The recent merger between Skydance and Paramount is already reshaping the landscape for South Park. As the newly structured company evolves, the scripted production operations previously managed by departing co-CEO Chris McCarthy are being integrated into the newly established Paramount TV Studios. This new entity will be overseen by Dana Goldberg and is expected to be led by Matt Thunell, who is the President of Skydance TV.

However, there is a significant exception in this reorganization: South Park will not be included in that studio’s portfolio. Instead, it will now be managed by fellow co-CEO of Paramount Global, George Cheeks, who is currently serving as the Chair of TV Media in this post-merger configuration. This new arrangement means that Cheeks will oversee both South Park’s home network, Comedy Central, as well as its production arm, South Park Digital Studios, a collaborative effort between Paramount and the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, under the banner of Park County.

This strategic shift aligns the network and its production under one top executive, despite the fact that South Park has become an undeniable powerhouse for Paramount+. The streaming service has committed an impressive $1.5 billion for exclusive streaming rights over the next five years. This decision stems from a newfound division in scripted production, where Goldberg’s unit will concentrate on projects designed primarily for streaming platforms, while Cheeks’ team will manage shows that are more closely connected to traditional linear television. Since South Park continues to debut first on cable before transitioning to streaming, it remains under Cheeks’ purview, for better or worse.

Recognizing the Indispensable Value of South Park

In one of his final initiatives at Paramount, McCarthy successfully secured a new five-year overall agreement with Parker and Stone, along with a multi-billion-dollar streaming license for Paramount+. This pivotal deal guarantees that South Park will continue to serve as a fundamental element of the streaming service’s content strategy, even with alterations in its corporate management structure.

Cheeks’ broadened responsibilities now encompass not only South Park, but also other significant titles such as The Daily Show (notably Jon Stewart’s impactful Monday editions), CBS News, CBS Sports, BET Studios, Nickelodeon TV Studios, and the soon-to-be-departing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. This diverse and eclectic lineup demonstrates a commitment to varied programming, and with South Park’s notorious history of satirizing political figures—including Donald Trump—it now stands alongside some of television’s most vocally political programming.

With the merger now officially sanctioned by the FCC and the reorganization actively underway, the creative essence of South Park remains unharmed. However, behind the scenes, it has become part of a distinctly transformed Paramount. Fans eagerly anticipate seeing how characters like Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman will react to these corporate changes in the upcoming episodes.