David Bittler, the veteran Nickelodeon communications executive who was instrumental in shaping the brand’s image in the industry and with consumers, is stepping down after 25 years with the kidvid powerhouse.
Bittler confirmed his departure as executive VP of communications for Paramount Global following Skydance Media’s acquisition of the parent company of Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, CBS and other TV assets. Nickelodeon will now be managed under the enlarged TV unit headed by CBS chief George Cheeks as part of the company’s post-sale restructuring.
Bittler demonstrated his wry sense of humor with the subject line of his exit memo: “I Was Dreaming When I Wrote This.” That’s the opening line of Prince’s indelible hit “1999,” which is the year before Bittler joined Nickelodeon in New York, after working in TV news communications for CNN and CNBC.
“For so many years, this company has been a big tent party both on and off the screen(s), welcoming in fresh directions and new ideas from all paths of life as we worked together to create a wealth of groundbreaking characters, shows, experiences and moments that electrified the culture globally time and time again,” Bittler wrote in a memo sent to Nickelodeon and Paramount staff on Tuesday.
“But you already know this. That’s the draw. That’s the pull. That’s what keeps us coming back day after day and year after year—to be a part of these teams, a part of this bounty of creativity, a part of it all. And while today we find ourselves in another era of evolution, and at an exciting inflection point, this is the turn in the road where I must loosen the yoke and diverge from this pack of marvelous people and from the brands and shows I have promoted and protected for so long,” he wrote.
Bittler was instrumental in PR and marketing strategies around Nickelodeon’s biggest brands during its heyday in the 2000s and 2010s of its influence as a top-rated cable channel. He was a key player in helping to launch Variety‘s 10 Animators to Watch franchise, which recently marked its 11th edition.
Earlier in his time at Paramount Global predecessor Viacom, Bittler also steered PR and communications for Nickelodeon’s sibling cablers Nick at Nite, Logo and Spike TV.
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Here is Bittler’s full memo:
Hello, all you beautiful people!
For those who remember, that was the MTV Networks-era opening line for so many of the speeches and email missives delivered to us, and I humbly use it today to harness that spirit to signal my departure from these storied halls of 1515 Broadway.
For so many years, this company has been a big tent party both on and off the screen(s), welcoming in fresh directions and new ideas from all paths of life as we worked together to create a wealth of groundbreaking characters, shows, experiences and moments that electrified the culture globally time and time again.
But you already know this. That’s the draw. That’s the pull. That’s what keeps us coming back day after day and year after year—to be a part of these teams, a part of this bounty of creativity, a part of it all.
And while today we find ourselves in another era of evolution, and at an exciting inflection point, this is the turn in the road where I must loosen the yoke and diverge from this pack of marvelous people and from the brands and shows I have promoted and protected for so long…like Nick and Nick at Nite, MTVN, Logo and Spike, SpongeBob and Dora, iCarly, Avatar: The Last Airbender, PAW Patrol and all the TMNTs under the sun.
It has been years of long hours, big wins, and countless challenges, and for me, time flew for all of it. I could take the pro forma route here and list all the things I’m most proud of, but that’s already on LinkedIn. Come follow me!
So instead of telling you what I did, I will tell you why. I did it for the audience. I did it for our people here and for our brands that mean so much to so many. But most of all, I did it for love.
Ciao, for now!
David
From Variety US