For months, the question making the rounds in the unscripted community has been: Who is actually buying non-fiction at Paramount+? Now there is at least a partial answer, and it looks a lot like Netflix 2.0.
Damla Dogan, the former Netflix Director of Unscripted Originals, has quietly joined Paramount+ as a consultant, reporting to Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals. According to sources, Dogan is not spearheading a massive unscripted push (yet), but she is overseeing organic development opportunities. That signals Paramount+ is back in business for reality producers after a long dry spell.
This follows the Skydance takeover, which insiders say marked a turning point in how Paramount+ approaches content acquisition. A few unscripted projects have already been greenlit, marking the first movement in this space in months. Dogan’s arrival suggests more could be on the way.
In short: No, this is not a full-scale unscripted strategy shift at Paramount+. However, buyers are active again, and producers now have a new point of contact in Dogan.
If you have been tracking the streamer’s executive bench, this also fits a pattern. With Cindy Holland now running the direct-to-consumer business, Paramount+ is bringing in talent from her old Netflix roster. Jane Wiseman and Damla Dogan both have Netflix in their DNA, having worked on hits like Love Is Blind, The Circle, Indian Matchmaking, and Get Organized with The Home Edit. That is in addition to Dogan’s live-event experience with the SAG Awards and her long tenure at E! and VH1.
This is not a rebrand of Paramount+ unscripted, at least not yet. But Dogan’s return to the broader Paramount ecosystem, along with the early greenlights under her watch, is a clear signal: there is money on the table again.
