Paramount Plus Programming Head Julie McNamara to Depart

After 15 years at CBS and now ViacomCBS, Paramount Plus head of programming Julie McNamara is departing the company.

ViacomCBS President and CEO of streaming Tom Ryan shared the news with staff Thursday, in addition to a note from McNamara, who called it a “bittersweet moment.”

“Working closely with my friend David Stapf, CBS Studios went from being a small boutique studio, to one of the most successful content suppliers in the world,” she wrote. “At CBS All Access, the introduction of our Original Series exponentially grew the subscriber base and profile of the platform, and set the stage for what’s to come.”

McNamara, who was elevated to head of programming at CBS All Access (now Paramount Plus) in Feb. 2020, was the subscription streaming services’ first originals programming chief. The move comes six months after Pluto TV head Tom Ryan was named president and CEO of the newly created streaming unit that oversees Paramount Plus, and ViacomCBS chief digital officer Marc DeBevoise stepped down.

“Julie’s work and strong relationships with creators and talent led the way for the very first originals on CBS All Access, many of which are still top performers for Paramount +, including Star Trek: Discovery and the beloved The Good Fight,” wrote Ryan.

No successor has yet been named. Deadline first reported news of McNamara’s exit.

Ryan’s full memo to staff can be read below:

Team,

Sharing some team news this morning that Julie McNamara has decided to leave ViacomCBS. While Julie and I have only worked together for a short time, Julie has a long history of contributing to the content strategy across the company. Julie’s work and strong relationships with creators and talent led the way for the very first originals on CBS All Access, many of which are still top performers for Paramount +, including Star Trek: Discovery and the beloved The Good Fight. Julie and her team have continued to grow the slate of originals paving the way for what has evolved to be an incredible upcoming line-up for Paramount +. I’d like to express my sincere thanks for Julie’s contribution to our streaming strategy. I’m including Julie’s note to her team below.

Paramount + continues to be extremely well positioned in the market, fueled by an extensive line-up of content and our well known consumer brands. I’ll have more to share in the coming weeks on our content structure and look forward to sharing further details about how we will continue to bring the best content from across ViacomCBS to Paramount +.

Tom

McNamara’s memo is below:

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I’m writing to share the news that I am leaving Paramount+. This is truly a bittersweet moment as I think about everything we’ve accomplished together, especially an amazing roster of prestigious and franchise shows that we can all be proud of.

During my 15 years at the company, I’ve had the great fortune to participate in the birth and growth of multiple businesses. Working closely with my friend David Stapf, CBS Studios went from being a small boutique studio, to one of the most successful content suppliers in the world. At CBS All Access, the introduction of our Original Series exponentially grew the subscriber base and profile of the platform, and set the stage for what’s to come. Now, Paramount+ is launched and poised to capitalize on the breadth and depth of talent across multiple brands, with series lined up by the incredible P+ creative team.

Through all the highs and lows (thankfully many more highs), it has been my privilege to work alongside you. Having been in the trenches with so many wonderful people across studio, network and digital, I’ve admired and learned from so many of you. Your drive, talent, warmth and integrity have made this journey a hugely gratifying one.

Thank you a thousand times over, and my heartfelt wishes for continued success.

Best,

Julie

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