Discovery CEO David Zaslav “Happy” About Amazon-MGM Deal In Light Of WarnerMedia Merger Plan

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaFresh off of upending the media landscape with their deal to combine WarnerMedia and Discovery, Discovery chief David Zaslav and AT&T head John Stankey will touch down in Sun Valley, Idaho, in July for Allen & Co.’s annual media conference.They will be joined at the annual confab of power brokers and media barons by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, fresh off his $8.5 billion deal to purchase Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and will hit the resort at a time when most

John Logan, the Oscar nominated screenwriter whose credits include working on James Bond pics Skyfall and Spectre, has said that Amazon acquiring MGM, with its back catalogue that features the Bond films, makes him worried for the future of the franchise.

National Enquirer’s parent company, and American Media CEO David Pecker have reportedly been fined for violating election law in 2016.

Last week, it was announced that Amazon has acquired MGM and its vast library of films and TV series. And as part of that massive deal, the tech company has become 50% owner of one of the most storied franchises in all of film—the James Bond film series.

Haley Bosselman editorAmazon’s 8.45 billion purchase of MGM is inciting concerns from the federal government.“This is a major acquisition that has the potential to impact millions of consumers,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said in a statement.

Amazon’s planned $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM got a chilly reception from some Capitol Hill lawmakers, but there may not be much that they can do to stop it.

When the announcement of the deal between Amazon and MGM was made, the film franchise that got spoken about most in the acquisition is the James Bond film series. While MGM doesn’t own the complete rights for the franchise, as James Bond is creatively controlled by the production duo of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, Amazon is now the parent company of the studio that will distribute the 007 spy films.

Stephen Colbert devoted a segment to his show on Tuesday to the irony of ironies: Amazon, about to acquire MGM, would be gaining a studio that owned The Apprentice, and with it the long-sought after holy grail for anti-Donald Trump activists: outtakes from the show.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDiscovery’s CEO feels a combination of WarnerMedia and his company will create a new media company that is “uniquely competitive with Netflix and Disney,” and articulated the need to have a global footprint in the future in order to compete in the entertainment industry’s streaming wars.Discovery last week stuck a pact with AT&T to take over WarnerMedia operations in a deal that executives hope will pass regulatory muster by mid 2022.

One day prior to its massive merger with WarnerMedia, Discovery gave its CEO David Zaslav nearly 15 million stock options, which are valued at $190 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.A representative for Discovery did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.The Journal said the 14.8 million in stock options were part of Zaslav’s new contract, which was announced on Tuesday, one day after the merger announcement. The deal runs through 2027.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIt pays to pull off a massive media merger.Discovery chief David Zaslav is certainly being handsomely rewarded for his role in pulling off the merger agreement between his company and WarnerMedia. A day before AT&T announced it was spinning off WarnerMedia and combining it with Discovery, Zaslav received 14.8 million stock options on Sunday as part of a contract extension, which the Wall Street Journal reports are worth $190 million.

Discovery awarded CEO David Zaslav nearly 14.8 million stock options on Sunday, the day before the company unveiled plans to merge with AT&T’s WarnerMedia.

it was announced he’ll take over a new company formed from a merger with WarnerMedia.“Mr. Zaslav’s resignation is not the result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to its operations, policies or practices,” Lionsgate said in an SEC filing Wednesday announcing the move.

AT&T and Discovery rocked Hollywood with the combination that will see WarnerMedia and Discovery rolled together into a new standalone public entertainment company led by Zaslav — as AT&T exits the sector and Discovery doubles down.

Discovery announced Tuesday that it’s extended the employment contract of president and CEO David Zaslav through December 31, 2027. His previous agreement ran through 2023.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAT&T chief John Stankey and Chief Financial Officer Pascal Desroches were asked tough questions about the implications of the pending merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery during an all-hands meeting of studio employees on Tuesday.Stankey tried to placate worried staffers by assuring them that he was going to advocate on their behalf and also urged them to “stay the course” during the months it will take for the deal to close.

down 18% from 2019). Zaslav’s annual salary stayed at $3 million last year, when his stock awards slipped by about $1 million to $12.5 million.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDiscovery said it had extended the contract of its CEO, David Zaslav, through 2027, ensuring the executive would be in place well after the proposed merger of the company and WarnerMedia is expected to be completed in the middle of next year.