WarnerMedia has decided to take the next steps in the formation of its company now that the D.C. Circuit Court has struck down yet another appeal from the DoJ to break up the AT&T-Time Warner deal.
The company announced this morning that it has named CNN worldwide president Jeff Zucker chairman, WarnerMedia News & Sports, and president, CNN.
In addition to running CNN’s news properties (CNN U.S., CNN.com, CNNI, CNN Español, Great Big Story and HLN), Zucker, who joined CNN as president in January 2013, will also run Turner Sports, Bleacher Report and AT&T Regional Sports Networks.
Last week, Turner Sports longtime chief David Levy and WarnerMedia announced that they were parting ways.
Zucker, who has been involved with eight Olympics, has always been a sports fanatic and told us last December that former NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol is the person he has learned the most from in the TV business:
He has taught me so much, and given me terrific advice over the years. Most importantly, he advised me to never stray far from live television. Nothing is more exciting and enduring than the draw of live news and sports.
Sounds like a dream job.
In an announcement, WarnerMedia chief John Stankey states:
Jeff is well-known and respected by our key partners, and a successful and seasoned industry executive across every aspect of our business. From his earliest days working for NBC Sports on the 1986 Olympics, to leading the reinvention of the Today show and turning it into the most-watched morning news program in America, to green-lighting game-changing TV series and co-founding Hulu while running NBC Entertainment, his experience is unparalleled. As president of CNN since 2013, he has led the turnaround of CNN as the most-trusted news organization and the world’s leading digital news platform. He has transformed the network, diversifying its programming and assets with the addition of CNN Original Series and Films and a number of digital destinations.
Another significant announcement comes from the entertainment side.
WarnerMedia Entertainment has named another former NBC entertainment chairman, Bob Greenblatt, the chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct to Consumer. Last week, the company announced that HBO’s chief exec Richard Plepler was leaving.
Greenblatt will have oversight of the aforementioned HBO, TNT, TBS, truTV and the d-to-c business.
“This change to consolidate a major component of our discretionary programming investments under a single leader will provide us with the agility and flexibility needed to build our brands across a variety of evolving distribution models with a more coordinated approach to our original programming,” said Stankey, who added: “Bob is an outstanding, well-respected industry executive with strong relationships with talent and a combination of experience in both the production and programming sides of the business that gives him a unique understanding, appreciation and expertise running and growing a content business.”
Greenblatt stepped down from his role as NBC entertainment chairman last fall after a seven-year run at the network. He joined NBC in 2011, just as Comcast completed its acquisition of NBCUniversal and right before the network launched The Voice. He also ran NBC’s entertainment business when the network launched This Is Us in 2016.
Lastly, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, will be added to Warner Bros. studio chief Kevin Tsujihara‘s portfolio. Turner Classic Movies and Otter Media will also report into him.