Nickelodeon Animation Studios Folded Into CBS As Alec Botnick Takes Over

Paramount’s upheaval at the top continues to impact the company’s subsidiaries, and Nickelodeon’s animation division, which recently saw the departure of Rasmey Naito, has a new boss in longtime executive Alec Botnick, who has been elevated to president of Nickelodeon Animation Studios as the unit is folded more tightly into CBS Studios.

The move, confirmed in an internal memo circulated by Paramount leadership (copied below), positions Botnick as the sole head of the studio, while current co-head Ashley Kaplan transitions to a consulting role before exiting later this year.

Botnick is hardly a newcomer to the TV animation ecosystem. He has previously led animation within CBS Studios, including its Eye Animation banner, and now effectively bridges the gap between Nickelodeon’s legacy brand and the company’s wider TV operation.

More noteworthy than the individual movements at the company, executives come and go after all, is the announcement that Nickelodeon Animation will now operate as a label within CBS Studios rather than a more autonomous division. That realignment reflects broader consolidation across Paramount following its recent corporate reorganization, as the company streamlines production pipelines and centralizes oversight of kids and family content.

It also resembles what we saw a few years ago at Warner Bros. Discovery, when its once-dominant TV animation unit, Cartoon Network Studios, was folded more directly into the larger corporate structure. That shift included layoffs, the absorption of development into centralized units, and a diminished identity for the studio as a standalone creative hub.

With that in mind, Nickelodeon’s restructuring reads less like an isolated leadership change and more like part of a broader industry pattern. Conspicuously, at the same time that Paramount is proposing an acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Across legacy media companies, animation divisions that once operated with a degree of independence are being repositioned as content pipelines are adapted to align more closely with streaming distribution, particularly those that were heavily integrated into the struggling traditional broadcast system. The emphasis has shifted toward franchise management, cost control, and cross-platform scalability, often at the expense of the creator-driven models that defined earlier eras of TV animation.

Below is the memo sent out by George Cheecks, CBS and Paramount’s chair of TV media:

Team,

I’m excited to announce that Alec Botnick has been appointed president of Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Alec will lead Nickelodeon Animation Studios into its next chapter, while also continuing his current role as EVP of CBS Studios comedy development, alternative & animation. Similar to BET Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios will now operate as its own label for television within CBS Studios.

For Nickelodeon, Alec will oversee the animation studio and its evolution across digital, TV and streaming as we reimagine how we meet today’s kids and families. Alec’s leadership will be essential in shaping our next phase as Nickelodeon reinvents how we reach preschoolers, starting where discovery happens first and evolving into a true cross-platform brand. He will lead Nickelodeon’s unscripted programming for television, including the Kids’ Choice Awards, while also guiding the development of new series and overseeing our long-running hits, ensuring Nickelodeon remains home to the world’s most iconic kids’ franchises like SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, PAW PATROL and more.

Alec will also continue to develop scripted comedies and alternative projects for CBS Studios, as well as maintain oversight of animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands for owned and third-party platforms. Series and projects Alec has helped develop include GHOSTS and ETERNALLY YOURS for CBS, the critically acclaimed Australian comedy COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS for Paramount+ and the animated series “Odd Jobs” for Prime Video.

I also want to share that Ashley Kaplan will transition to a consulting role beginning Monday. In this capacity, she will support the TV Media division on special projects through the end of the year. We are grateful to Ashley for her years of leadership and appreciate her continued partnership.
Jules Borkent, executive vice president of global commercial partnerships and operations, will continue to oversee Nickelodeon Kids & Family’s business and strategy, working in partnership with Alec and other key stakeholders to maximize the Nick brand.

Please join me in congratulating Alec on this well-deserved role. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we continue building the next chapter of Nickelodeon.

All the best,
George