Keyes Hill-Edgar, a seasoned executive with 25 years at Viacom/Paramount Global, has announced his departure from his role as COO of Paramount Media Networks & Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, prompting significant changes within the organization.
Keyes Hill-Edgar Steps Down as COO of Showtime/MTV Studios After 25 Years at Paramount
EXCLUSIVE: Keyes Hill-Edgar, a veteran of Viacom/Paramount Global for 25 years, is departing from his role as Chief Operating Officer at Paramount Media Networks & Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios. He recently informed his colleagues of his exit in a company memo, which is detailed below.
Leadership Changes at Paramount
Hill-Edgar’s departure coincides with Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO and President of Showtime/MTV Entertainment, who is also leaving following Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount Global, effective tomorrow, July 7. McCarthy’s responsibilities will be redistributed among George Cheeks, Dana Goldberg, and Cindy Holland.
Executive Departures
Additionally, two other senior executives from McCarthy’s team, Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer for Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, and Liza Burnett Fefferman, EVP and Head of Communications for Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, are also exiting.
Hill-Edgar’s Contributions
In his capacity as COO, Hill-Edgar managed business planning, operations, and strategy for all content produced by the studios, including the brands of Paramount Media Networks: MTV, Showtime, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, CMT, TV Land, Pop, and Logo.
He was instrumental in several significant deals, most notably the recent five-year agreement with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with an exclusive streaming deal for the show on Paramount+. Stone publicly acknowledged Hill-Edgar during the announcement of these deals last month.
“Trey and I, along with the entire South Park team, are thankful for this extension and deal,” he stated. “We appreciate Chris McCarthy and Keyes Hill-Edgar for years of excellent partnership and look forward to continuing South Park for the next five years.”
Hill-Edgar collaborated with key talents at the studio, including Taylor Sheridan, who shared with Deadline how Hill-Edgar persuaded him to produce the Yellowstone prequel 1883 in record time to launch the rebranded Paramount+.
Reflecting on a Career
In his farewell note to staff, Hill-Edgar reflected on his early days as a young associate at Shearman & Sterling, who in 2000 was invited to join Viacom after working on the Viacom/CBS merger.
He subsequently held various positions in business and legal affairs within the company, including SVP, Deputy General Counsel, Assistant Secretary, and EVP, Global Business Affairs and General Counsel of Viacom Media Networks.
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In his farewell email, Hill-Edgar expressed gratitude to his long-time boss McCarthy, Mike Fricklas, who initially recruited him, and “the incomparable Myrna Sterling,” his executive assistant throughout his 25-year tenure at Viacom/Paramount.
Full Memo
Almost exactly 25 years ago, as a young law firm associate who had just finished closing the Viacom/CBS merger, I was thrilled to be asked to join the corporate legal team at Viacom. After merging, demerging, and remerging the companies, and countless other deals, matters, hours, people, and Spindrifts later, it is time to go.
Although tempting to list out all the successes of these years, what stands out at this moment above all else is the people, both internal colleagues and external partners. As we collectively navigated multiple revolutions of the media business, the one constant has been identifying top creative and executive talent, and then giving them the room they need to do their thing. That has resulted in a collection of very special relationships, and I look forward over the next few months to letting each of those people know individually how much they have meant to me and to our world.
As I say goodbye to Paramount and reflect on the many fantastic people with whom I have worked, I wanted to call out three in particular: Mike Fricklas, who recruited me and then opened the door of entertainment for me; Chris McCarthy, who opened all the other doors for me and welcomed me into the best team in the business; and the incomparable Myrna Sterling, who was assigned to be my executive assistant on August 21, 2000, and, for every minute since then, has given her immense skill, grace, and professionalism to all of us.
I am extremely grateful to everyone who shared some or a lot of their time and talents with me over this quarter century – thank you. I genuinely wish all my colleagues, partners, and the company great success in the future with these very special brands, shows, and businesses.
Keyes
