Last week,Discovery reportedit had reached 20 million paying streaming subscribers worldwide by the end of September. Loeffler is running for reelection to the Senate. Discovery Chief Executive Officer David Zaslavs total compensation fell more than 17% in 2020, topping out at $37.7 million. Look up your friends and patriotsat the FEC. For now, a trio of CNN executives will assume Zuckers responsibilities at the network. We need radical transparency from media and social media platforms on which politicians, super PACs and lobbyists they fund. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. And maybe, those legendary parties might start again. "It's the only media company that I've worked with in the last two decades where building a unified global presence was a core part of the strategy," said Joe Ravitch, co-founder of Raine, the media-focused merchant bank. Domestically, HBO Max and HBO have a combined 45.2 million subscribers. His sole donation to a Republican politician, U.S. David Zaslav, Hollywoods new mogul. The CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the United States have started ramping up their donations to Republican causes as concern grows about Joe Biden's plan to raise the corporate tax rate. His salary remained locked at $3 million. "He's masterful at presenting himself as an aw-shucks guy from Rockland County, but underneath in the middle of a deal he's more aggressive than one of the great whites on 'Shark Week,'" said a friend. [50], In 2017, Zaslav was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. President and CEO, Discovery David Zaslav speaks onstage during the Zaslavs battles will be more expensive. David Zaslav does not give an answer when asked about Jeff Zucker's future at a combined WarnerMedia and Discovery because the deal hasn't closed yet, Ken Auletta: "What's the future of cable? 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. David Zaslav is a talented and driven man who understands change. To sustain that position, Zaslav will have to drastically readjust his spending habits. Under Zuckers leadership, CNN cultivated an antagonistic relationship with former President Donald Trump and other prominent conservatives. becoming the first announced candidate for the party. 1. Zaslav and other Discovery brass reportedly heard about the resignation just hours before it happened. Evans fought valiantly for Paramount to release Last Tango in Paris and Tropic of Cancer. Spurred by the rapid proliferation of social media platforms, with questionable content,and a formerpresident who pummeled our free press repeatedly, its no wonder Americans are left wary and our information ecosystem is in shambles. In a digital age, there are many new ways to influence. The combined company, worth $120 billion in enterprise value, would unite Discovery with AT&T's WarnerMedia, home to CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros. A person familiar with the deal told Insider that AT&T didn't consider Comcast a viable partner because it was likely to be a slow-moving conversation, held up by thorny regulatory issues. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. Email us. Definitely to the left. Billionaire Paul Singer, who claimed, post the CNN-Discovery merger, that his activism brought the deal about, balanced things out with his $1.7 million. [33], Under his leadership, Discovery began trading as a public company in 2008, became a Fortune 500 company in 2014 and acquired Scripps Networks Interactive in 2018. During Thursdays meeting, Zaslav warned that staff reductions were likely as he continued to remove layers of management and combines jobs. Frederick Smith, who runs the billion dollar Sinclair media empire that once offered to do anything for Trump, must not have meant with cash, donating $6,800 to the GOP and $5,800 to Democratic Sen. ChuckSchumer. cookies Not long ago when he dropped by his new home he ordered some changes: Michael Smith, the celebrity designer who President Obama hired to design his private quarters at the White House, will now tackle the Evans house. A Discovery spokesperson told the Post that Zaslav didnt finish his thought, adding that he uses the phrase to organize his conversations around Discoverys business. Zaslav made a similar remark during an AT&T and Discovery joint news conference in May 2021, describing the left side of the joint company as everything other than the content. Of the top 10 political donors among S&P 500 CEOs, a majority gave big to GOP groups in the second quarter, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Pre-pandemic, David Zaslav's end-of-summer parties in the Hamptons were a legendary networking event for anyone in media. David Zaslav the CEO of Discovery Inc., and Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney who is now the companys executive chairman, are among the top executive Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31st 2022. In an interview on CNBC Friday, Discovery CEO David Zaslav, as part of an assessment of his brands portfolio, took stock of CNNs place in the public consciousness and said this: CNBC host Joe Kernen immediately seized on the comment. But times have changed. Discovery boss will soon oversee CNN as part of deal with WarnerMedia, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 16: President and CEO, Discovery, Inc. David Zaslav speaks onstage during the Discovery, Inc. TCA Winter Panel 2020 at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 16, 2020 in Pasadena, California. The company did not break out Discovery+ numbers specifically, so this tally includes its other, much smaller SVOD platforms, but the majority of that 20 million figure is made up of Discovery+ numbers, per Discovery. "Was there any conjecture that John Malone is behind the curtain? A Real Clear Politics polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to 10 points. 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Zucker, who joined CNN in 2013 and led the network through the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency, abruptly resigned this week over a secret relationship he had with a colleague, CNN chief marketing officer Allison Gollust, which he did not disclose to the company as required. CNN, like MSNBC, serves liberal audiences. Most importantly, they're already global. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Discovery, to be sure, funded Otter Dynasty, not Game of Thrones. [45] His daughter Ali Zaslav is a congressional producer with CNN.[53]. Zaslav spearheaded the transaction between AT&T and Discovery to combine with WarnerMedia and create the combined Warner Bros. Is it a good one? The Bloomberg, Powell Jobsand even Murdoch setups are now bizarrely comforting: At least we know where they stand, and the money is domestic. His Facebook page is full of old school friendships and trips with the former GE CEO, Jack Welch. Discovery and has publicly committed to keeping CNN after the merger. Those two tend to split viewers, and Fox News is regularly No. All rights reserved. What does media constitute? See Barrs tweets at the bottom of this post. The parties within its walls were glitzy, the arguments were epic and the scandals provided perfect gossip fuel. "How many people survive after a merger? Jeffrey Sprecher, the CEO of the Intercontinental Exchange and husband to Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., who came under scrutiny for their stock dealings during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, gave nearly $1.3 million during the April-June quarter. When Discovery assumes control of CNN, Zaslav will have a key decision to make right out of the box as it will have to replace newly-resigned CNN chief Jeff Zucker. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, whose media giant is set to close itsmerger with CNNs owner WarnerMediathis spring, made the surprise remark during a discussion about the networks future days after theabrupt resignation of the networks president, Jeff Zucker. Jeff Zucker is considered to be the person responsible for the CNNs shift away from the nonpartisan outlet it was before his tenure. This story has been shared 108,510 times. [52], Zaslav lives in New York City with his wife Pam and the couple has three children. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month. That cycle, which covers contributions made in 2019, shows Zaslav contributed small sums to one Republican and three Democrats. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was confronted on Friday about the future of CNN, the liberal network he is set to oversee once a looming merger is official, but claimed the ousting of now-former CNN boss Jeff Zucker had nothing to do with rumors the network could shift to a nonpartisan approach. offers FT membership to read for free. Zaslav also oversaw NBCUniversal's interests in A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and TiVo. All rights reserved. [16], Zaslav joined NBC in 1989. Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, gave $6,000. Marc Benioff, the current owner of Time who's, active in homelessness issues in San Francisco,gave only $5,000 to his Salesforce.com PAC. Correction: Mediaite has learned Zaslav was referring to the left side of the Discovery portfolio, not the left side of the political aisle. In comparison, WarnerMedias HBO and HBO Max topped 69 million worldwide customers combined at the conclusion of Q3, according toAT&Ts third-quarter earnings results, which were released late last month. Where the country was when we launched MSNBC was much more fact-based and less divided.. Last year, Zaslav vowed to take a hands-on role in the operations of CNN. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The names of the super PACs (Win Red, Dirt Road, Fair Fight, Follow the North Star, Security is Strength) are almost comical, even if the totals are gobsmacking. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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People helping raise money for these Republican organizations told CNBC that the idea of taxes going up has struck a nerve with GOP donors and forced them off the sidelines after being largely absent throughout the 2020 election cycle. Warner Bros. Zaslavwill lead the combined company called Warner Bros. Barr also said Zaslav did not give an answer when asked about current CNN boss Jeff Zuckers future at the soon-to-be combined company. Though Zaslav himself did not dispute the context of the comment when Joe Kernen asked for clarification, his true intent was made clear when Zaslav followed up by saying he views sports as being on the right side of the portfolio. The Discovery CEO also was early in laying foundations overseas, where rival media companies are now trying to bulk up. The Discovery Channel started in 1985 with a documentary about the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Zaslav, known for delivering fast yes or nos to business partners, would be able to move ahead with speed. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. RobertIger, executive chairman of the Walt Disney Co. and who once ran ABC, gave over $1 million. The executive who is soon to take over CNN appeared to make a candid admission about where he sees the network. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Friday on CNBC that he had nothing to do with Jeff Zuckers CNN exit. We want to hear from you. Now he will oversee WarnerMedia. Zucker's leadership of CNN since 2013 saw the network lurch farther to the left, particularly after the political rise of former President Donald Trump. She owns The Atlantic, could still be the largest shareholder of Disney/ABCand funds many digital news nonprofits through the American Journalism Project, which her Emerson Collective helped to create. USA TODAY's opinionnewsletter:Get the best insights and analysis delivered to your inbox. And John Malone, a top shareholder at CNNs soon to be parent Discovery, has made clear he disagrees with Zuckers vision for CNN. The Evans events promised a sort of promiscuous elegance: Behind one door you would find the esteemed Helmut Newton photographing two lissome nudes passionately entwined; or Teddy Kennedy swigging beer amidst a bevy of starlets; or Henry Kissinger explaining Vietnam policy to Jill St. John; or agent Sue Mengers disseminating film gigs along with quality weed. [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. [46] He is chair of the Auschwitz: The Past Is Present Committee which promotes awareness of the Holocaust. Sprecher's total was the most he's given in the past two presidential election cycles. "Who do they want managing the economy: Trump (Mnuchin, Powell, Kudlow) or Biden (Bernie, Warren and AOC)?," Bailey said. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. Why would they go anywhere else? He's known for sporting the sleeveless fleece vests popular with financial industry executives and for bringing swag bags to meetings. Later in the CNBC interview, Zaslav referred to growth on the right side of the company, which he described as including WarnerMedia-owned HBO and a growing portfolio of sports rights. That bit of corporate sorcery has now prompted him to re-invent the Zaslav legacy indeed to re-shape it in the aura of the Evans legacy. + Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In September 2020, Zaslav confided to a close friend that he was concerned about the fate of the company he'd spent 15 years building. But here is where it fell short. What investors need to know about Biden's economic vision. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. 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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. Its only occasional visitor is David Zaslav, newly minted king of Hollywood, who comes to commune with its ghosts and summon up plans for its glistening future. I dont see how this ends well. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Zaslav had a hand in the launch of MSNBC, another left-leaning network, during his time as an NBC executive. The Discovery CEO also took aim at Fox News, describing the conservative outlet as much more of an advocacy network than a news network. I think overall wed probably be better off if we just had news networks in America, Zaslav said. The index wasmore popular than anticipated. Check if your Hilton Howell of Gray Television gave $17,600. Without it, journalists and society dont stand a chance to hold them accountable when the coverage is of disrepute. Before her recent spending spree, Catz had given very few political contributions this cycle. Biden has said he wants to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%. He doesn't.". Too many people in power are gaming the system. Zaslav laughed but did not retract his comment. All Rights Reserved. That employee makes $66,689, so it would take them 565 years to equal Zaslavs annual compensation. They received collectively more than $3 billion ($3,427,543,995) in the 2019-20 presidential election cycle and showed independent expenditures of more than $2.1 billion. [42][43][44], Zaslav serves on the boards of Sirius XM, The Cable Center, Center for Communication, Grupo Televisa, Partnership for New York City, Syracuse University and USC Shoah Foundation. Zaslav, 61, his wife Pam, and his adult children, mingled with TV and movie industry friends, Page Six, CNBC and Fox News anchors, plastic surgeons, and interior designers. Get the best insights and analysis delivered to your inbox, 2,276 groups organized as super PACs have reported, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A Division of NBCUniversal. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was confronted on Friday about the future of CNN, the liberal network he is set to oversee once a looming merger is official, but His reputation for speed gave Discovery an edge over Comcast as a merger partner. Sen. or redistributed. He's also known for squeezing costs out of operations, which could concern WarnerMedia employees who've already been through years of restructuring under AT&T. But his new target list may include Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon or even the old Evans crowd like Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman. 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. A continuously updated summary of the news stories that US political commentators are discussing online right now. Zaslavs comment drew a surprised response from CNBC host Joe Kernan, who wondered aloud if it was a reference to CNNs ideological bent. JEFF ZUCKERS CNN EXIT: FIERY MEETING, SOMBER CONFERENCE CALL PROVE MANY STAFFERS ALREADY MISS FORMER BOSS, "So youve got a guy whos run it for nine years," Kernen said, referring to Zucker. His Greenwich Village home where the WarnerMedia deal was cooked up is now on the market, according to The Hollywood Reporter. [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. The merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery is reportedly set to be completed early in the spring. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison has also been close to the president and was one of the donors advising Trump at the start of the pandemic. He's used his salary to buy some of the most sought-after real estate around, buying the Hollywood home of "The Godfather" film director Robert Evans for $16 million and snapping up Conan O'Brien's apartment on Central Park West. Zaslav is expected to name Zuckers permanent replacement when the merger closes. Of the top 10 political donors among S&P 500 CEOs, a majority gave big to GOP groups in the second quarter, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. And even as Zaslav prepped the launch of streaming service Discovery+, which now has 15 million subscribers, he had thoughts about whether to suggest bundling Discovery with Disney, according to a person familiar with talks. Legal Statement. James Murdoch, who left the family Fox News business, donated over $2.25 Dan Eberhart, a longtime prominent Republican donor, told CNBC he senses that wealthy financiers are going to start lining up behind Trump. Sinclair Broadcasting and Nexstar executives give to the National Association of Broadcasters. David Zaslav, who led the merger with CNN and Discovery, donated over $240,000. The Discovery CEO also took aim at Fox News, describing the conservative outlet as much more of an advocacy network than a news network., I think overall wed probably be better off if we just had news networks in America, Zaslav said. George Soros, a major donor to Wikipediawho funds many new digital media outlets through his Open Society Foundation (see our nonprofit U.S. Media Index), gave $3,679,800. Definitely to the left, Kernen said. Together, Discovery and WarnerMedia will span every genre from Hollywood movies and TV shows to reality TV, to news and sports. Sinai Medical Center. I think Fox News is much more of an advocacy network than a news network, Zaslav said, according to Washington Post media reporter Jeremy Barr. His corporate boss, Charles Bluhdorn, facing him in his screening room, shouted that public companies could not dabble in porn. He then decided to re-run the films. Disclosure: Mathias Dpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member. Safra Catz, the CEO of Oracle, gave $125,000 in May to the Trump Victory committee, a joint fundraising operation between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee. But we dont. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. According to Deadline, he even made it known that corporate procedures had to be followed to the letter in regards to Zucker., Have a tip we should know? Media tends to be a reflection of where the country is. But even if that crowd decided to arrive, it would not include the late Evans or his panache (he died in 2019). You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Send us a tip using our annonymous form. "Squawk Box" co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkintold Zaslav his phone was "blowing up" from CNN staffers who are "desperate to know" his personal views about the Zucker situation. I found these figures wanting. Insider say he's known for relationship building but also being demanding with staff. But we dont. Running WarnerMedia's top-tier assets like HBO and spending big on movies and shows is a far different game from the unscripted business that's Discovery's bread and butter. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) During your trial you will have complete digital access to FT.com with everything in both of our Standard Digital and Premium Digital packages. [45] He also is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Paley Center for Media and the Mt. Laurene Powell Jobs donated over $2 million. Discovery Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav s total compensation fell more than 17% in 2020, Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the companys controversial decision this week to cancel releases for Batgirl and Scoob! 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. The total accounted loss was nearly $25 billion off the company's market cap. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, whose media giant is set to close its merger with CNNs owner WarnerMedia this spring, made the surprise remark during a This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. If only houses could talk: This one, however, is a battered shadow of its proud Regency past, its interior walls torn apart, trucks parked on its tennis court. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Yet, we know little about their political views or how that money is being spent.

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