John Hendricks had the idea to create a cable station based on education and not just entertainment. In the last 48 hours Warner Bros. Discoverys CEO David Zaslav has been painted as a villain. Its ratings have suffered somewhat lately but it was doing better than several of CNNs primetime shows. Now-former HBO Max executives have claimed that CEO David Zaslav's recent cancellation of various Warner Bros. Stelters show, which focuses on big media stories and how the press covers the news, also marked its lowest second quarter since 2019, with an average of 679,000 viewers and 111,000 average demo viewers. DISCA hired Zaslav as its CEO in January 2007. That Saturday was also the worst-rated since 1993, which pre-dated CNNs top competitors Fox News and MSNBC. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who's taking over CNN. [23] As CEO, Zaslav oversaw the development and launch of new networks such as Planet Green (later rebranded as Destination America),[24] The Hub,[25][26] Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN),[27] Velocity,[28][29] and Investigation Discovery,[30] as well as the company's 2018 acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive,[31] expansion of its digital education operations,[32] and current emphasis on streaming services. Most recently he exercised 903,970 units of DISCA stock worth $20,185,650 on 18 January 2022.. "It's clear Team Trump needs to break the glass and pull the fire alarm. Under new chief Chris Licht, CNN will dial down the prime-time partisanship and double down on the network's news-gathering muscle, top sources tell me. Discovery CEO David Zaslav praised CNN on Friday and said "news is going to be really critical" to the future of the soon to be combined Warner Bros. Plotkin is a political analyst, a contributor to the BBC on American . During his tenure with DISCA, David Zaslav has brokered important deals. The CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery is David Zaslav. Longtime Discovery chief David Zaslav, who will soon oversee CNN as part of his companys merger with WarnerMedia, called his future competitor Fox News Channel much more of an advocacy network than a news network on Wednesday. In 2005, he held 32% of the shares of Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Zucker said he was leaving for violating corporate policy by not disclosing the nature of his relationship with his second-in-command, Allison Gollust. His older brother graduated from Binghamton and went on to Medical School. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. Next quarter the company projects $1.6 billion in profit, and for 2023, it expects to have operating margins of 21 to 22 percent, up from 18 to 20 percent in 2022. They are doing that, and there's still time," Eberhart said. America needs a news network where everybody can come and be heard; Republicans, Democrats, Zaslav said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. After graduating from high school, David Zaslav went to Cornell University to play tennis. November 10, 2021 7:10am. AT&T bought WarnerMedia (formerly Time Warner) in 2018 for $84billion. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Zaslav&oldid=1142395296, American chief executives in the media industry, American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent, Articles with dead external links from July 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from February 2023, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 04:25. Zaslav counts among his friends, Oprah Winfrey, Lloyd Blankfein (Goldman Sachs CEO) and Colin Powel (former Secretary of State). One of his favorite books is Binions World Series of Poker by James McManus. CNN's statement announcing Cuomo's termination cited only his 'conduct with his brother's defense' in its decision to terminate the anchor. 'Being that WarnerMedia's standards of business conduct require disclosure of relationships that develop with a boss and subordinate, Zucker's goose was officially cooked,' the report added. David Zaslav Political Campaign Contributions 2020 Election Cycle. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Currently, DISCA is present in 200 countries and territories. 20:31 GMT 04 Feb 2022 Listen to article. Zucker was meant to keep a key role in the new company. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, CNN analyst gives birth in bathroom after 13-minute sudden labor, US government-funded research tagged Americans for Twitter ban: report, Bill Maher says woke community wants to shut down debate on trans issues, New York Times, MSNBC, CNN slammed for claiming COVID lab leak theory was debunked, dialed back usingthe breaking news banner, Reliable Sources hosted by Brian Stelter, evaluating whether CNNs staffers can adjust. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Under the merger, WarnerMedia and Discovery will become one new media powerhouse - Warner Bros. Legal Statement. Brian Stelters very popular and commerically successful show was axed. Please reload the page and try again. When he joined Discovery in 2006, it was a small collection of education-oriented cable channels. The dealmaker. When a product has been provided for free you will see disclosure at the bottom of the article. [20][21], Zaslav became CEO of Discovery Communications in November 16, 2006, succeeding Judith McHale. Discovery Inc. Chief Executive David Zaslav will remove executive layers and take direct oversight of key creative and news operations upon the company's merger with AT&T Inc.'s WarnerMedia . The CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery is David Zaslav. U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a roadside stop in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., July 26, 2020. During his tenure in law school, Zaslav worked as a summer associate at 2 law firms in Los Angeles, California. The leading shareholder in Warner Brothers Discovery is John Malone, a multibillionaire cable magnate. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. All Rights Reserved. Per Barr, Zaslav said he is waiting for the deal to close before discussing or simply divulging those types of plans. In the interview, which was closely watched as Zaslav made his first public comments since the ouster of CNN boss Jeff Zucker, the Discovery CEO was describing the new company's portfolio of offerings. Judith McHale was the attorney working with Discoverys John Hendricks to raise money to get the cable channel growing. Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the company's controversial decision this week to cancel releases for " Batgirl " and "Scoob! It also coincided with a historic low for the network on Saturday, June 18 which saw the network dip to 57,000 total demo viewers. Licht has told CNN staff they should stop referring to Donald Trumps big lie because the phrase sounds like a Democratic party talking point. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive emails from the site owner. And while Cuomo was placed on leave after evidence from James' office proved just how involved he was in trying to quash his allegations against his brother, he was ultimately fired days later when a lawyer contacted the network with a sexual harassment allegation stemming from his previous job at ABC. (2 minutes) Warner Bros. Early last spring, Stelter wrote in his newsletter that Malones comments about CNN stoked fears that Discovery might stifle CNN journalists and steer away from calling out indecency and injustice. Zaslav helped Wright get NBC into the cable field with the development of CNBC and MSNBC. David Zaslav renewed his association with the Discovery Channel (DISCA) through his work with NBCs cable division. Robert Zimmerman, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, and Sen. Chuck Schumer. . Discovery. He is chairman for Auschwitz: The Past Is Present Committee. A Real Clear Politics polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to 10 points. 'They were widely known to be extremely close and in regular contact, including about the details of Mr. Cuomo's support for his brother,' the spokesman told the Wall Street Journal. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Discovery. Whoops! Zaslav interrupted, "John is going to be a board member of this company, and I am the operating--," before Kernen spoke over him asking if he had anything to do with Zuckers exit. David Zaslav the CEO of . He enjoyed sports and loved to play tennis as a child. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for WarnerMedia). Discovery's CEO has sparked confusion by calling CNN 'a leader in news to the left' ahead of his company's acquisition of the network, though it appears to have been awkward phrasing to describe the company's portfolio, rather than political leanings. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [12] At the age of 8, he moved to Rockland County where he graduated from Ramapo High School. Parties. The network boss camped out in mid-July in . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. While there, he was excited by the entertainment law the firms practiced. Zaslav got a bit of a break when his firm sent him to work as counsel at the Discovery Channel. Contribution Totals: Download all contribution records for this person from 1999 to present To a Spreadsheet or Other File Type: 2020 Transaction Count/Amount: 12/$253,250: 2018 Transaction Count/Amount: 15/$148,300: 2016 Transaction Count/Amount: Discovery WBD -3.1% CEO David Zaslav says he wasn't sending a message with his decision to quickly kill off CNN's short-lived streaming channel, CNN+. Department. 10573. Malone has said he wants CNN to be more like Fox News because, in his view, Fox News has actual journalism. Cuomo told investigators under oath that they only had 'irregular contact'. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Friday on CNBC that he had nothing to do with Jeff Zuckers CNN exit. Despite weak ratings for Reliable Sources, the show still outpaced CNN prime-time hosts like Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon for the quarter in terms of total viewers, Nielsen said. The CEO, whose company owns CNN, Warner Bros., HBO, Animal Planet and TLC, told reporters at Allen & Co.s summer camp for billionaires in Sun Valley, Idaho, that CNNs new approach will pay off in the long term, even as ratings sink to historic lows. Zaslav was speaking at the Paley International Council Summit when he made the remarks, which were covered by several news outlets virtually attending the media event. David Zaslav Net Worth. "Who do they want managing the economy: Trump (Mnuchin, Powell, Kudlow) or Biden (Bernie, Warren and AOC)?," Bailey said. He was excited by entertainment law at Boston University, 4. Dan Eberhart, a longtime prominent Republican donor, told CNBC he senses that wealthy financiers are going to start lining up behind Trump. But the left-leaning networks ratings slide began well before new management took over. With the cancellation of Batgirl and Scoob sequel, as reports of lack of diversity at Discovery under his leadership, Zaslav is being depicted as a right-wing stooge. [3][4][5] He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and president of Discovery, Inc. beginning on November 16, 2006 and ending on April 8, 2022, when it was merged with WarnerMedia. What investors need to know about Biden's economic vision. John Malone said it would be good if CNN had some journalists, that would be where Id start," CNBC anchor Joe Kernen said, paraphrasing Malones 2021 remarks. Last week, CNN abruptly canceled the show and effectively fired Stelter and his staff. Its more likely that Licht knew what Zaslav wanted, and Zaslav knew what Malone wanted. [9][10][47] In 2012, he received the Steven J. Ross Humanitarian Award from the UJA-Federation of New York[48] which honors people of vision, energy and sustained achievement in the entertainment, media and communications industries. Zaslav said the advertising market was weaker than at any point during 2020's coronavirus . Last week,Discovery reportedit had reached 20 million paying streaming subscribers worldwide by the end of September. He on March 12 sent her a text, dictating how the governor should respond to calls for his resignation. The popular host's downfall came when documents revealed how heexchanged dozens of text messages with his brother Andrew's top aide, Melissa DeRosa. Media tends to be a reflection of where the country is. . 2007 and 2009 was taken into account for this list merger . According to arecent Axios report, Licht isevaluating whether CNNs staffers can adjustto the new approach. May 20, 2022 3:33 PM EDT. David Zaslav. Zucker stepped down on Wednesday, admitting he was 'wrong' not to have told the company about the relationship. So whats motivating Zaslav? Discovery Communications, Inc./President & Chief Executive Officer. We want to hear from you. When such a disclosure does not exist, you can assume that the items have been purchased for review. 'In terms of CNN+ we couldn't be more excited about the fact that they've been hiring great journalists,' he said, likely referring to the hiring of former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace. Discovery. His new book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, is out now. We're not involved in any of that,' Zaslav said. Why would they go anywhere else? Mediaite, which initially reported on the comment as a political remark, later issued a correction to clarify that 'Zaslav was referring to the left side of the Discovery portfolio, not the left side of the political aisle. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world. [51], In 2022, he was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People. David Zaslav very well might become the poster boy for the 2016 campaign. [2] Zaslav spearheaded the transaction between AT&T and Discovery to combine with WarnerMedia and create the combined Warner Bros. Whats motivating Licht? Correction: Mediaite has learned Zaslav was referring to the left side of the Discovery portfolio, not the left side of the political aisle. CNN, like MSNBC, serves liberal audiences. August 1, 2022. Warner Bros. David Zaslav is President and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Sprecher also gave at least $106,500 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the official campaign arm of Republicans running for Senate seats. Zaslav made a similar remark during an AT&T and Discovery joint news conference in May 2021, describingthe left side of the joint company as everything other than the content.. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. [6][7], Zaslav was born to a Polish and Ukrainian Jewish family[8][9][10][11] in Brooklyn, New York. P. NATIONAL CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCTA PAC) ZASLAV, DAVID. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A Division of NBCUniversal. Warner Bros. He went to college to play tennis. Did you say to the left? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. His responsibilities extended to Bravo, CNBC World, SCI FI, ShopNBC, Sleuth, Telemundo, Telemundo Puerto Rico, mun2, Trio, Universal HD, USA Network, NBC Weather Plus and the Olympics on cable.