PARAMOUNT WRITERS MENTORING PROGRAM APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

New Cycle Expands Kids and Family and Young Adult Pathways Across Brands Including CBS Network, CBS Studios, Paramount Television Studios, Nickelodeon and More

Paramount today opened applications for the next cycle of its Paramount Writers Mentoring Program and introduced a new integration with Nickelodeon's Writing Program. Applications are open today, Wednesday, April 1 and close Friday, May 1. For more information and to apply, visit https://writersmentoringprogram.paramount.com.

Selected writers will be part of the overall Paramount Writers Mentoring Program under the company's unified Paramount One talent strategy. Participants will engage in a program that includes targeted mentorship and engagement opportunities with creative teams developing content across Paramount's ecosystem, including CBS Network, CBS Studios, Paramount Television Studios, Nickelodeon and more. The Kids and Family and YA pathway writers will gain exposure to development and production teams behind Paramount franchises including SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, SCHOOL SPIRITS and more.

"By expanding our program into a unified mentoring experience across the Paramount ecosystem, we're expanding opportunities for our writers and fostering relationships that support long-term careers across our portfolio," said Tiffany Smith-Anoa'i, executive vice president of content engagement, partnerships and strategy for TV Media at CBS.

About the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program:

Now in its 21st year, the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program is an eight-month initiative designed to support early-career writers as they develop original material, deepen their craft and build meaningful relationships across Paramount. The program pairs each writer with a Paramount brand executive for regular one-on-one mentorship and creative feedback, and includes small workshop-style sessions with showrunners, executive producers, agents, managers and development and current executives - providing various perspectives and helping writers prepare for long-term success in the television industry.

• 154 alumni to date
• More than 100 alumni launched into careers through staffing, representation or advancement to additional industry programs
• 12 alumni have advanced to showrunner or upper-level writer roles

Notable Paramount Writers Mentoring Program alumni include Angela Kang ("The Walking Dead"), Lauren LeFranc ("The Penguin"), Rafe Judkins ("The Wheel of Time"), Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Gina Lucita Monreal (NCIS: ORIGINS), Miranda Kwok ("The Cleaning Lady"), Simran Baidwan ("The Pitt") and Rashad Munis ("The Night Agent").

Notable Nickelodeon Writing Program alumni include Jessica Gao ("She-Hulk: Attorney at Law"), Travis Braun ("Pupstruction," "T.O.T.S."), Jeff Trammell ("Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man"), Jonathan Butler and Gabe Garza ("Bella and the Bulldogs"), Kevin Arrieta ("Carol & the End of the World") and May Chan ("Surfside Girls"), among others.

For more information on the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program visit: https://writersmentoringprogram.paramount.com.