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Three Top Executives Are Out at WarnerMedia, HBO’s Parent Company Three Top Executives Are Out at WarnerMedia, HBO’s Parent Company
(about 3 hours later)
In a sudden shake-up at one of Hollywood’s biggest companies, three top executives have left WarnerMedia, the AT&T division that houses HBO and the streaming service HBO Max, the company announced on Friday.In a sudden shake-up at one of Hollywood’s biggest companies, three top executives have left WarnerMedia, the AT&T division that houses HBO and the streaming service HBO Max, the company announced on Friday.
Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, is out after little more than a year on the job. Kevin Reilly, WarnerMedia’s chief content officer, is also departing, as is Keith Cocozza, the executive vice president of marketing and communications. The surprise moves came three months into the tenure of the WarnerMedia chief executive, Jason Kilar, who has wasted little time putting his stamp on the company.
The surprise moves came on the watch of the WarnerMedia chief executive, Jason Kilar, who has wasted little time reorganizing the company he joined May 4. Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, is out after little more than a year on the job. Kevin Reilly, WarnerMedia’s chief content officer, is also departing, as is Keith Cocozza, the executive vice president of marketing and communications, who worked at the company for 19 years.
Now Mr. Kilar is apparently putting his stamp on the company, which unveiled a major streaming platform, HBO Max, on May 27. In a note to WarnerMedia employees on Friday, he wrote, “My belief that missionary companies ultimately shine … and my strong belief that ours is a team filled with missionaries.” Asked about the departures, Mr. Kilar said in a phone interview on Friday: “Disciplined companies have to make tough decisions.”
Describing the overhaul that went into effect Friday, Mr. Kilar added, “These changes, which are neither timid nor without risk, are possible in part because we are missionaries that ultimately believe we can and will change the world through story. That is what this all comes back to.” In a note to WarnerMedia employees that announced the moves, Mr. Kilar said the company would emphasize HBO Max. The company unveiled the streaming platform on May 27 in a crowded field that includes Netflix, with its 193 million subscribers, as well as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and the relative newcomers Disney+, AppleTV+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock.
With Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Reilly gone, Mr. Kilar has elevated two WarnerMedia executives, Ann Sarnoff, who joined the company in June as the chief executive of the Warner Bros., and Andy Forssell, the general manager of HBO Max. “We are elevating HBO Max in the organization and expanding its scope globally,” Mr. Kilar wrote.
Ms. Sarnoff’s role will expand: In addition to overseeing Warner Bros. movie and television studio, she will lead a new unit, the studios and networks group, which brings together the company’s original productions, including programming for HBO, HBO Max and the cable channels TNT, TBS and TruTV. With Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Reilly gone, Mr. Kilar has given more responsibility to two WarnerMedia executives, Ann Sarnoff, who joined the company in June as the chief executive of the Warner Bros., and Andy Forssell, the general manager of HBO Max.
Ms. Sarnoff, whose career has included leadership roles at Nickelodeon, the Women’s National Basketball Association, Dow Jones and BBC America, will also be in charge of TV series made for WarnerMedia. Her business partner will be Mr. Forssell, who will report to Mr. Kilar. In addition to overseeing the Warner Bros. movie and television studio, Ms. Sarnoff will lead a new unit, the studios and networks group, which brings together the company’s original productions, including programming for HBO, HBO Max and the cable channels TNT, TBS and TruTV.
A longtime HBO executive, Casey Bloys, was also promoted. In addition to heading original content at HBO, he will be in charge of original programming for HBO Max and the cable channels TNT, TBS, and TruTV and will report to Ms. Sarnoff. Ms. Sarnoff, who has had leadership roles at Nickelodeon, the Women’s National Basketball Association, Dow Jones and BBC America, will also be in charge of TV series made for WarnerMedia. Her business partner will bet Mr. Forssell, Mr. Kilar’s former colleague at Hulu, who will report directly to the chief executive.
Jeff Zucker, the longtime CNN head, was unaffected. Under Mr. Kilar, he remains the chairman of WarnerMedia’s news and sports units. A longtime HBO executive, Casey Bloys, was also promoted. In addition to heading original content at HBO, he will be in charge of original programming for HBO Max, TNT, TBS and TruTV. He will report to Ms. Sarnoff.
Mr. Kilar, 48, who came to WarnerMedia after a stint at Amazon, is best known as the founding chief executive of Hulu. He was appointed to his job by John Stankey, a veteran AT&T executive who ran WarnerMedia from June 2018 until May 1. Jeff Zucker, the longtime CNN head, was unaffected. Under Mr. Kilar, he remains the chairman of WarnerMedia’s news and sports units. Christy Haubegger, the chief enterprise inclusion officer, will take over Mr. Cocozza’s role of overseeing the global marketing and communications team.
Mr. Stankey became the chief executive of AT&T on July 1, replacing Randall L. Stephenson, who has stayed at the company as executive chairman. Mr. Kilar, 48, who came to WarnerMedia after a stint at Amazon, was appointed to his job by John Stankey, a veteran AT&T executive who ran WarnerMedia from June 2018 until May 1. Mr. Stankey became the chief executive of AT&T on July 1, replacing Randall L. Stephenson.
The sudden changes in WarnerMedia’s executive wing have broken apart the team Mr. Stankey assembled last year, when he was running the entertainment division after a three-decade career spent mostly in telecommunications. In the entertainment world, Mr. Kilar was considered a thoughtful executive who happened to be the chief executive (and chief architect) of Hulu when streaming was still a novelty. With his bold restructuring on Friday, he has gained a reputation as a forceful Hollywood player.
In a resignation that got the attention of media insiders in New York and Los Angeles, Richard Plepler, the longtime head of HBO who led the network to 160 Emmys, left the company in February 2019. Mr. Stankey effectively replaced him with Mr. Greenblatt, who named Mr. Reilly, the onetime leader of the cable channels TNT and TBS, as WarnerMedia’s head of content. The changes at WarnerMedia broke apart the team Mr. Stankey had assembled last year, when he ran the division after a three-decade career spent mostly in telecommunications.
In the entertainment world, Mr. Kilar was considered a thoughtful executive who happened to be the architect of Hulu back when streaming was a novel medium. With his bold restructuring on Friday, he has a new reputation as a forceful Hollywood player. In a resignation that got the attention of media insiders, Richard Plepler, the longtime head of HBO who led the network to 160 Emmys, left the company in February 2019. Mr. Stankey effectively replaced him with Mr. Greenblatt, who named Mr. Reilly, the onetime leader of the cable channels TNT and TBS, as WarnerMedia’s head of content.
In his memo, which included some blunt lines amid more rhapsodic statements, Mr. Kilar noted that he was little more than 90 days into his tenure. Despite his evangelism for HBO Max and all things digital, Mr. Kilar said he was a believer in the traditional moviegoing experience. “Tenet,” the much-anticipated Warner Bros. sci-fi film directed by Christopher Nolan, is still on the schedule for a Labor Day release. But Mr. Kilar noted that, even before the pandemic shut down theaters nationwide, the movie business was moving away from long theatrical runs.
“Because of the gift that is the internet,” he wrote, “we have what I believe is one of the greatest opportunities in the history of media, which is to deliver our beloved stories and experiences directly to hundreds of millions of consumers across the globe.” “For anyone to suggest that the theatrical construct isn’t going to change over the next few years I think is not paying close attention,” he said. “There will be shortened windows. But in no way is Warner Media stepping away from the deep embrace of theatrical exhibition.”
He also put his company on notice that he expected its new streaming platform to compete with Netflix, which now has 193 million subscribers around the world: “We are elevating HBO Max in the organization and expanding its scope globally,” Mr. Kilar wrote. Mr. Kilar declined to comment on whether Warner Bros. would consider something like the deal AMC Entertainment signed last month with Universal Pictures. Under the arrangement, Universal agreed to shorten the theatrical window to 17 days, down from the industry norm of 90 days, and give AMC a share of video-on-demand revenue.
Toward the end of his note, he seemed to acknowledge that the flurry of moves might have caused some hurt feelings. “I realize this is a lot to take in,” he wrote. “And none of us should expect the above changes to be easy.” The rise of digital media has profoundly altered the entertainment business, Mr. Kilar said, putting the studios in a position to distribute their films and TV shows to audiences without having to rely on other companies.
Mr. Stankey, the AT&T chief, spoke highly of Mr. Kilar when he hired him in April. “It was always in the back of my mind that if there were ever a way to get him to work at AT&T in the right way, I’d jump at it,” he said at the time. “If you take a look at the history of WarnerMedia, or any media company, they largely had a history of wholesaling,” he said in the interview. “They produce amazing stories, amazing content, and then work with partners who then interact with consumers. The gift that is the internet changes all of that. Suddenly, there is an opportunity to go direct to consumers, which I think is one of the biggest opportunities in the history of media.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.