EJ Panaligan editor Warner Bros. Discovery has announced the finalists for its Warner Bros. Discovery Access Music Supervisor program, which gives creative voices from historically underrepresented communities the training and tools to gain experience in television and film music supervision. The six selected participants, Mjeema Pickett, Tiffany Gouché, A.D. Johnson, Matthew Wang, Nikki Marshall and Willy Rodriguez, will participate in a curriculum developed by an advisory board of music supervisors Paul Broucek, President of Music, Warner Bros. Pictures; Bronwyn Savasta, SVP, Music, Warner Bros. Television; and Evyen Klean, Founder, Neophonic. The cohort will learn about production, IP management, publishing, soundtracks, deal negotiation in addition to music masters, record labels, research, clearance and licensing. The program will also allow participants to gain hands-on training in an experience that will assist in their future career goals in entertainment. After completing a string of Masterclasses, the cohort will be able to shadow a WBD music supervisor on a show or feature, through a partnership with HBO, HBO Max, WBTV and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Warner Bros Discovery Starts 30% Trim Of Ad-Sales Ranks As Pursuit Of $3B In Post-Merger Cost Savings Continues
13.09.2022 - 23:57 / deadline.com
The layoffs of about 30% of ad sales employees at Warner Bros Discovery started today and will likely proceed over the next few weeks.
The latest cuts from a combined workforce in the range of 40,000 (10,000 from Discovery and the rest from WarnerMedia) come as the company continues to work toward to achieving at least $3 billion in cost savings from the $43 billion merger. Since the deal closed in April, the company has embarked on an aggressive effort to roll back expenses in many areas. Not all of the savings will be achieved via lower payroll, of course — many operations are also coming together, none bigger than the streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+.
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Technology Conference, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels estimated the merger of streaming services could bring as much as $6 billion in savings thanks to reduced duplication in technology and other functions. He said he has “never had any doubt about our ability to deliver those financial targets,” and said between $2 billion and $3 billion of actual cost savings has already been recorded, with the rest due in 2023. A person familiar with the layoffs said they should result in a “steady state” of staffing by the early part of next year. The latest cuts are not expected to involve particularly high-ranking or high-profile employees.
“We are moving at pace here,” Wiedenfels said. “Everything is on the table. now is the time to discuss, now is the time to form a vision.”
Decisions about staffing have largely been left up to individual departments, according to insiders, though budget targets have been communicated by senior management.
Axios and Bloomberg both previously reported on the layoffs.
Universal, Warner Bros. Discovery Execs Mull Future of Asian Theatrical Business
Naman Ramachandran Leading practitioners of the Asian theatrical business participated in a lively discussion on the future of the sector post-pandemic and the signs are encouraging. Speaking at the APOS conference in Singapore on Thursday, moderated by Variety Asia editor Patrick Frater, Stephen Laslocky, VP at leading research firm Media Partners Asia, provided a handy overview of the theatrical market in Southeast Asia. Laslocky said that Indonesia, the largest market in the region, would be back to 2019 levels of theatrical business by the end of 2022. “In Malaysia, the demand generally appears to be back, the issue was the pipeline just wasn’t so great, particularly this year. But next year, they think that’s going to improve for both local, which has done very well this year, and for foreign films next year,” Laslocky said.
Gerhard Zeiler Reassures Asia on Warner Bros Discovery’s Post-Merger, Growth Strategy
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Gerhard Zeiler, president of International at Warner Bros. Discovery, has moved to reassure the Asia-Pacific region that it is an integral part of the group’s post-merger strategy. “Don’t believe that we don’t know how important Asia is for our company, he said Thursday. Zeiler was speaking at the APOS Convention in Singapore on Thursday. He cited examples of theatrical success for “Batman” and “Fantastic Beasts” in the region and investment in local production in the region. The reassurance may have been necessary following post-merger announcements that proposed changes in North America, Latin America and Europe ahead of Asia – despite recent external data showing Asia-Pacific as one of the world’s fastest growth regions.
David Zaslav Tells Warner Bros. Discovery Staffers: ‘We Are Not for Sale’
William Earl Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav assured staffers across Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday that the company is not on the auction block. The chairman-CEO of the newly merged entity made his remarks at a company-wide town hall meeting that was beamed out via Zoom to WB Discovery’s 40,000 employees worldwide. Zaslav’s comments came in response to a question from an employee. WB Discovery was formed in April by the merger of AT&T’s WarnerMedia and the Zaslav-led Discovery. There’s been speculation about more M&A to come for the conglomerate since before the merger agreement was completed. “We are not for sale,” Zaslav told employees during the 75-minute session. “We have everything we need to be successful.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Sets Out Leadership in France, Benelux and Africa Under Pierre Branco
Manori Ravindran International Editor As it continues to cement its European leadership structure, Warner Bros. Disccovery has set out the team working across France, Benelux and Africa under Pierre Branco, general manager for the region. Branco, who reports into EMEA boss Priya Dogra, was previously country manager for WarnerMedia in France, Benelux, Middle East and Africa and head of affiliates and ad sales for EMEA. The changes on his team take effect immediately. In the new layout, Romain Carbonne will manage the insights and research teams across the region, while Guillaume Coffin will lead affiliate sales, ad sales and content licensing for the region.
Warner Bros. Discovery Names France, Benelux & Africa Management Team
Warner Bros. Discovery has set out Pierre Branco’s leadership team for France, Benelux and Africa.
Warner Bros. Discovery Expands Partnership with No Kid Hungry to Donate Another 1 Billion Meals by September 2023
Selome Hailu Warner Bros. Discovery is expansing its “Turn Up! Fight Hunger” campaign, a partnership with No Kid Hungry. The news comes timed to company’s participation in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health on Wednesday. After an initial pledge in 2018 to donate 1 billion meals to children in need in five years’ time and meeting that goal early in 2021, WBD has upped their promise to 2 billion meals. Including the number already donated, the 2 billion total is set to be reached by September 2023. The program began after Gloria Steinem advised CEO David Zaslav to promote some kind of social good upon hearing that Discovery brands (before the merger with Warner Bros.) reached 25% of American women each night. The company has since utilized that reach with easy-to-access action items, like encouraging viewers across platforms like the Food Network and HGTV to donate by texting the word “hungry” to 707070. The money raised allows for schools, food banks and other community groups to buy not only food, but essential resources such as delivery trucks and protective gear for workers.
‘Blue Beetle’ Has Warner Bros. Discovery’s ‘Full Support,’ Director Says
Soto said in an interview with NPR focusing on Latino superheroes. Studio execs assured Soto who added, “They told me not to worry, the film has their full support.”“Cobra Kai” breakout Xolo Maridueña is set to star in the lead role of Jaime Reyes in “Blue Beetle.”In the same interview with NPR, Maridueña added that he is a combination of both a DC and Marvel superhero.“He’s kind of like a fusion of Green Lantern and Iron Man,” Maridueña said.
Warner Bros. Discovery Intl President Gerhard Zeiler Sets Out Post-Merger Strategy, Commits to Local Content
K.J. Yossman Warner Bros. Discovery Intl President Gerhard Zeiler has set out the company’s post-merger strategy, re-iterating his belief in cinema as well as his commitment to “local stories,” despite the fact that HBO Max recently halted local original programming across a number of European territories, including in the Nordics, Central Europe, the Netherlands and Turkey. “If you want to be a global player, you have to have relevant local stories,” Zeiler said at the Royal Television Society’s (RTS) annual convention in London on Tuesday morning. “I mean don’t misunderstand me, the big kids will always be the Batmans, the Elvises, the Black Adams, which premieres next month here in the U.K.” He also pointed out that WBD invests in local films, citing productions in Japan and Germany, as well as streaming content.
Warner Bros. Discovery International Boss Gerhard Zeiler Talks Up “Development” Of ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Game Of Thrones’, DC Franchises As Major Priority – RTS London
Gerhard Zeiler has talked up the “development of franchises” including Harry Potter, DC and Game of Thrones as the key priority for the merged entity six months after he was handed the top international role.
‘Canceled’ cookbook author Alison Roman keeps CNN series after Warner Bros. Discovery shake-up
in a May 2020 interview with the New Consumer, will debut a new cooking show on CNN. Called “(More Than) A Cooking Show,” the four-episode series will follow Roman, 37, as she travels, learns about ingredients and tries recipes. Roman was supposed to launch her show on CNN+ earlier this year, but that platform was scrapped amid a shake-up at Warner Bros.
‘Lethal Weapon 5’: Mel Gibson Blames Warner Bros. Discovery Merger For Movie’s Production Delay
“Lethal Weapon 5” has already had a major tragic delay, with original director Richard Donner passing away in 2021. But now lead star and new director Mel Gibson claims another issue holds up the movie: the Warner Bros.
Cancelled cookbook author Alison Roman keeps CNN cooking series after Warner Bros. Discovery shakeup
in a May 2020 interview with The New Consumer, will debut a new cooking show on CNN. Called “(More Than) A Cooking Show,” the four episode series will follow Roman, 37, as she learns about ingredients, travels, and tries recipes. Roman was supposed to launch her show on CNN+ earlier this year, but that platform was scrapped amidst a shakeup at Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery Names 3 Executives to Lead Global Diversity Team
Warner Bros. Discovery announced the leaders of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) team, with WarnerMedia UK SVP Asif Sadiq serving as its global chief officer.
Disney, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros Discovery and Others Pledge Support for Roybal Film and Television Production Magnet School
EJ Panaligan editor Disney, Amazon Studios, Fox Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery and other major Hollywood players are pledging support for the Roybal Film and Television Production Magnet, a major educational outreach initiative championed last year by George Clooney and others. Paramount and NBCUniversal/Telemundo Enterprises are also signing on to become founding partners of the Los Angeles Unified School District magnet facility. These companies join previously announced founding partners History Channel/A+E Networks, Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The group has committed to providing more than $4 million in funding for the school, which opened in August with 150 students at the Edward G. Roybal Learning Complex in downtown Los Angeles.
Warner Bros. Discovery Lays Off 100 Employees as Part of Previously Planned Ad Sales Downsizing
Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery enacted 100 layoffs Tuesday as part of a planned downsizing of the company’s ad sales departments that had been in the works since Discovery closed its merger with WarnerMedia in April, Variety has confirmed. These cuts are part of a previously reported and expected 30% reduction overall across the ad sales division, a sector of the merged company with many redundancies, in the coming weeks. However, not all of the exits will be layoffs, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation. An undisclosed number of those departures will be negotiated deals, while others will be retirements. The layoffs set in motion Tuesday are the latest in a string of moves made by Warner Bros. Discovery in an attempt to fulfill the promise made by CEO David Zaslav and his exec team to find $3 billion in cost-saving synergies in the first two years after the merger. The most high profile so far, aside from other layoffs within Warner Bros. Discovery, was the decision that “Batgirl,” the $90 million Warner Bros./DC movie starring Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, would not be released theatrically, on HBO Max, or anywhere else.
Warner Bros. Discovery Begins to Lay Off Hundreds of Workers (Report)
Axios.Up to 30% of the combined sales teams of the merged company are expected to be cut. The move comes as Warner Bros. Discovery cleaned up Monday night at the Emmys and bested all other companies with the most Emmy wins.
ProSiebenSat.1 To Own All Of German Streaming Service Joyn Following Warner Bros. Discovery Deal
German media giant ProSiebenSat.1 has struck a deal to pick up the remaining 50% stake in the German streaming service Joyn from Warner Bros Discovery.
‘Batgirl’ Cancellation Controversy ‘Blown Out of Proportion,’ Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Says
Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The blowback Warner Bros. Discovery received over its cancellation of “Batgirl” was “blown out of proportion,” according to CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels. Last month came word that “Batgirl,” the $90 million Warner Bros./DC movie starring Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, would not be released theatrically, on HBO Max, or anywhere else. WBD, formed formed earlier this year by Discovery’s acquisition of WarnerMedia, determined that taking a tax write-off for “Batgirl” made more financial sense than releasing it commercially. “To me, you know, it’s blown out of proportion a little bit, in terms of the attention externally,” said Wiedenfels, speaking Thursday at the Bank of America Securities Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference, regarding the “Batgirl” decision. “The focus is, on a go-forward basis here, we’re spending more than ever in the history of the two legacy companies on content. We’re continuing to make significant investments — [but] we’ll make them differently.”