Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Says Max’s Family Focus Will Solve HBO Max’s High Cancel Rate

three pricing options to consumers: a $9.99 per month Max Ad Lite tier, a $15.99 per month Max Ad Free tier and a $19.99 Ultimate Ad Free tier, while continuing to offer a standalone version of the lower-cost Discovery+.Ahead of the launch, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during the company’s May earning call that the company expects its streaming business in the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. Discovery is set to undergo another round of layoffs in its television business.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is reviewing its TV commissioning and editorial strategy in the UK due to the tricky economic headwinds, Deadline understands.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was met with heavy jeering while delivering a commencement speech at Boston University amidst the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike in Hollywood.During the graduation ceremony at Boston University – where he received his law degree in 1985 – Zaslav was invited back to receive an honorary degree, as well as to deliver a commencement speech to the graduation cohort.Per reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the jeering began even before Zaslav’s speech, when he was being introduced. Throughout his 20-minute speech, Zaslav was met with loud, angry boos and chants including “pay your writers”, “we don’t want you here” and “shut up, Zaslav” in support of the ongoing strike.Footage of the boos and “pay your writers” chants were captured and shared on Twitter by striking Late Night with Seth Meyers writer Mike Scollins.

Amidst the rising tensions of the current Hollywood writer’s strike, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav faced a storm of boos and angry chants as he took the stage to accept his honorary degree at the University of Boston’s commencement ceremony.

William Earl Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav felt the effect of the WGA strike while delivering a commencement speech at Boston University, getting jeered and facing chants of “pay your writers” while he was trying to speak. “Late Night with Seth Meyers” writer Mike Scollins posted a video of one moment during the address in which the chant was loud enough to make Zaslav pause in the middle of his speech. Scollins captioned the video “Zaslav getting hit with a Pay Your Writers chant in Boston. This is so good.”Zaslav getting hit with a Pay Your Writers chant in Boston. This is so good. pic.twitter.com/00pL4ahAqZ In a statement after the speech, Zaslav expressed gratitude to the university where he earned his law degree in 1985. He didn’t reference the Writers Guild of America strike at the commencement, but he did afterward.

Jeers and chants of “pay your writers” from picketers and a number of audience members greeted Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav on Sunday as he delivered Boston University’s commencement address.

McKinley Franklin editor Max has revealed the rollout plans for its four original documentary specials narrated by Morgan Freeman in honor of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary.  The first two specials will make their debut at Cannes on May 24 as 2023 Official Cannes Classics Selections, followed by a May 25 debut on Max. The remaining two specials will be available to stream on Max on June 1.  The “100 Years of Warner Bros.” docuseries pays homage to the output of Warner Bros. over the past century. Featuring interviews with directors, actors, executives, journalists and historians, the specials highlight everything from the studios’ early beginnings to its presence in the modern day. 

“Republicans are back on the air. Republicans weren’t on the air,” on CNN, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told a media conference Thursday as he said the storied brand is moving to become less of an “advocacy network” under new leadership.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery kicked off its 2023 upfront presentation in a no-frills way, with an overall brand sizzle and ad chief Jon Steinlauf giving a few remarks on stage at the Theater at Madison Square Garden Wednesday. While the presentation covering HBO, Max, CNN, Food Network, HGTV, Discovery and more Warner Bros. Discovery brands was shorter than last year’s show (which was the company’s first since the merger that created it last April) the tight 90-minute presentation still covered each of its key divisions. Albeit, with much less sizzle, with no stars in attendance amid the writers strike. “Let me just start by saying I am hopeful that a fair resolution is found soon with the writers,” HBO and Max chief Casey Bloys said, adding that he hopes for a return of talent to the stage, “making this a far more entertaining show” compared to “me and my clips.”

Warner Bros. Discovery announced at its upfront presentation Wednesday the launch of WBD Stream, a new digital video offering bringing together all properties in its portfolio for advertisers.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor A lot of TV companies are judged by how quickly they can introduce new shows. Warner Bros. Discovery thinks it may find some gains by developing new ways to introduce audiences to series and content that already exists The strategy has been playing out in open view on some of the company’s biggest cable networks. Audiences watching NBA basketball games have been pushed to sample series such as Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions,” HGTV’s “Rock The Block” and Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.” And some portion decided to follow the programs back to their original homes for more. According to company research, 12% of TNT sports viewers who sampled “Tournament” went on to watch it on Food Network. Likewise, 10% of basketball fans that tried “Rock The Block” followed it to HGTV while 7% of viewers who tested “Deadliest Catch” watched more of it on Discovery.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Buenos Aires-based Meikincine has swooped on international sales rights to “The Extortion,” the biggest Argentine box office hit to date of 2023, in a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America.  “The Extortion” is backed by a pedigreed combo of Particular Crowd, part of Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America, Oscar winner Juan José Campanella’s 100 Bars, “Argentina, 1985” producer Infinity Hill and producer-service company Cimarrón Cine. Headlined by Guillermo Francella, memorable in Campanella’s Academy Award winning “The Secret in Their Eyes” and star of Pablo Trapero’s “The Clan,” “The Extortion” turns on Alejandro, a pilot with a secret. Blackmailed by sinister intelligence service agents, he is plunged into a world of intrigue and corruption from which he will battle to escape alive. 

Anna Marie de la Fuente Tomás Yankelevich, EVP and chief content officer of general entertainment for Latin America and U.S. Hispanic at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), has opted to leave the company by the end of June to “pursue new professional endeavors.” Fernando Medin, president of WBD Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, has tapped industry vet Mariano Cesar to replace him. Cesar, who joined the pay TV industry some 30 years ago, was at the helm of such renowned brands as Uniseries, Retro, I.Sat, Space, TNT, TNT Series and Warner Channel. He was named head of programming and strategic content at HBO Max when it launched in 2021, adding the HBO channel portfolio and, more recently, Discovery+ to his duties.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery has asked talent not to appear in-person at their Wednesday upfronts presentation, so as not to put those individuals in a position where they need to cross the Writers Guild of America’s picket line amid the ongoing writers strike, Variety has learned. A source close to the situation says this choice was made by WBD out of respect for both the talent and the writers on strike. However, talent will be represented in other ways throughout the show, and the event will cover all parts of the WBD business operations. The original pre-strike plan had been for a robust lineup, including big WBD stars like Magnolia Network’s Chip and Joanna Gaines, but has been trimmed down since the strike went into effect May 2, when the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to ink a new contract.

JioCinema Premium has revealed an annual subscription plan of INR999 ($12.13) for Warner Bros. Discovery content. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is behind Viacom18 and JioCinema. Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 signed a multi-year agreement recently making JioCinema India’s new streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content from May. The WBD content had previously been carried on the Disney-owned Star TV platform. But the deal with Star expired at the end of March.  Television series will premiere on JioCinema on the same day as the U.S. The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s “House of The Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” “Succession” and “The White Lotus,” and returning seasons of “True Detective: Night Country,” “Euphoria,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “Perry Mason.”

Holly Willoughby has put rumours of an alleged rift between her and This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield behind her as she celebrates her sister’s birthday. Holly, 42 – whose friendship with Phil, 61, has been hit by reports of tension after sources claimed that the pair are "barely speaking" off-camera at the moment – ignored the rumours as she took to Instagram to send her sister Kelly a heartwarming birthday message. Sharing a throwback snap to the platform, Holly looked stunning as she sported a one shoulder baby pink coloured gown which she accessorised with a pair of pearl drop earrings.To finish off the glam look, Holly wore her blonde hair in relaxed updo.

took home $39.3 million last year, after receiving a pay package in 2021 that soared to $246 million in 2021 thanks to a hefty $203 million stock options that was tacked on to his pay. Shareholders appear to be unhappy with the pricey package he’s receiving.The debt-laden company said in an SEC filing that just over half of the shareholder votes cast on the question of the 2022 executive compensation plan — commonly known as a “say on pay” vote — were in favor, while 49.2% voted against the proposal.The vote is an advisory one, and is non-binding, but the SEC requires such votes at least once every three years.

Stockholders have expressed serious displeasure with 2022 executive compensation at Warner Bros. Discovery led by CEO David Zaslav, according to the result of a vote at the annual meeting Monday that was filed with the SEC today.

As if movie fans needed another reason to be wary of new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav: Deadline reports that the CEO told the hosts of the CNBC show “Squawk Box” that “a love for working” will be what ultimately ends the current WGA writers’ strike.