Warner Bros consolidates TV studios

Warner Bros Television Group is consolidating its scripted television production operations as part of the ongoing restructuring at parent company WarnerMedia.

Peter Roth

Warner Bros Television and cable/streaming-focused unit Warner Horizon Scripted TV are being merged into a new scripted division, which will be led by Warner Bros Television presidents Susan Rovner and Brett Paul.

The pair were given oversight of Warner Horizon Scripted TV and Warner Bros Television last year and will continue to report to Warner Bros Television Group chairman Peter Roth.

In the scripted division, Clancy Collins White has been promoted to a newly created position and will now have day-to-day oversight of all scripted programme development, reporting to Rovner.

Collins White previously served as executive VP of drama development at Warner Bros Television.

Leigh London Redman has been tapped to succeed White and will lead drama development, supervising the efforts of the newly combined drama team. London Redman previously served as executive VP of scripted programming at Warner Horizon Television.

The latter position no longer exists following the consolidation, which is resulting in a number of layoffs at the studio, primarily in the areas of business affairs and finance.

Continuing in their current positions at Warner Bros Television and overseeing the newly combined teams are Adam Glick, executive VP of business affairs; Sue Palladino, executive VP of production; and Jody Zucker, executive VP of legal affairs.

Other execs whose roles remain unchanged as a result of the consolidation include Adrienne Turner, senior VP and head of comedy development, Warner Bros Television; Odetta Watkins, executive VP of current programming, premium cable and on-demand/streaming series; and Maddy Horne, executive VP of current programming, network series.

Mike Darnell

The Warner Bros unscripted TV division, meanwhile, will continue to be led by Warner Bros unscripted and alternative television president Mike Darnell, who oversees Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Telepictures and Shed Media, reporting to Roth.

Kevin E Fortson, previously executive VP of production for Warner Horizon Television, and Matt Matzkin, previously executive VP of business affairs for Warner Horizon Television, will take on new leadership roles across all unscripted programming, reporting to Darnell. The execs focus on physical production and business affairs, respectively.

The duo will be taking over the responsibilities of Telepictures executive VP and general manager Donna Redier Linsk, who is leaving the studio, according to US reports.

Brooke Karzen will continue to head development and programming for Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, while Lisa Shannon and Dan Peirson will continue to jointly run development and programming for Shed Media.

David McGuire will continue to lead current programming at Telepictures and has also been given responsibility for overseeing development at the prodco.

Overall, around 600 members of staff are expected to depart WarnerMedia as part of the major restructure, which was announced last week and has resulted in numerous top execs exiting the media giant.

These include entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt; Kevin Reilly, chief content officer at HBO Max and president of TNT, TBS and TruTV; and Jeffrey R Schlesinger, president of Warner Bros Worldwide Television Distribution.