Long marketed as the first television network for men, it was known for airing programs like mixed martial arts fights and the reality ride-along show “Cops.”
But recently, the network has tried to appeal to a broader audience, including women, with a programming mix featuring shows like the hit “Lip Sync Battle.”
“Adopting the Paramount name and fortifying its programming is a natural way for Spike
to strengthen its position as a major general entertainment network,” Mr. Bakish said.
As part of the turnaround, Mr. Bakish announced that the company would rebrand its Spike TV network in 2018
as a general entertainment Paramount Network, featuring high-quality programming, movies and documentaries.
As part of the plan, he said that each of the flagship brands would contribute one to two films to the slate for the company’s Paramount film studio.
“Internationally, we’ve been very successful in capitalizing on the marquee Paramount brand.”
The rebranding of Spike TV comes as Mr. Bakish pushes for more integration between the company’s TV and film group.