Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara sent a memo to staff on Monday assuring them that recent moves and leadership changes at parent company WarnerMedia will “fully maximize our companies’ assets and efforts,” as the studio enters a new era.
“While change is never easy, a realigned WarnerMedia will be better-positioned, better-resourced and better able to compete on all fronts,” Tsujihara said in the email. “We are literally entering a new chapter in our company’s history.
“We will continue to work with the industry’s best writers, directors, producers, actors, designers and developers to create the broadest and most diverse roster of film, television, game and digital properties,” he continued. “Warner Bros.’ production entities are an unmatched content engine, supplying both third-party and WarnerMedia platforms with the world’s best entertainment. And that’s not going to change.”
On Monday, WarnerMedia announced that former NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt would serve as chairman of the company’s entertainment and direct-to-consumer businesses, where he’ll oversee HBO, Turner and the company’s upcoming streaming service.
As part of the restructuring, a result of merging AT&T’s assets with Time Warner, it was announced that Tsujihara, as well as CNN’s Jeff Zucker, would have expanded roles in the new company.
In addition to continuing to serve as chairman and CEO of Warner Bros.’ film, television and games operations, Tsujihara will add a new Global Kids & Young Adults business to his purview. The new business brings together the family, kids and animation efforts from across WarnerMedia, which include Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. Warner Bros. will also be home to Otter Media, Turner Classic Movies and all activities around licensed consumer products development for WarnerMedia properties.
“I’ve known and worked with Bob Greenblatt throughout the years, and I’m looking forward to working with him and the newly combined WarnerMedia Entertainment to fully maximize our companies’ assets and efforts,” Tsujihara said. “As we welcome these businesses into the Warner Bros. family, we are also reaffirming our commitment to being the number one destination for creative talent.”
Read Tsujihara’s full email below:
Dear Colleagues:
First, I’d like to welcome our colleagues at Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim, TCM and Otter Media to the global Warner Bros. family. I hope everyone has had the opportunity to read John Stankey’s message from this morning regarding some very important organizational changes that are redefining our parent company, WarnerMedia.
While change is never easy, a realigned WarnerMedia will be better-positioned, better-resourced and better able to compete on all fronts. We are literally entering a new chapter in our company’s history.
I’ve known and worked with Bob Greenblatt throughout the years, and I’m looking forward to working with him and the newly combined WarnerMedia Entertainment to fully maximize our companies’ assets and efforts.
Here at Warner Bros., incorporating Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim into the company will truly make Kids/Young Adults/Animation a fundamental pillar of our business. This newly combined operation will allow us to take an integrated, global approach to all our kids and animation businesses (TV, film, games, consumer products) like never before, using the companies’ IP, talent and legacies to create an animation powerhouse.
Turner Classic Movies is also a natural fit with Warner Bros., given we have the largest and most valuable film library in the business. Partnering TCM and Warner Bros. will help us give fans more of what they want in new and exciting ways, while building on the Studio’s almost-100-year history as a leader in filmed entertainment.
Otter Media speaks loudly–and effectively–to the millennial/Gen Z audience and brings together highly passionate communities through content. Bringing our iconic brands, infrastructure and library together with Otter’s creative talent, reach and diverse set of communities will help us grow this important audience segment for Warner Bros. and WarnerMedia content and services. This move also enables us to create the scale necessary for passion-driven digital media companies to be successful.
Additionally, all activities around consumer products for WarnerMedia properties will now fall under the WBCP umbrella.
As we welcome these businesses into the Warner Bros. family, we are also reaffirming our commitment to being the number one destination for creative talent. We will continue to work with the industry’s best writers, directors, producers, actors, designers and developers to create the broadest and most diverse roster of film, television, game and digital properties. Warner Bros.’ production entities are an unmatched content engine, supplying both third-party and WarnerMedia platforms with the world’s best entertainment. And that’s not going to change.
Warner Bros. is now positioned to form deeper and more meaningful relationships with our fans and consumers. Combined with AT&T’s reach and first-in-class technology, the opportunity is even bigger.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge Richard Plepler and David Levy. Richard and David have been my colleagues and friends for more than two decades. Both have made tremendous contributions to the success of WarnerMedia and its predecessor, Time Warner, and both have been terrific partners to Warner Bros. and to me over the years. I’m sad to see them leave the company, but I know they’ll be hugely successful at whatever they choose to do next.
I’m sure you have many questions, and we’ll continue to provide additional information as it becomes available in the days and weeks ahead, including at the State of the Studio on March 14th. I hope you will join us.
Again, I’m excited about what’s ahead for Warner Bros. and for all of us. I’m proud to call all of you colleagues and I’m glad we’re on this journey together.
All best,