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Tag: WarnerMedia

  • HBO Max, HBO add 2.8 mn subs in Q2, WarnerMedia’s revenues touch $8.8 billion.

    HBO Max, HBO add 2.8 mn subs in Q2, WarnerMedia’s revenues touch $8.8 billion.

    New Delhi: Media and telecommunications giant AT&T showed continued customer growth in wireless, fiber and HBO Max in the second quarter, the company has said. In its Q2 report released on Thursday, AT&T reported consolidated revenues of $44 billion, up from $41 billion in Q2 2020.

    WarnerMedia’s total revenues climbed to $8.8 billion from 8.5 billion in Q1 indicating partial recovery from the impact of the pandemic.

    HBO Max and HBO added 2.8 million domestic subscribers. Total domestic subscribers for both topped 47 million — up 10.7 million from the past year and 67.5 million globally, up 12 million in the past year. The parent company has also raised its expectations for HBO/HBO Max growth by the end of 2021, and now expects 70 million-73 million global HBO Max/HBO subscribers by the end of year. 

    “We are pleased with our performance and our momentum is strong,” said AT&T CEO John Stankey. “For the fourth consecutive quarter, we saw good subscriber growth across wireless, fiber and HBO Max. Mobility delivered strong service revenue, EBITDA and postpaid phone growth. Our fiber business grew subscribers and penetration.”

    The company’s top executive said, HBO Max had another strong quarter and is ahead of plan to be a leading direct-to-consumer streaming platform, with both subscriber- and ad-supported choices. “As a result, we’re raising our global HBO Max year-end forecast to 70 million to 73 million subscribers. Also, we’re updating full-year guidance for consolidated revenue, wireless service revenue, adjusted EPS and free cash flow,” he said.

    Early this May, AT&T and Discovery Inc. had agreed to combine their media assets into a new public traded company. The deal is expected to be completed by mid-2022 pending regulatory approvals.  “No news is good news… We continue to move through it,” said Stankey responding to a media query on the deal.

    The merged entity to be led by current Discovery chief executive David Zaslav will bring together brands like HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet, ID. The larger aim is to compete globally in the fast-growing direct-to-consumer business- bringing compelling content to DTC subscribers across its portfolio, including HBO Max and the recently launched discovery+.

  • Amit Malhotra appointed managing director for HBO Max in Southeast Asia, India

    Amit Malhotra appointed managing director for HBO Max in Southeast Asia, India

    New Delhi: WarnerMedia on Friday announced the appointment of Amit Malhotra as managing director for HBO Max in Southeast Asia and India. 

    Malhotra most recently served as regional lead for Disney+ in Southeast Asia, where he was responsible for overseeing the launch and operations of Disney’s streaming services in the region, including Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar and Hotstar.

    He will join WarnerMedia later this month and report to HBO Max International head, Johannes Larcher. Malhotra will be responsible for the rollout and management of WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer platform in Southeast Asia. He will immediately assume responsibility for the management of HBO GO, WarnerMedia’s existing OTT streaming service available in eight territories across Southeast Asia. In the future, he will spearhead the introduction of HBO Max in these territories and will lead WarnerMedia’s exploration of future opportunities to launch the streaming platform in additional markets, as well as a potential future launch in India, said the company on Friday.

    At Disney, Malhotra also led the content sales and distribution division as part of The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to Consumer & International (DTCI) business in South APAC and Middle East, pivoting Disney’s linear business in the region to streaming by working closely with local telcos and MVPDs, creating localized payment strategies and developing deep content studio relationships throughout Southeast Asia. 

    Johannes Larcher said, “With our upcoming launch across Latin America on 29 June and our plans for Europe on the horizon, we turn our sights toward Asia, where we have an incredible opportunity to bring HBO Max to millions of new fans who are just as excited about streaming as our audiences in the U.S. Amit’s experience launching streaming services in both mature and emerging markets across Southeast Asia and the surrounding region make him the ideal leader to plan and oversee the rollout of HBO Max and its expanded content offering and platform experience.” 

    David Simonsen, who has played an important role in the growth of HBO GO in Southeast Asia to date, will continue to make a significant contribution to WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer efforts in the region, and will work closely with Amit as part of his executive leadership team.

    Amit Malhotra said, “I am delighted to be part of the incredible team at WarnerMedia in Asia as we look at bringing HBO Max to this region. WarnerMedia’s brands including DC Universe, HBO and Cartoon Network are extremely popular with passionate fans and audiences across this region. With a focus on consumers our goal will be to bring all of these brands and content together in an exciting new world class streaming experience as we move into the future with HBO Max.” 

    Under Malhotra’s leadership, WarnerMedia expects to launch HBO Max in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam in the future, including an expanded content offering for the entire family and a premium new platform that would be hosted on HBO Max’s tech stack, providing a more stable and consistent streaming experience than HBO GO. Malhotra will also be responsible for exploring possible opportunities to launch HBO Max in new and fast-growing Asian streaming markets such as India.

    HBO Max has witnessed significant success since launching in May last year, adding 11.1 million HBO/HBO Max subscribers in the U.S. as of the end of Q1 2021. The platform will roll out in 39 territories across Latin America and the Caribbean on 29 June, and HBO’s existing OTT services in Europe are scheduled to be upgraded to HBO Max later this year. By the end of 2021, HBO Max is expected to be available in 61 global markets, said the company.

  • CNN+ to accelerate launch in US

    CNN+ to accelerate launch in US

    Mumbai: This one is for those news channel executives and owners in India who don’t seem to have the confidence to launch their own streaming services. Cable TV news pioneer CNN – part of the WarnerMedia (now WarnerBros.Discovery) group, is working on its OTT service called – what else do you expect –CNN+, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

    The platform is likely to be subscription driven and launch plans are being speeded up to allow it to debut much before the merger between CNN owner Warner Media and Discovery gets completed and the combined media behemoth resurfaces as Warner Bros.Discovery.

    CNN+ has signed up deals with its prime anchors led by Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon to create new programmes – aside from the ones they have on the cable TV news service – , offering them higher packages, and possibly even bonuses related to subscriber growth.

    Rivals such as Fox News got into the streaming fray 18 months ago as Fox Nation, offering differentiated programming than what is served on the network. Subscription numbers are just in the hundreds of thousands, but the new streamer has helped the Murdoch owned news service stay relevant to a new generation of digital first customers.

    The Comcast owned streamer Peacock, also has given space to programmes from sister news services MSNBC and CNBC, as has the Viacom owned Paramount+ which has news shows such as 60 minutes  from its CBS News operation.

    Will Indian news channel leaders take a cue from the bustle of activity taking place in the US and also launch their own streaming services? So far they have been happy have a meek presence with their online web site avatars or have their linear channels streamed on other OTTs such as Disney+Hotstar or Zee5. It’s over to the news channel managements.

  • Discovery extends David Zaslav’s employment contract

    Discovery extends David Zaslav’s employment contract

    MUMBAI:  When you swing a deal like he has done, you probably deserve to be rewarded. Discovery president & CEO David Zaslav played a key role in getting AT&T’s WarnerMedia to align itself with the network he leads, an announcement of which was made earlier this week. Well, his labour has yielded fruit as his employment contract has been extended to run through 31 December 2027 from its previous effective date of 2023.

    Of course, we all know that the merger of the two media firms will lead to the creation of a behemoth offering WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports, and news assets and Discovery’s leading nonfiction and international entertainment and sports businesses. And it was announced that Zaslav will lead the proposed new company.

    Since joining it in 2007, Zaslav has steered Discovery to new heights starting with taking it public in 2008, stream rolling it into the Fortune500 in 2014, acquiring Scripps Networks Interactive, in a transaction which closed in 2018 and ramping up its direct-to-consumer efforts under discovery+. The definitive real-life subscription streaming service launched in the US in January 2021 with more than 55,000 episodes, and internationally, continues its rollout to more than 25 markets and accounts for 15 million subs already.

    The Discovery comprises nearly 20 per cent of ad-supported pay-TV viewership in the US and nearly seven billion monthly video views, making it the No 1 pay-TV portfolio in Uncle Sam, claims a press release. And its global distribution has surpassed three billion viewers.

    Before Discovery Zaslav had a distinguished career at NBCUniversal, where he was instrumental in developing and launching CNBC and also played a role in the creation of MSNBC.

  • Cartoon Network’s family fun time with Best Summer Ever campaign

    Cartoon Network’s family fun time with Best Summer Ever campaign

    NEW DELHI: Kids’ entertainment channel Cartoon Network has rolled out the Best Summer Ever campaign for kids and parents, which aims to transform homes into the ultimate destinations for exciting adventures that could be enjoyed with the entire family. 

    As a part of the Best Summer Ever campaign running from May to 27 June, the channel will telecast popular shows including Grizzy and the Lemmings, Tom and Jerry, and BandbudhAurBudbak every day between 8 AM and 10 AM. 

    The channel has also launched its microsite, which will bring over 150 home-based activities across five themes that will entertain and regale kids, within the comfort and safety of their homes. With a little bit of imagination and some help from their parents, kids will watch every corner of their homes turn into the playful spaces they see on their favorite shows.

    Powered by Rasna, Best Summer Ever will offer a volley of activities designed around the best-loved franchises including We Bare Bears, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Teen Titans Go! and Ben10. The engaging activities will be spread across multiple ‘pillars’ while corresponding to special corners of the home, on the microsite. Kids can enjoy the greatest musical performance of all time in the shower Toon Tunes Valley or get inspired by the most fabulous dance routine in the living room Gymsville. 

    The super fun themes include:

    ●        Play: Craft Creek with Looney Tunes – Nothing spells more satisfaction than indulging in your own creation! From show-themed food recipes to DIY craft activities, there’s no time to chill or even go ‘What’s Up Doc?’

    ●        Music: Toon Tunes Valley with We Bare Bears – Grab your hairbrush and be confident like Ice Bear as you hone your vocals with notable Cartoon Network tunes.

    ●        Movement: Gymsville with Tom and Jerry – Ever wonder how Tom never gets tired of a mouse hunt? We’re spilling the cheese on Tom’s secret set of Cartoon Network workout videos so you can start training for the home adventures ahead!

    ●        Explore: Toonsplorer Island with Teen Titans Go! — From drawing, coloring, solving, decorating, even upgrading your mobile devices with wallpapers of your favorite toons, let’s add some fizzle to your virtual life.

    ●        Games: ArcadeTown with Ben10 – Have an intergalactic time playing different games with your fave toons online.

    “With the current challenging times, we understand the worry and the unease that comes with it for homebound kids. Cartoon Network has developed Best Summer Ever, a regional campaign for kids to enjoy their summer holidays in a unique way, keeping them engaged and entertained within the safety and comfort of their homes, with their families,” said Cartoon Network and WarnerMedia companion channel POGO South Asia Network Head Abhishek Dutta. 

    Cartoon Network will also introduce digital contests and challenges. The most actively participating kids will stand to win exciting goodies from the brand. Add that to chock full of summer-themed recipes, crafts, sing-alongs, watch parties, and much, much more.

  • Sony acquires Crunchyroll from WarnerMedia’s AT&T

    Sony acquires Crunchyroll from WarnerMedia’s AT&T

    NEW DELHI: WarnerMedia’s AT&T has agreed to sell Crunchyroll to Sony in a deal worth $1.175 billion.

    Crunchyroll is an anime direct-to-consumer service within AT&T’s WarnerMedia segment with three million plus SVoD subscribers. It currently serves 90 million registered users across more than 200 countries and territories offering AVoD, mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution.

    Funimation is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) subsidiary, Aniplex.

    “The Crunchyroll team has done an extraordinary job of not only growing the Crunchyroll brand but also building a passionate community of anime fans. Crunchyroll’s success is a direct result of the company’s culture and commitment to their fans,” WarnerMedia CRO Tony Goncalves said. “By combining with Funimation, they will continue to nurture a global community and bring more anime to more people. I’m incredibly proud of the Crunchyroll team and what they have been able to accomplish in the digital media space in such a short period of time. They’ve created an end-to-end global ecosystem for this incredible art form.”

    “We are proud to bring Crunchyroll into the Sony family,” Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra said. “Through Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, we have a deep understanding of this global art form and are well-positioned to deliver outstanding content to audiences around the world. Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunity for creators, producers and publishers in Japan and elsewhere. Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing segment of entertainment.”

  • Global Bulletin: WarnerMedia restructures EMEA leadership teams

    Global Bulletin: WarnerMedia restructures EMEA leadership teams

    MUMBAI: New WarnerMedia France and Benelux, Germany-Austria-Switzerland country manager Iris Knobloch has restructured her leadership teams across EMEA.

    Olivier Snanoudj, Eric Broet, Caroline Lang, Guillaume Coffin and Gregory Schuber will resume leadership positions for France and Benelux, with Willi Geike, Steffen Schier, Peter Schauerte, Sylvia Rothblum, Matthias Heinze and Tim van Dyk assuming leadership responsibilities for GAS.

    Snanoudj and Schier will overlook theatrical distribution for the France and Benelux and GAS markets, respectively, while Lang will head TV distribution for France and French-speaking territories with Rothblum seeing the same responsibilities for GAS and Israel.

    Home entertainment and consumer products in each region will consolidate under one leadership, handled by Broet along with the support of Yves Elalouf and Jérôme Ollagnier. Schauerte will oversee home entertainment and consumer products for GAS, supported by Veronika Tiedemann and Stefan Hausberg.

    Schuber and van Dyk will look after the marketing teams in the two territories including publicity, franchise management and data. Geike, who last worked on the position of country manager, will now head the company’s local theatrical production for GAS. Broet will supervise local theatrical production for France and Benelux.

    Meanwhile, Warner Bros TV Production UK Group company Twenty Twenty has appointed James O’Reilly as its new creative director. He will report to managing director Leanne Klein and work out of the company’s newly established Bristol offices which will serve as the company’s headquarters starting in 2021.

    O’Reilly will be responsible for overseeing the creation and production of new original content for the company’s slate, and to manage the company’s existing catalogue of ongoing series. He joins the company after more than a decade at Blast! Films, serving as creative director for the last four years.

  • Warner Bros to stream 2021 movies on HBO Max

    Warner Bros to stream 2021 movies on HBO Max

    KOLKATA: In a big move, Warner Bros will release its entire movie slate simultaneously on HBO Max along with theatres in 2021. It had announced earlier that Wonder Woman 1984 would land on the streaming service on Christmas, the same time as its theatrical release, in response to Covid2019 crisis.

    “We are announcing today that, in the United States, the entire anticipated 17-film 2021 Warner Bros motion picture slate is going to be released throughout the coming year in theatres and on HBO Max the same day. That’s a Warner Bros motion picture just about once every three weeks,” WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kiler said.

    Hence, HBO Max subscribers will be able to enjoy The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho and Matrix 4 at home itself. The movies will not cost any additional charge in the first month of release.

    “We are so excited for the year ahead, which for us begins with the release of Wonder Woman 1984 in a few weeks (less than 22 days from now, but who’s counting?). 17, yes, 17 huge motion pictures are planned to be both in theatres and on HBO Max,” Kiler added.

  • WarnerMedia integrates organisational structure in India, Clement Schwebig to lead

    WarnerMedia integrates organisational structure in India, Clement Schwebig to lead

    KOLKATA: WarnerMedia International has unveiled its new-look for India, southeast Asia and Korea organization and leadership, strengthening its position and commitment to the region. This unites WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks comprising the legacy Turner and HBO businesses with Warner Bros. including theatrical distribution, TV syndication, home entertainment as well as consumer products, gaming and location-based entertainment.

    It forms one of the most powerful integrated entertainment media operations in the region, including TV brands (HBO, Cartoon Network and CNN), the HBO GO streaming service, and hugely popular Warner Bros. franchises like Looney Tunes and the entire DC universe.

    The organisation will be led by WarnerMedia head for India, southeast Asia and Korea Clement Schwebi.

    With the announcement of his leadership team, Schwebig commented: “We have tremendous depth and breadth of talent across our organization and combined, we are definitely better together. We’ve put in place a unique organizational structure for growth that is designed to sharpen our focus on the consumer and build stronger relationships with our local partners. Integrating our commercial activities, content and marketing functions will enable us to leverage our enhanced scale and bigger footprint of consumer touchpoints across our varied businesses, brands, franchises and platforms.”

    The leadership team for the region now comprises:

    Lines of Business

    · Yasmin Zahid heads up affiliate & B2B distribution for all WarnerMedia linear TV networks including HBO channels, CNN International, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, POGO, Warner TV and Oh!K, as well as lead B2B carriage partnerships for the HBO GO streaming service

    · David Simonsen continues to lead the development of HBO GO in Southeast Asia. He will work closely with Johannes Larcher’s global HBO Max team to lay the foundation for its future launch

    · Jae Chang heads up TV distribution and home entertainment overseeing all physical and digital distribution licensing for all WarnerMedia content in the region.

    · Vikram Sharma takes charge of consumer products, advertising and partnerships leading both the licensing & merchandising business for all WarnerMedia IP, brands and franchises, as well as the advertising sales business for all WarnerMedia brands on all platforms linear and digital

    · A new lead for theatrical distribution is being identified. In the meantime, all country managing directors will report directly into Clement Schwebig

    Functions

    · Magdalene Ew takes charge of the company’s consolidated entertainment pillar including all HBO channels, Warner TV and Oh!K as well as Ding Ji Theatre in China. She will also oversee all entertainment original productions in the region, including HBO Asia Originals

    ·Athreyan Sundararajan leads an integrated group marketing team for all WarnerMedia business, including advertising and distribution sales trade, consumer and brand as well as theatrical. Creative services and social Media will also report into him

    · Shonali Bedi heads up strategy and operations including all transformation initiatives in the region and also takes on expanded responsibilities for Research and Insights

    · Leslie Lee continues to lead all the kids brands for WarnerMedia across Asia Pacific, including India, southeast Asia and Korea.

    With these changes and the new organization structure, WarnerMedia SVP and MD South Asia Siddharth Jain, and SVP of original productions – entertainment Jessica Kam will be leaving.

    Schwebig added: “We owe Sid and Jessica a huge debt of gratitude for the many years of significant contribution they have made to WarnerMedia. They have each in their own way left a lasting legacy and helped build an incredible foundation for the future of our businesses.” 

  • WarnerMedia to cease transmission of HBO & WB in India from end 2020

    WarnerMedia to cease transmission of HBO & WB in India from end 2020

    MUMBAI: WarnerMedia International will be ceasing the HBO SD and HD linear movie channels in India and Pakistan, as well as the WB linear movie channel in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives with effect from 15 December 2020.

    WarnerMedia International will continue to operate and invest more in the highly popular kids brands Cartoon Network and POGO in the south Asia region, including increasing local animation production in this region.

    “After 20 years of successes for the HBO linear movie channel in south Asia and more than a  decade with the WB linear movie channel, this was a difficult decision to make. The pay-TV industry landscape and the market dynamics have shifted dramatically, and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for further change,” said WarnerMedia SVP and MD – south Asia Siddharth Jain.

    He added: “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all our partners and fans who  have made HBO and WB household names. We also owe a debt of gratitude to all our employees  who have worked so passionately on these well-loved brands. WarnerMedia has a strong interest  in India and are committed to assessing optimal opportunities to serve valued customers here.”

    WarnerMedia will continue to have employees based in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore to manage its kids brands operations, sales and marketing as well as the distribution of CNN International.