Zaslav Praises netflix Collaboration as Warner Bros. Discovery Deal Advances
LOS ANGELES – Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav publicly lauded Netflix as an ”exceptional” company with a “lasting” future during a company-wide town hall meeting following the announcement of the deal that will see Warner Bros. Discovery’s content integrated into the streaming giant. The meeting, held after a gathering of 150 top leaders, outlined details of the agreement and the forthcoming separation of Discovery Global.
The deal, which also involved consideration from Paramount and Comcast, is expected to take 12-18 months to navigate a global regulatory process, according to Netflix’s Chief Legal Officer Aiyar. Despite acknowledging the emotional impact of the move, Zaslav and other leaders emphasized the opportunities presented by the partnership, including Warner Bros.Television continuing to produce content for rival streamers.
zaslav’s comments mirrored a recent letter sent to staff,and he specifically noted the ease of working with netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos,with whom he has been spending increased time. The town hall also addressed financial details of the agreement and the planned spin-out of Discovery Global in the third quarter of next year.
Gunnar Wiedenfels, who will lead the newly autonomous Discovery Global, expressed “enormous pride” in the company and acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the transition, stating he was “excited” to run his own entity.Zaslav concluded the meeting by advising employees to “put your seatbelts on,” signaling a period of significant change ahead.