Disney CEO Bob Chapek Unfazed by WarnerMedia/Discovery Merger: ‘Doesn’t Change Much at All’

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorCasey Bloys has had a long stretch of happy Mondays.The steady growth of viewership and buzz for “Mare of Easttown” over its seven-week run on Sunday nights has been welcome news for the chief content officer of HBO and HBO Max.

The Tragically Hip are back with their first single in years, along with a star-studded music video featuring some homegrown talent.

As the Covid-scarred world continues to reopen, Disney CEO Bob Chapek predicted low double-digit attendance growth over the next few months as the entertainment giant’s parks push towards full capacity this fall.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the company made “the right call” by planning to release Black Widow in theaters this summer at the same time it hits Disney+ as a Premier Access title.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAs soon as news broke May 16 about AT&T’s proposed deal to combine WarnerMedia with Discovery, the guessing game began about what the megadeal would mean for top executives at the company.The initial takeaways: It’s a good sign for CNN boss Jeff Zucker and a bad omen for Jason Kilar, who in his one year in the job as CEO of WarnerMedia might have ruffled too many feathers as he tried to refashion the company for the streaming wars.Discovery CEO David Zaslav is set

Whatever the future hold for Jason Kilar, the current WarnerMedia CEO wasn’t about to let what is surely his last Upfronts pass him by.

AT&T would spin off WarnerMedia in a deal that will see it merge with Discovery. If he exits, Kilar will leave WarnerMedia after little more than a year as its CEO.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGreetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is May 17, 2021, which means it’s 14 days until Emmy eligibility ends on May 31; 31 days until nomination-round voting starts on June 17; 39 days until the Daytime Emmys telecast on June 25; 42 days until nomination-round voting ends on June 28; 57 days until nominations are announced on July 13; 94 days until final-round voting starts on Aug. 19; and 125 days until the Primetime Emmys telecast on Sept.

AT&T would spin off WarnerMedia in a deal that will see it merge with Discovery. If he exits, Kilar will leave WarnerMedia after less than a year as its CEO.

¡Viva Mexico! Andrea Meza was named Miss Universe 2020. The new beauty queen succeeds South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi, whose reign was extended after the 2020 pageant was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.For Mexico, this is the third crown in its history.

reported, citing an unnamed close associate of Zucker’s. Axios and the Los Angeles Times both noted that Zucker has long been friendly with Discovery CEO David Zazlav, who is set to take over the new company when the merger is completed in mid-2022.

press release after the 69th annual pageant. “It is a dream come true to wear the Miss Universe crown, and I hope to serve the world through my advocacy for equality in the year to come and beyond.”In addition to holding the title of the most beautiful woman in the world, Meza has a degree in software engineering and is a certified make-up artist, model, activist and vegan.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIn the wake of a mega-deal with Discovery that seems primed to shake up the media landscape, AT&T chief John Stankey and WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar urged employees to stay focused on their jobs while they wait for the pact to close.“During this period, our direction and mission remain the same,” Stankey wrote in a staff-wide memo obtained by Variety.

The 2021 Miss Universe pageant is finally underway and the world finally has the new Miss Universe for the year. The show, which was delayed last year due to the ongoing coronavirus endemic, returned on May 16th to crown their new winner.

an operating profit above $10 billion.It is unknown what the fate of the two streaming services. This new company could bundle the two in the same way Disney offers a discount for those who buy all three of its streaming services: Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDavid Zaslav will lead a new combination of WarnerMedia and Discovery, the latest example of consolidation in the media and entertainment industry as the rise of video streaming continues to upend the entire sector.Zaslav was named CEO of the new company Monday, part of a surprising move by AT&T and Discovery to pool their media resources and make a bid to compete more directly with large rivals like Netflix, Walt Disney and NBCUniversal.

an operating profit above $10 billion.It is unknown what the fate of the two streaming services. This new company could bundle the two in the same way Disney offers a discount for those who buy all three of its streaming services: Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

Miss Universe is...Miss Mexico, Andrea Meza! Meza was crowned this year's Miss Universe at Sunday night's pageant at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Hosted by Mario Lopez and former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, who won the crown in 2012, the award show was held after being delayed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.In the closing rounds of the beauty pageant, Meza was questioned about how she would've handled the pandemic.«I believe there is not a

Discovery accelerated on Sunday as the shock of a possible transaction ricocheted around the halls of HBO, Warner Bros. and other legacy Time Warner companies that have been on a roller-coaster ride of disruption since 2016.Sources said AT&T leadership was meeting Sunday to discuss the transaction.