Latman and Daniels out as WBD restructuring hits US networks group
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has restructured its US networks group, with several senior executives leaving the company, including HGTV and Food Network head Jane Latman and Discovery and Turner networks head Nancy Daniels.
With the departure of Latman, who was the president of home and food content for HGTV and Food Network, creative oversight will shift to Betsy Sanner Ayala for Food Network and Loren Ruch for HGTV.
Daniels, meanwhile, previously oversaw content for the Discovery networks (Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel) and Turner networks (TNT, TBS and TruTV).
With her departure, Howard Lee will assume responsibility for the Discovery networks, in addition to retaining oversight of content at TLC and Travel Channel. Jason Sarlanis, who is currently in charge of content at ID, will see his role expand to oversee content for TNT, TBS and TruTV.
The shake-up was announced by Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer of the US Networks Group, in a memo on Friday.
“I am announcing a reorganisation today that will ultimately enable our business to run more effectively and collaboratively across all the brands and business functions while maintaining our robust culture of content creation and powerful storytelling,” said Finch.
“Unfortunately, the changes required will include the elimination of some positions within our content teams and of some long-time leaders who have been a big part of the company for many years.”
Also leaving the company is Matthew Butler, who served as group senior VP for Travel Channel and paranormal streaming content at WBD, and Scott Lewers, who oversaw franchise series expansions and tentpole programming at the Discovery and Turner networks.
Since the close of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger in April, cost-cutting measures have hit every part of the merged business, including lay-offs and restructuring at Warner Bros Television Group and the HBO/HBO Max teams in the US.
Finch added: “While it is undoubtedly difficult to say goodbye to long-time colleagues and friends, the reorganisation we are undertaking will ultimately enable our content teams to share resources, work more collaboratively across brands and genres, and maximise our ability to innovate and create during this dynamic time for our industry.
“We intend to work quickly to put the new structure in place and to sync these groups effectively, so we ask for your continued patience as we make sure we’re doing things in a thoughtful way.”
Elsewhere, in the DACH region, Warner Bros Discovery marketing manager Stefan Vochezer has had his role expanded to cover channels and streaming.
Alongside Björn Steinwascher, Matthias Wass von Czege and Raf Gasak, Stefan Vochezer will also be part of the team of the new head of group marketing at Warner Bros Discovery in the DACH region, Malgosia Chapman, from 2023.
Vochezer has worked for Warner Bros Discovery GSA for nine years. Most recently, he was marketing director of local productions at Warner in Hamburg.
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