David Zaslav Reorganization and the Future of WBD
David Zaslav, the chief of Warner Bros. Discovery, is making big moves to address the challenges facing the company’s declining linear TV business. While it may seem like he’s taking a page out of Brian Roberts’ playbook with a similar strategy to Comcast’s recent spinoff of cable television assets, a deeper dive reveals a different approach.
By splitting Warner Bros. Discovery into two units, Zaslav is tackling the issue head-on. One unit will focus on the fast-growing streaming and studios side, including popular brands like Max, HBO, and Warner Bros. The other unit will handle the less glamorous but still profitable cable assets such as TNT, CNN, and the Food Network, dubbed “Global Linear Networks.”
This reorganization signals Zaslav’s commitment to reducing the impact of the declining linear TV business and working towards a credit-rating upgrade for Warner Bros. Discovery. It’s a strategic move that aims to navigate the changing landscape of the media industry while leveraging legal and M&A expertise to drive growth and reduce debt.
As Zaslav steers Warner Bros. Discovery through this transformation, it will be interesting to see how the company evolves and adapts to the evolving media landscape. Stay tuned for more updates on this story as it unfolds.