broadway.
For so many years, this company has been a big tent party both on and off the screen(s), welcoming in fresh directions and new ideas from all paths of life as we worked together to create a wealth of groundbreaking characters, shows, experiences and moments that electrified the culture globally time and time again.
But you already know this. That’s the draw. That’s the pull. That’s what keeps us coming back day after day and year after year—to be a part of these teams, a part of this bounty of creativity, a part of it all.
And while today we find ourselves in another era of evolution, and at an exciting inflection point, this is the turn in the road where I must loosen the yoke and diverge from this pack of marvelous people and from the brands and shows I have promoted and protected for so long…like Nick and Nick at Nite, MTVN, Logo and Spike, SpongeBob and Dora, iCarly, Avatar: The Last Airbender, PAW Patrol and all the TMNTs under the sun.
It has been years of long hours, big wins, and countless challenges, and for me, time flew for all of it. I could take the pro forma route here and list all the things I’m most proud of, but that’s already on LinkedIn. Come follow me!
So instead of telling you what I did, I will tell you why. I did it for the audience. I did it for our people here and for our brands that mean so much to so many. But most of all, I did it for love.
Ciao, for now!
David
