HBO, Turner, Warner merge distribution

US media giant WarnerMedia is to merge the international distribution divisions of HBO, Turner and Warner Bros, ahead of the Upfronts and LA Screenings.

Jeffrey Schlesinger

The move will see Jeffrey Schlesinger, president of Warner Bros Worldwide Television Distribution, take the helm of the distribution activities of all three companies, which previously operated separately.

In line with this, HBO’s home entertainment operations will be merged with those of Warners Bros, under the leadership of Jim Wuthrich, president of Warner Bros Worldwide Home Entertainment and Games.

“Bringing these businesses all under one roof means we improve cooperation and create scale,” said WarnerMedia chief revenue officer Gerhard Zeiler in a statement. “Acting as one will strengthen our position in an increasingly challenging marketplace.”

Schlesinger added: “For the first time at our company, the diverse and unparalleled portfolio of genre-defining new and library programming created by HBO, Warner Bros and Turner will be distributed globally by one group.

“This structure will enable us to speak with one voice, as we create new and innovative ways to license our top-quality programming to networks, channels and services globally, helping them grow their audiences and subscriber bases.”

The move is the latest reorganisation and restructuring at WarnerMedia following the buy-out of its parent company, Time Warner, by telecoms giant AT&T, giving it control of HBO, Warner Bros and Turner’s collection of cablenets.

AT&T previously rolled HBO and the Turner nets – TNT, TBS and TruTV – together into one television unit along with its forthcoming WarnerMedia streaming service, which will launch later this year. Former NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt was hired to run the division.

Another division is being formed containing the newly merged firm’s news and sport operations, which include news cablenet CNN, a host of AT&T regional sports channels and Turner’s sports network and sports website The Bleacher Report. Jeff Zucker, previously president of CNN Worldwide Media, heads this group.

Last week former Lionsgate exec Jennifer O’Connell became the latest recruit to the team for the forthcoming as-yet-unnamed WarnerMedia streamer.