CBS Television Studios Promotes Alec Botnick to Run Animation

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – CBS Television Studios is continuing its push into animation.

Senior vice president of comedy development Alec Botnick has been promoted, now adding head of animation to his title. He will continue to report to Kate Adler, executive vice president of comedy development for CBS TV Studios.

“Alec has proven to be a huge asset not only to our department, but to the company as a whole,” Adler said. “I am constantly impressed by his versatility, character, knowledge of the marketplace, and the number of phone calls he can make in one day. Our hope is that with the news of his expanded responsibilities, people will stop calling him ‘Alex.’”

Botnick originally joined the studio in 2015 as vice president of comedy development. He was promoted to SVP in 2018. He was previously a TV literary agent at WME and began his career in the mail room at Endeavor. During his time with CBS, he has worked on shows such as “American Vandal,” “Dead to Me,” “Man With a Plan,” “The Unicorn,” and “Carols’ Second Act.”

CBS TV Studios first got into animation with the Showtime series “Our Cartoon President,” which was spawned from a recurring bit on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The studio is also currently prepping two animated “Star Trek” shows — one for Nickelodeon from Kevin and Dan Hageman and the upcoming “Star Trek: Lower Decks” for CBS All Access from “Rick and Morty” head writer Mike McMahan.

Deadline first reported Botnick’s promotion.