Navigating Downward: Warner Bros. Subdivides Its Business into Two Distinct Divisions, Linear TV and Streaming/Studios
Warner Bros. is dividing with hopes of conquering.
Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a restructuring plan that would separate its linear television division from its studio and streaming divisions. This is similar, but not exactly like what Comcast announced it would be doing last month.
While WBD is creating two distinct entities, both under the same corporate umbrella, Comcast was spinning off its television stations into an entirely separate company. And though HBO is a television network, its business is expected to be managed within the streaming division, due to its close relationship with the Max platform, according to insiders.
In their own words, the media conglomerate stated the intent was to create a “new corporate structure”, in which the television side of the business “will focus on maximizing profitability and free cash flow”, while the streaming and studios division “will focus on driving growth and strong returns on increasing invested capital.”
Among the reasons for the new organizational structure are the severe downturn in viewers at CNN, and the cable channel TNT losing its NBA contract to Amazon Prime next season. Warner said the value of its cable networks, which include HGTV, TBS, Discovery, Food Network and OWN, is down by $9.1 billion due to lost ad revenue.
“We continue to prioritize ensuring our Global Linear Networks business is well positioned to continue to drive free cash flow, while our streaming and studios business focuses on driving growth by telling the world’s most compelling stories,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in a statement.
The heads of both Disney and Paramount have also indicated that they may soon be looking at the management of their linear television networks.
This news had shares of Warner Bros. Discovery jumping up 15% on the day it was announced.
The studio said it will begin moving toward the new corporate reorganization immediately and expects to complete the reorganization by mid-2025.