Warner Bros. Discovery Networks, formerly known as Turner EntertainmentNetworks,[1] is an American mass media division of Warner Bros. Discovery that oversees the operations of many of its television channels and assets owned and operated in the United States. Its related international division is Warner Bros. Discovery International.
History
Turner Broadcasting System
In 1970, Ted Turner purchased WJRJ-Atlanta, Channel 17, a small, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) station, and renamed it WTCG, for parent company Turner Communications Group.[2][3] During December 1976, WTCG originated the "superstation" concept, transmitting via satellite to cable systems.[2]
On December 17, 1976, at 1:00 pm, WTCG Channel 17's signal was beamed via satellite to its four cable systems in Grand Island, Nebraska; Newport News, Virginia; Troy, Alabama; and Newton, Kansas. All four cable systems started receiving the 1948 Dana Andrews – Cesar Romero film Deep Waters already in progress. The movie had started 30 minutes earlier. WTCG went from being a little television station to a major TV network that every one of the 24,000 households outside of the 675,000 in Atlanta was receiving coast-to-coast. WTCG became a so-called Superstation and created a precedent of today's basic cable television.
HBO had gone to satellite transmissions to distribute its signal nationally in 1975, but that was a service that cable subscribers were made to pay extra to receive. Ted Turner's innovation signaled the start of the basic cable revolution.
In 1979, the company changed its name to Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and the call letters of its main entertainment channel to WTBS.
WarnerMedia Studios and Networks (2018–2022)
On March 4, 2019, AT&T would reorganize its broadcasting assets to effectively dissolve Turner Broadcasting System with its assets moving to the newly created WarnerMedia Entertainment with the unit consisting of HBO, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and an upcoming direct-to-consumer video service with Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, and Turner Classic Movies would be moved under Warner Bros. Entertainment via the new "Global Kids & Young Adults" business unit.[4][5]
On August 10, 2020, the WarnerMedia Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment television assets were merged to form WarnerMedia Studios & Networks Group with several of its units being reaorginazed in a major corporate revamp that resulted in TBS, TNT and TruTV being brought back under the same umbrella as Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM with Casey Bloys—who was with WarnerMedia since 2004 (as director of development at HBO Independent Productions), being elevated to President of Programming at HBO and Cinemax in May 2016—added oversight of WarnerMedia's basic cable networks and HBO Max to his purview.[6][7]
On July 31, 2017, Discovery announced it would acquire Scripps Networks Interactive, owner of networks such as Food Network, HGTV, and DIY Network, for $14.6 billion, with Discovery's brands being reorganized under different executives chief brand officers: SNI's chief programmer Kathleen Finch became chief brand officer of Lifestyle, overseeing TLC, the six former Scripps channels, and Discovery's other lifestyle networks, with Rich Ross, who formerly served as group president of Discovery and Science, stepping down, and being replaced by TLC president Nancy Daniels as chief brand officer of Discovery & Factual.[11][12]
Merger as Warner Bros. Discovery Networks
On May 17, 2021, three years after the acquisition, AT&T decided to sell its ownership of WarnerMedia in a merger with Discovery, Inc. to form a new publicly traded company, Warner Bros. Discovery. On April 8, 2022, WarnerMedia was divested by AT&T and merged with Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). All linear networks owned by the company, besides CNN, Turner Sports, HBO, and Magnolia Network, being overseen by Kathleen Finch as head of Warner Bros. Discovery Networks.[13][14][15]
On August 16, 2024, it was announced that Kathleen Finch would retire as the head of Warner Bros. Discovery Networks at the end of the year. She would be succeeded by Channing Dungey, who is the chairwoman of the Warner Bros. Television Group division.[16]
On December 12, 2024, WBD announced plans to reorganize its studios, networks and direct-to-consumer/streaming divisions in mid-2025. These businesses will be reorganized into two units: "Streaming & Studios"—which will include Warner Bros., HBO, and Max, and "Global Linear Networks". Zaslav stated that the new structure would enable greater flexibility and "potential future strategic opportunities". It will also insulate WBD's declining cable networks from its more profitable studio and direct-to-consumer businesses.[17]
