Advanced Television

WBD

WBD’s Zaslav: “This is a new CNN”

Back at the true beginning of the multichannel era there was MTV, and then there was CNN. CNN’s founder Ted Turner, on the news network’s first day of transmissions in 1980, said that barring satellite problems “we won’t be signing off until the world ends”. He added that the channel would then play the old […]

May 8, 2023

FreeCast appoints Engel as CMO

FreeCast has announced a new executive hire, bringing on Gary Engel as Chief Marketing Officer. Engel has extensive experience, particularly in the television industry, where he’s served at senior levels at several major media companies. Before becoming FreeCast’s CMO, Engel served as a Director for Warner Bros Discovery, where he oversaw the launch of Discovery+ […]

May 2, 2023

WBD to keep Discovery+ platform?

Warner Bros Discovery’s (WBD) global streaming plans has taken a new twist with reports that the company is planning on keeping Discovery+ as a stand-alone streaming platform. It appears customer surveys have indicated a lot would resist moving ‘up’ to a mega bundler including HBO Max. The plan appeared to have been that WBD would […]

February 9, 2023

Spain: WBD scores Ligue 1 rights

Warner Bros Discovery has acquired the Spanish broadcasting rights to Ligue 1 Uber Eats for the remainder of the 2022-2023 season, as well as the entire 2023-2024 campaign. Per the new agreement, Eurosport Spain will offer full and exclusive coverage of the French football league across its television channels and digital platforms in the country. […]

February 9, 2023

WBD names Rørmark Head of Streaming Marketing

Rebecca Rørmark has been appointed to the newly created role of Senior Vice President, Head of Streaming Marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). WBD is preparing for the launch of its enhanced, global streaming platform that will combine HBO Max content with content from discovery+ into a single user […]

February 2, 2023

HBO’s Root to retire

After 11 years leading Original Programming and Production for HBO Europe and later HBO Max EMEA, Executive Vice President Antony Root has announced he will retire from his role at Warner Bros Discovery at the end of March. Priya Dogra, President & Manging Director EMEA, commented: “Antony is a true giant of the European TV […]

January 18, 2023

Canal+ drops Warner channels

French broadcaster Canal+ has stopped carrying Warner Bros Discovery’s seven linear channels, as well as its catch-up TV services via MyCanal, since no agreement has been reached between the two parties regarding their continued distribution. Warner Bros Discovery will now seek a new distribution partner in France for the channels. “We regret that channels Cartoon […]

January 11, 2023From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

SkyShowtime picks up WBD cancels

SkyShowtime has acquired exclusive European rights for 21 local series from Warner Bros Discovery, including some of HBO Max’s most popular shows from the region. In total, the deal provides SkyShowtime 168 episodes – over 150 hours – of new and previously aired original programming. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal includes three new […]

January 10, 2023

WBD: ‘There was a spending frenzy’

Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels told Citi’s 2023 media conference “the [streaming] industry had gone overboard and went on a spending frenzy. There was a lot of thinking of, ‘Let’s do more, more, more,’ not necessarily, ‘Let’s do the exact right things, let’s do what works’.’” Wiedenfels said the company was focusing on […]

January 6, 2023

Capital One’s The Match on WBD platforms

Four of the world’s top golfers will go toe-to-toe in Capital One’s The Match – the first time fans will be available to watch the annual event on Warner Bros Discovery platforms in Europe. The iconic Tiger Woods is set to team up with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy to face Americans Justin Thomas and Jordan […]

December 8, 2022