Paramount Skydance Elevates Data Strategy Under Ellison

David Ellison is making his tech-first vision for Paramount Skydance unmistakably clear. In a significant organizational shift, the media conglomerate is placing data and insights at the forefront of its strategy, moving beyond traditional entertainment metrics to a more integrated, technology-driven approach.

The company has elevated Jason Kim, previously the head of streaming data and insights, to a newly expanded role overseeing data strategy for the entire organization. This move signals a fundamental change in how Paramount Skydance will leverage information to drive decisions across all its divisions, from content creation to distribution.

The restructuring was formally announced during a Thursday afternoon staff meeting by Domenic DiMeglio, who heads marketing and data insights for Paramount's streaming division. The timing is notable—it came just one day after CEO David Ellison met with company leadership at Paramount's New York offices.

Kim's promotion represents a consolidation of previously scattered data functions. While Paramount already maintained data and analytics teams across various departments, he now serves as the central point person for these efforts. This change aims to create a unified data vision for the company.

DiMeglio framed the promotion as a natural evolution of the company's direction:

"It's a wonderful opportunity for Jason — and for the team overall — to start playing a bigger role for what's happening at Paramount as we move forward."

This data consolidation is a tangible manifestation of David Ellison's broader ambition to remake Paramount into a technology company. DiMeglio explicitly connected Kim's expanded role to this vision, stating it's part of "David's vision of trying to transform ourselves into being a tech-first media company — and, really, the most tech-forward media company in this space."

Ellison's tech-focused strategy has been evident through multiple moves since he took control of the company in August. His aggressive approach includes:

• Securing exclusive US broadcasting rights for the UFC
• Appointing Bari Weiss to lead CBS News
• Attempting to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery

The data initiative represents a more operational layer of this transformation, focusing on internal capabilities rather than external acquisitions or partnerships.

A primary goal of the reorganization is to eliminate fragmentation within the company. Domenic DiMeglio acknowledged the challenge of integrating disparate data teams, noting that Paramount had existing analytics groups across the organization.

"I would hope and expect that, little by little, we're going to bring those silos down,"

DiMeglio stated, adding that it's "not easy work." The effort is supported by other leadership voices. Dane Glasgow, Paramount's chief product officer, communicated to employees that these updates are part of "a broader effort to focus our investments, reduce fragmentation, and move faster as one team."

This consolidation comes at a time of significant change within Paramount's streaming operations. The division has seen recent leadership turnover, with streaming product and tech chief Vibol Hou announcing his departure at the end of January.

The restructuring occurs against a backdrop of broader organizational flux. Jason Kim himself acknowledged the "musical chairs" dynamic within the company, a common occurrence during large-scale transformations.

"You could probably sense that there's been some musical chairs stuff going on within the organization at large. And that's not unique. That's sort of true of any company that's undergoing a large-scale organizational transformation, like the one that we're in the midst of now."

Despite the company laying off approximately 1,000 employees in October following the Skydance merger, Kim sought to reassure his team about the data division's future. He emphasized that the team's scope is expected to expand rather than contract.

Two employees in the meeting expressed positive reactions to the changes. One noted the increased visibility the team would gain, while another observed that the move indicates Paramount is "somewhat serious about the 'tech'-ification of the company."

The elevation of Jason Kim and the consolidation of data strategy under his leadership represent a critical test of David Ellison's tech-first vision for Paramount Skydance. The move moves beyond rhetoric to structural change, aiming to create a more cohesive, data-driven organization.

Key indicators to watch include how quickly the company can integrate its disparate data teams, whether this leads to measurable improvements in content decisions and audience targeting, and how the broader leadership changes across streaming will impact execution. As Kim noted, the team's scope is expected to grow, suggesting that data will play an increasingly central role in Paramount's future operations.