3 days ago
Channing Dungey to Remain With Warner Bros. Discovery Studios and Streaming Post-Split
Channing Dungey, the chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Discovery's U.S. Networks, is set to remain with the Studios & Streaming business following its separation from the media giant's Global Networks business, which is expected to take place in mid-2026.
'Warner Bros Television Group will become part of Streaming & Studios, and I'm thrilled that I will continue to have the privilege of leading WBTVG,' the executive said in a memo to employees on Monday.
As head of Warner Bros. Television Group, Dungey oversees WBTV as well as its unscripted television division, which includes the Warner Horizon, Telepictures, and Shed Media labels. Dungey also has oversight of animated production from Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
As of March, WBTVG's divisions were producing more than 80 projects for nearly 20 platforms, including HBO, Max, U.S. Networks, external streaming services, the broadcast networks and local stations. Notable series include 'Ted Lasso,' 'Abbott Elementary', 'All American,' 'The Bachelor' franchise, 'Batman: Caped Crusader,' 'Creature Commandos,' 'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage,' 'Harley Quinn,' 'Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking,' 'The Jennifer Hudson Show,' 'The Penguin,' 'The Pitt,' 'Presumed Innocent,' 'Running Point,' 'Shrinking,' 'Teen Titans Go!,' 'The Voice,' 'You,' and many more.
Following the retirement of Kathleen Finch at the end of 2024, Dungey officially took over the role as U.S. Networks head, giving her additional oversight of Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Cooking Channel, HLN, OWN, Science Channel, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, and Turner Classic Movies.
Also currently leading the U.S. Networks division with Dungey are chief operating officer Brett Paul, chief creative officer Howard Lee, chief financial and strategy officer Susan Kolar, who has been named chief financial and strategy officer and global chief marketing officer Karen Bronzo.
In addition to WBTV, the Studios & Streaming business will include Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max, Warner Bros. Games, Tours, Retail and Experiences, as well as studio production facilities in Burbank and Leavesden.
Executives have said that the streaming business is on track to generate at least $1.3 billion in profit by the end of 2025 and reach at least 150 million streaming subscribers by the end of 2026, which it plans to achieve through a combination of expanding Max internationally, strategic distribution partnerships and driving higher penetration of its ad-supported tier. Meanwhile, the studios business is targeting at least $3 billion in annual profit, with a specific timeline for achieving that unclear.
Global Networks will include CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery, top free-to-air channels across Europe, Discovery+ and Bleacher Report (B/R). It will retain a 20% stake in the studios and streaming business to help the company deleverage and is expected to take the majority of WBD's roughly $37 billion in gross debt.
The post Channing Dungey to Remain With Warner Bros. Discovery Studios and Streaming Post-Split appeared first on TheWrap.
