Warner Bros. Discovery

[Internationalman]

WBD's second executive restructuring is well underway:

• Kathleen Finch has fired Brett Weitz and Tom Ascheim from the Turner networks and the Family and Kids networks, respectively; as a result, Nancy Daniels will now oversee the Turner entertainment networks (alongside Discovery's US factual and reality channels); whilst the Family and Kids networks and divisions are being reorganized: Ascheim is being replaced by Michael Ouweleen, reporting to Finch and Amy Friedman; whilst Turner Classic Movies will be spun-off from the division, with Pola Changnon reporting directly to Finch. Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios will move to Warner Bros. Television oversight, with Sam Register reporting to Channing Dungey.
  
• Additionally, all Communications/PR, Marketing, and Content Strategy/Scheduling work for the US networks has been centralized, with the new executives, Audrey Adlam, Karen Bronzo and Julie Taylor, overseeing all work from each networks' offices.
  
• Globally, WarnerMedia EMEA's Priya Dogra is staying on her job in the new company, but now taking over Discovery's operations in the UK and the Nordics. James Gibbons will stay on his post as Discovery UK and Nordics director for a while before passing the baton to Dogra, with Gibbons overseeing Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Additionally, Kasia Kieli, who led the CEEMEA operations for Discovery, is moving to Grupa TVN. The biggest news: Whit Richardson, WarnerMedia Latin America CEO, has been fired, and operations in Latin America (including US Hispanic networks) will be led by Discovery Brasil's Fernando Medin; as a result, WarnerMedia's Latin American operation, based in Argentina, will be wound down and most operations will move to Miami and São Paulo.
  
• Anil Jhingan, Discovery Asia's CEO, is being promoted to Global Business Development, reporting to Bruce Campbell. Clement Schwebig takes over South East Asia, Korea and India, Gillian Zhao becomes China WM President and Andrew Georgiou continues as President & Managing Director of Eurosport and GOLFTV. Robert Blair will still lead licensing and Ronald Goes remains EVP and Head of International TV Production leading the International WB Production business.
  
• Finally, all the GMs of HBO Max's international operations have been fired, replaced by Discovery+ staff. Brad Wilson, Johannes Larcher and Luis Durán have been replaced by Michael Bishara, Leah Hooper and Juan Sola; additionally, Jason Monteiro has been hired to oversee HBO Max's expansion into Asia, with South Korea already in the map for launch in the Summer. Bishara will also lead the Digital Studios Group, and Meredith Gertler will lead Content Strategy, Scheduling, and Editorial/Merchandising. Alex Wellen continues to lead the Motor Trend Group.
  

And today, Warner Bros. Discovery is trying to position as a "fifth broadcast network" during its upfront, an upfront laden with a surprise appearance from Jennifer Hudson:

https://deadline.com/2022/05/warner-bros...235026968/

https://deadline.com/2022/05/jennifer-hu...235026985/

Wow. Talk about The WB II.