Viacom has named longtime entertainment executive Brian Robbins the new president of massive kids’ network Nickelodeon, effective immediately. Robbins will be moving to Nickelodeon from his current film production position as president of Paramount Pictures’ Players division, where part of his work involved developing co-branded Nickelodeon and Paramount features.
Robbins resume includes Good Burger (a film adaptation of Nickelodeon’s ’90s hit All That), The CW‘s Smallville and One Tree Hill, Disney Channel‘s Sonny With A Chance and So Random, and feature films including Coach Carter, Hardball, and Radio.
In something of a full-circle moment, he also co-founded the tween- and teen-focused digital network AwesomenessTV in 2012, which began as a multichannel YouTube network and recently sold to Viacom for a reported $25 to $50 million. (Following the acquisition, which was for a fraction of Awesomness’ estimated $650 million value, Viacom laid off a number of Awesomeness staffers, reportedly totaling between 20 and 90 people).
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At Nickelodeon, Robbins will stay “integrally involved” in the production of co-branded Nickelodeon/Paramount films, the company says, which includes films for beloved Nickelodeon properties like Rugrats and Dora The Explorer.
“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 of his decision to join the storied children’s brand. “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.”
