The Paramount Network is adding “movie” to its name and shifting its focus away from series television.
The ViacomCBS cable channel, known for dramas like the Kevin Costner-starring “Yellowstone,” will rebrand into the Paramount Movie Network next year, an individual with knowledge of the plans told TheWrap. The network will now focus on airing made-for-TV movies with plans to air about one a week for a total of 52 each year. Once each quarter, the network will air a miniseries or full scripted series with the idea of turning them into future films.
The name change will take effect next year and be global.
“Yellowstone” will stay on the network, as its the channel’s most popular series, but will be treated more as an event series. The network is moving out of unscripted altogether — meaning that “Ink Master, “Wife Swap,” and “Battle of the Fittest Couples” are all canceled. Other unscripted series like “Lip Sync Battle” and “Bar Rescue” will move to other networks.
The move is the latest change for the constantly-shifting network, which was rebranded from Spike in 2018. The channel has also been known as TNN, or its full name The Nashville Network when it first launched in 1983.
Variety first reported on the rebrand.