Dungey to add Warner Bros Discovery’s US networks to purview as Finch retires
Kathleen Finch, the experienced chairman and CEO of US networks at Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), is to retire at the end of the year, with her role being taken up by Channing Dungey.
The company announced this afternoon that Finch was calling time on 25 years in the business and that its US networks will be led from next year by Dungey, Warner Bros Television Group chairman and CEO.
The move comes during a challenging time for WBD as it continues to significantly reduce its workforce – the company is currently eliminating around 1,000 more jobs – amid a languishing stock price that has fallen to less than US$7.50 per share, compared with $24 per share when WBD first formed. News of Finch’s exit also comes on the heels of WBD revealing a US$9.1bn write-down on the value of its cable television assets.
Finch joined Scripps Networks in 1999 as a programmer at Food Network, following 12 years as a journalist at CBS News, eventually rising to lead the Scripps channels group.
Following Discovery’s acquisition of Scripps, Finch served as the company’s chief lifestyle brands officer, where she led HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID and Travel Channel.
In 2022, following the formation of WBD, Finch assumed oversight of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network, as well as top entertainment cable networks TNT and TBS.
Channing Dungey
Dungey, meanwhile, has been chairman of the Warner Bros television group since she succeeded studio veteran Peter Roth in 2020. Prior to that, she spent just under two years as VP of original series at Netflix, before which she was president of ABC Entertainment. In the latter role, she had oversight of all development, programming, marketing and scheduling operations for ABC primetime and late night.
WBD CEO David Zaslav said: “There is no one better at developing captivating content, compelling talent and meaningful lifestyle brands than Kathleen, who has been my partner as we built our premier entertainment networks at Discovery and created Warner Bros Discovery as an unscripted powerhouse.
“While I understand her long-standing decision to retire, I will certainly miss her, as will the entire company, which has benefited from her unmatched collaboration and unique understanding of what our audiences crave.
“Channing is an unparalleled creative executive who has shepherded countless award-winning hit shows. She has the ideal expertise and experience – as a content developer, platform programmer and network executive – to lead the US networks.”
Finch added: “It has been an honour to spend the past 25 years at Scripps, Discovery and now Warner Bros Discovery. I began my journey at the fledgling Food Network and am so proud to have helped turn it into a cable powerhouse, and then to lead the team developing some of the most addictive unscripted franchises across HGTV and TLC, creating household names out of chefs and house flippers, and capturing the cultural conversation with real-life stories.”
