Warner Bros. Discovery Closes Danish Production Arm & Consolidates Scandinavian Operations
16.06.2023 - 02:36
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros Discovery is closing its Danish production arm, we’ve learned.
Warner Bros International Television Production Denmark will effectively shutter and be consolidated into WBD’s Swedish production base in Stockholm. We understand a number of roles, believed to be in the double digits, will be impacted.
Fredrik Hillerbrand, Managing Director of WBITVP Denmark, will exit in coming months after overseeing a transition. Johan Idering, Managing Director of WBITVP Sweden, will assume responsibility for Denmark, adding to his duties in Sweden and Norway.
A business review is underway to manage the situation. Some roles will certainly go but WBITVP is looking to retain staff were possible.
Despite a physical exit from the local market, ratings-winning shows such as TV2’s reality series The Bachelor will be safeguarded. We hear that WBD is holding talks with broadcasters in coming weeks about how they reshape productions.
Existing production commitments are expected to be honored, but commissioning, production and other teams in Denmark will be overseen from Sweden going forwards. A similar model is already in place at WBITVP Norway, which operates out of Sweden.
WBD said Denmark remains “an important market to WBITVP” and its “difficult decision has been made against an incredibly challenging backdrop of ongoing uncertainty in the Danish media market and the rising costs of content creation.”
Denmark’s production sector has been hit by several factors in the past 18 months, turning the market from one of Europe’s most overachieving to one beset by problems and concern.
Earlier this month, we reported on how a plethora of factors have turned Denmark, which was once one of the most buoyant production bases