CBS Eye Animation Productions

CBS Eye Animation Productions is the television animation studio division of CBS Studios, owned by Paramount Skydance Corporation. The studio is closely associated with the Star Trek franchise with its first projects, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy. CBS reinstated it as an animation division in late 2018 before its re-merger with Viacom in late 2019. The company does not have an on-screen logo nor a print logo, and it instead uses the parent CBS Studios logo.^[1][2]

Background

In the 1950s, CBS began to invest further into television programs, creating many live shows as I Love Lucy and Captain Kangaroo. However, in 1955 CBS purchased Terrytoons from Paul Terry under CBS Films. After the deal's closure in 1956, CBS placed Terrytoons under the management of UPA's Gene Deitch (who had already secured a contract with CBS). Deitch would soon produce animated Tom Terrific shorts for Captain Kangaroo in 1957. Terrytoons would continue animation under CBS until its closure in 1972 after the corporate spin-off of the original Viacom International.

Despite the change of operations, CBS would continue to air many animated programs such as Terrytoons (which they still owned) and Hanna-Barbera Productions through the 1970s and mid-1980s. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, they acquired broadcasting rights to multiple series from different studios such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Garfield and Friends (both now owned by parent company Paramount Skydance), Muppet Babies (now owned by Disney), as well several toy-based shows.

The network would continue with broadcast syndication cartoons from several companies (such as Nelvana) up until the late 1990s. In the 2000s, CBS (by this time merged with Westinghouse) switched to licensing more educational shows. Viacom had also acquired CBS as it agreed to air Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. on CBS until 2006 (after the split between Viacom and CBS).

CBS would later resume airing animated programs by launching Cookie Jar TV until 2013.

History

In late 2018, CBS Studios unveiled CBS Eye Animation Productions to produce animated content for CBS All Access (now Paramount+). Star Trek: Lower Decks would become the first animated television series, followed by Star Trek: Prodigy (a co-production with sister studio Nickelodeon Animation Studio). Initially, the studio would only create shows based on the Star Trek franchise but has invested in other shows such as The Harper House and Showtime's Our Cartoon President, as well as critically acclaimed live-action/animated news program, Tooning Out the News.

On September 29, 2022, the CBS Eye Animation Productions employees formed a union with Animation Guild IATSE Local 839 to publicly submit a letter for voluntary recognition.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2026, Paramount Skydance announced that Nickelodeon Animation Studio would no longer operate as a separate company and would become a label of CBS Eye Animation Productions with Alec Botnick serving as president.^[3]

Late Night Cartoons, Inc.

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert and his production company, Spartina Productions, founded Late Night Cartoons, Inc., an animation studio that has collaborated with developers of Adobe Character Animator to produce and provide real-time interactive animations for broadcast. Their topical productions range from a live interview with an animated cartoon version of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016 to several animated series including; Showtime's Our Cartoon President, Paramount+/Comedy Central’s Tooning Out the News, and Comedy Central’s Fairview. Another series, Washingtonia, was announced with a trailer in October 2021, but has not aired anywhere since.

Filmography

All productions are co-produced with CBS Studios (formerly CBS Television Studios).

TV series

TV specials

Late Night Cartoons, Inc.

See also

• MTV Animation
• Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Paramount Animation
• Terrytoons
• List of animation studios owned by Paramount Global

References

1. ^ "CBS TV Studios Names New Head of Animation; Will Supervise Star Trek Animated Series". Daily Star Trek News. October 14, 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
2. ^ "New Trek Animated Series Announced". Star Trek. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
3. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2026-04-10). "Alec Botnick To Head Nickelodeon Animation Studios". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
4. ^ Barker, Andrew (October 13, 2021). "'Star Trek: Prodigy' Aims to Introduce the Series to a Younger Audience". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
5. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 2, 2022). "MTV Reanimates Chris Rock's Teen Years in 'Everybody Still Hates Chris'". Animation Magazine. Archived August 2, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
6. ^ Schneider, Michael (June 18, 2024). "Chris Rock, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold Reprise Roles in Comedy Central’s ‘Everybody Still Hates Chris’ Animated Revival (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
7. ^ Otterson, Joe (2023-06-27). "'Among Us' Animated Series in the Works at CBS Studios From 'Infinity Train' Creator Owen Dennis (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
8. ^ Petski, Denise (April 17, 2024). "'Golden Axe' Animated Series Based On Video Game Ordered By Comedy Central; Matthew Rhys, Danny Pudi Among Voice Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
9. ^ "CBS Unwraps First Look at Holiday Original 'Reindeer in Here'". September 16, 2022.