Why would they go anywhere else? Definitely to the left. David Zaslav arrives at the 2013 Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, wearing one of his trademark sweater vests. Zaslav also oversaw NBCUniversal's interests in A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and TiVo. He was born in Rockland County, New York. Follow the money. P. NATIONAL CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCTA PAC) ZASLAV, DAVID. Cuomo's spokesman denied the claim, saying: 'These apparently anonymous allegations are not true.'. His older brother graduated from Binghamton and went on to Medical School. All rights reserved. After working with Discovery and MTV at the law firm for a few years, Zaslav happened to read an article about Bob Wright, an executive at NBC. Internationally, DISCA has greatly expanded under Zaslavs reign. Media tends to be a reflection of where the country is. Last week,Discovery reportedit had reached 20 million paying streaming subscribers worldwide by the end of September. We have this great entertainment menu, which should keep people in the home, from the kids to the grandparents. 19.8 %- . Who is David Zaslav? Is reporting on it considered straight news or opinion? don't wanna make things that are political, topical, alienate Middle . Zaslav decided to study law at Boston University. NY Times 'forgot' to print Declaration of Independence for Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, I'm a professional cleaner ditch these 4 household products immediately, Tom Sandoval speaks out on Raquel Leviss affair: I deserve your anger, Shoeless Ariana Madix awkwardly tries to avoid cheating Tom Sandoval, Prince Harry was scared to lose Meghan Markle after fight that led to therapy, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval have awkward moment amid cheating scandal. Warner Bros. Stelters show, which focuses on big media stories and how the press covers the news, also marked its lowest second quarter since 2019, with an average of 679,000 viewers and 111,000 average demo viewers. David Zaslav Biography (Biografia) Wiki (wikipedia), Family (Parents), instagram, Height political affiliation is available in this article. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Early last spring, Stelter wrote in his newsletter that Malones comments about CNN stoked fears that Discovery might stifle CNN journalists and steer away from calling out indecency and injustice. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Less Than Half of U.S. Discovery+ Subscribers Are Also HBO Max Customers, David Zaslav Says, Discoverys David Zaslav Wants Industry to Leave Nielsen in the Dust. America needs a news network where everybody can come and be heard; Republicans, Democrats, Zaslav said. He worked with Discovery as an attorney. His favorite television show (not on the Discovery network) is Saturday Night Live. These dont come off as donations involving business but might be people Zaslav actually supports. Discovery CEO calls CNN 'leader in news to the left'. Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the company's controversial decision this week to cancel releases for " Batgirl " and "Scoob! By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive emails from the site owner. The $43billion deal is almost done, after years of attempts by AT&T to spin the network off. During his tenure in law school, Zaslav worked as a summer associate at 2 law firms in Los Angeles, California. David Zaslav has a net worth of $200 million. David Zaslav. Donald Trump and MAGA loyalists are calling actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner a "meathead" for his praise of President Joe Biden's administration, seemingly unaware (or potentially disregarding . Sadly, there are still many in America and not just billionaires like Malone who believe that holding Trump accountable for what he has done (and continues to do) to this country is a form of partisanship, and that such partisanship has no place in so-called balanced journalism. ', The comments below have not been moderated, By Man you weren't kidding. A Discovery spokesperson told the Post that Zaslav didnt finish his thought, adding that he uses the phrase to organize his conversations around Discoverys business. Discovery projects was done in service of moving the company away from producing divisive left-wing content in favor of entertaining the average viewer. When he joined Discovery in 2006, it was a small collection of education-oriented cable channels. In one text, on March 3, he also asked DeRosa to 'please let me help with prep'. CNN's statement announcing Cuomo's termination cited only his 'conduct with his brother's defense' in its decision to terminate the anchor. In the last 48 hours Warner Bros. Discoverys CEO David Zaslav has been painted as a villain. [9][10][47] In 2012, he received the Steven J. Ross Humanitarian Award from the UJA-Federation of New York[48] which honors people of vision, energy and sustained achievement in the entertainment, media and communications industries. All Rights Reserved. JIM RISCH FOR U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE - Republican, NCTA - THE INTERNET AND TELEVISION ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCTA PAC), Discovery Communications Llc/Discovery Communications Llc/President And Chief Executive Officer, Discovery, Inc/Discovery, Inc/President And Ceo, Discovery, Inc./Discovery, Inc./President, Discovery Communications/Discovery Communications/President & Ceo, Discovery, Inc./Discovery, Inc./President And Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Communications/Discovery Communications/Ceo. He serves on the boards of the Paley Center For Media and Mount Sinai Medical Center. [17] As president of Cable and Domestic TV and New Media Distribution, he oversaw content distribution to all forms of TV, negotiated for cable and satellite carriage of NBCUniversal networks and forged media partnerships.[18][19]. I think youre seeing more of that at CNN. Its not partisan to stand up to demagogues. . Got a confidential news tip? Zaslav turned it into . David Zaslav, the chief executive of Discovery who will lead the new company, appointed many of his longtime lieutenants to key positions overseeing areas like cable networks, streaming, revenue . Journalism first. They want to fix the shows first, but they dont realize the shows and ratings are connected.. That Saturday was also the worst-rated since 1993, which pre-dated CNNs top competitors Fox News and MSNBC. Although a diligent law student, during his 3 years in Boston, Zaslav had a good time. Even straight news reporting depends on what stories are featured, which facts are highlighted and the context surrounding the news. Besides, how is it possible to report on Trump or Rudy Giuliani or any number of todays Republican leaders and not speak of the big lie, or say theyve broken norms if not laws? [2] Zaslav spearheaded the transaction between AT&T and Discovery to combine with WarnerMedia and create the combined Warner Bros. The show was commercially successful. But he also contributed $100,000 to the Nancy Pelosi Victory Fund, and $124,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. 'Discovery's largest shareholder, John Malone, a critic of CNN, made it known that corporate procedures had to be followed to the letter in regards to Zucker, we hear,' Deadline reported on Wednesday. The company also expanded live coverage and special programming including Discoverys Shark Week and Animal Planets Super Bowl Sunday Puppy Bowl. Discovery. David Zaslav, 62, took over the combined company last month and has already ruffled feathers. Netflix now finds itself atop the subscription streaming heap, ending 2022 with 231 million paid subscribers and $5.6 billion in profits. Zaslav earned a BS degree from Binghamton University. [37][38][39], Since August 2022, Zaslav received heavy criticism for his decision to heavily shrink down the content library on the streaming service HBO Max, to be used as tax write-offs. 2023 CNBC LLC. In 2017, he donated $250,000 to Trumps inauguration. Its unlikely that Malone instructed Zaslav to tell Licht to fire Stelter. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.). Were not going to look at the ratings and, in the long run, its going to be worth more.. Longtime Discovery chief David Zaslav, who will soon oversee CNN as part of his company's merger with WarnerMedia, called his future competitor Fox . In a matter of months, the $1.7 billion global news gathering operation will be run by Discovery, whose acquisition of CNN parent WarnerMedia is expected to pass regulatory approval and close as . David Zaslav does not give an answer when asked about Jeff Zucker's future at a combined WarnerMedia and Discovery because the deal hasn't closed yet, Ken Auletta: "What's the future of cable? The consequences for both the unemployment rate (which now sits at over 15%) and the states, Read More How to Apply for a Small Business Loan in New JerseyContinue, Indian cinema has come a long way in its evolution. A Real Clear Politics polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to 10 points. [34], In May 2021, it was announced that Zaslav would serve as CEO of a proposed merger of Discovery with a spin-out of AT&T's WarnerMedia. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. David Zaslav, now 56, has achieved success in both professional and personal levels. . For several years, Brian Stelters Sunday show on CNN, Reliable Sources, has been a reliable source of intelligent criticism of Fox News, rightwing media in general, Trumpism, and the increasingly authoritarian lurch of the Republican party. [13][14] He was captain of the varsity tennis team.[15]. CEO David Zaslav, who will lead the combined company after Discovery merges with CNN parent WarnerMedia later this year, made the remark in an interview with CNBC on Friday, prompting laughter from host Joe Kernan. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, whose media giant is set to close itsmerger with CNNs owner WarnerMediathis spring, made the surprise remark during a discussion about the networks future days after theabrupt resignation of the networks president, Jeff Zucker. Whoops! He donated $250,000 to Trump's inauguration in 2017 and has made no secret of the fact that he, like Trump and millions of others, think CNN has become too left-wing and biased. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who's taking over CNN. This necessitates judgment and values. One of his favorite books is Binions World Series of Poker by James McManus. Licht has told CNN staff they should stop referring to Donald Trumps big lie because the phrase sounds like a Democratic party talking point. James Murdoch, who left the family Fox News business, donated over $2.25 million. We're running our business. Brian Stelters very popular and commerically successful show was axed. So I think it's going to be around a lot longer than people think.". Here are 10 things you didnt know about David Zaslav. Later in the CNBC interview, Zaslav referred to growth on the right side of the company, which he described as including WarnerMedia-owned HBO and a growing portfolio of sports rights. The rest, as they say, is history. During his tenure with DISCA, David Zaslav has brokered important deals. Warner Bros. His mandate for Licht, a former executive producerof CBSs The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, was to get rid of the sensational, partisan, Trump-focused coverage made popular under Zucker. Overall, I think wed be better off if we just had news networks, but we dont.. Under new chief Chris Licht, CNN will dial down the prime-time partisanship and double down on the network's news-gathering muscle, top sources tell me. Per Barr, Zaslav said he is waiting for the deal to close before discussing or simply divulging those types of plans. Soon after he started with the firm, he began working with the new partner who was the general counsel for Warner Brothers. If weve learned anything from Trump and his lapdogs at Fox News, its that facts, data and logic are no longer relevant to the Republican base. One theory centers around AT&T's deal to sell WarnerMedia - which owns CNN - to Discovery. The anti-democracy movement in America (as elsewhere) is among the biggest issues confronting us today. Sprecher also gave at least $106,500 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the official campaign arm of Republicans running for Senate seats. Zaslav himself hasnt helped matters stating that CNN would feature more right-wing viewpoints planting a flag for the center but what can readily available data tell us about the executive. This site contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, well receive a percentage of the sale. Roy Bailey, a Texas businessman who is leading fundraising efforts for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, explained that business leaders he speaks with says there is a concern that Biden will be influenced by more progressive leaders, such as as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez if he became president. If nothing else, itll be interesting to see if the list of donations grows and who might benefit. Loeffler is running for reelection to the Senate. [12] At the age of 8, he moved to Rockland County where he graduated from Ramapo High School. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said CNN is renewing its focus on "journalism" signaling he wants the scandal-scarred, left-leaning network to eventually deliver straigh Wright envisioned broadcast network getting into cable television as cable was rapidly growing with business, news and entertainment channels. Zaslav didnt clarify in response, and it immediatelywent viral on social media, where users pointed to it as an acknowledgement that CNN leans left politically. By Georg Szalai. Discovery CEO David Zaslav dropped his usual quota of names during the company's quarterly earnings call John Malone, Jack Welch, Oprah but one name didn't come up: Jeff Zucker.. Zaslav's remarks come just days after the spectacular ouster of CNN boss Zucker, who resigned under a cloud this week. In fact, Zaslavclaimed Discovery didn't have anything to do with Zucker's stunning exit, when he was bluntly asked on CNBC about the future of CNN, as well as remarks by Liberty Media chairman John Malone last year that he wanted CNN to revert to more traditional journalism. 'There were no secrets about this, as other individuals besides Mr. Cuomo can attest. Warner Bros. [33], Under his leadership, Discovery began trading as a public company in 2008, became a Fortune 500 company in 2014 and acquired Scripps Networks Interactive in 2018. New programming developed under Zasav included Planet Earth, Life, Frozen Planet, and North America. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [42][43][44], Zaslav serves on the boards of Sirius XM, The Cable Center, Center for Communication, Grupo Televisa, Partnership for New York City, Syracuse University and USC Shoah Foundation. He is from American. ', 'For the long term,' Zaslav said, CNN 'is going to be a fantastic asset.'. Biden has said he wants to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%. The leading shareholder in Warner Brothers Discovery is John Malone, a multibillionaire cable magnate. CNN's new CEO, Chris Licht, has been attending to an audience neglected by the network for the past several years: Republican lawmakers. Democratic Party. Zaslav is expected to name Zuckers permanent replacement when the merger closes. 04/06/2016. Illustration by Anthony J. Foti. Billionaire Trump donor, who is the largest shareholder of the network's new owner Discovery, wants to restore it to impartiality - and INSISTED on Jeff Zucker's departure after his affair was exposed, Jeff Zucker and girlfriend Allison Gollust 'advised "pandemic hero" Andrew Cuomo on how to handle COVID' and even 'gave him talking points on how to publicly spar with Donald Trump', 'I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, 'Vindication': Georgia Harrison on ex Stephen Bear's sentencing, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' David Zaslav, the longtime leader of Discovery, sketched out his vision for the newly formed Warner Bros. It was cancelled by Chris Licht, CNNs new chairman and CEO, who reportedly was not a fan of Stelters opinionated style. Zucker said he was leaving for violating corporate policy by not disclosing the nature of his relationship with his second-in-command, Allison Gollust. AT&T Inc., agreed to merge its WarnerMedia division with Discovery Communications Inc., creating a streaming giant to compete with Walt Disney Co.'s Disney+ and Netflix. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. Zasav liked the mixture of educational opportunities and a fun college experience that he saw at Binghamton. Discovery WBD -3.1% CEO David Zaslav says he wasn't sending a message with his decision to quickly kill off CNN's short-lived streaming channel, CNN+. Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few and The Common Good. ", Zaslavs comments contradict a Deadline report that Malone "made it known that corporate procedures had to be followed to the letter in regards to Zucker," therefore, "being that WarnerMedias standards of business conduct require disclosure of relationships that develop with a boss and subordinate, Zuckers goose was officially cooked.". When Zaslav joined Discovery in 2007, the financial crisis was looming, and Netflix was about to start streaming. Robert Zimmerman, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, and Sen. Chuck Schumer. The year 2020 expects the fiercest competition to come from the streaming services memo sent out Warner!, More & quot ;, he receives david zaslav political affiliation annual salary of $ 150 million for his.., generate 57 per cent profit that you choose to associate with to a party. Sun Pacific Power Corp; Street Smart Outdoor Last November, Zaslav told Deadline that he would take a hands-on approach at CNN and other WarnerMedia properties. 'Being that WarnerMedia's standards of business conduct require disclosure of relationships that develop with a boss and subordinate, Zucker's goose was officially cooked,' the report added. 'We have this great entertainment menu, which should keep people in the home, from the kids to the grandparents. 'We're the leader in news to the left,' he said ahead of merger with CNN. David Zaslav is a cable guy. Zaslav and other Discovery brass reportedly heard about the resignation just hours before it happened. In December, a spokesman for Cuomo accused Zucker of knowing everything about his involvement in trying to help his brother while he navigated a sexual harassment scandal. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Discovery executives are treating Zuckersunexpected exit as a fresh startfor CNN, according to the networks own media reporter, Brian Stelter. 'I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing John Malone. AT&T bought WarnerMedia (formerly Time Warner) in 2018 for $84billion. The final straw came after New York AG Letitia James' office released damning evidence where text messages proved he was more deeply involved than he'd let on. Zaslav also helped DISCA expand its audience of female viewers with development of TLC programming. Longtime Discovery chief David Zaslav, who will soon oversee CNN as part of his company's merger with WarnerMedia, called his future competitor Fox News Channel "much more of an advocacy network than a news network" on Wednesday. The public reason given was that Zucker didn't disclose a sexual relationship with CNN executive Allison Gollust, which immediately raised eyebrows as their relationship was widely known. Sources told Politco: 'Cuomo's legal team asserted that Zucker was hypocritical to suggest Cuomo had a personal conflict of interest when the relationship with Gollust represented a potential conflict as well,' the outlet reported. Although he was suspended, he was ultimately fired when a lawyer told CNN he was being investigated for sexually harassing a co-worker years earlier at a different network. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav's last name. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Zaslav said the advertising market was weaker than at any point during 2020's coronavirus . "I think of CNN in a totally different way than I thought about it years ago. Parties. He went to college to play tennis. In 2005, he held 32% of the shares of Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. [51], In 2022, he was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People. 2. John Malone said it would be good if CNN had some journalists, that would be where Id start," CNBC anchor Joe Kernen said, paraphrasing Malones 2021 remarks. They are doing that, and there's still time," Eberhart said. I don't tolerate a lot of oppo research on any level. Zucker's leadership of CNN since 2013 saw the network lurch farther to the left, particularly after the political rise of former President Donald Trump. Warner Bros. ', Keith Olbermann, the former MSNBC commentator, responded in a tweet saying: 'Well Sir, if you really mean this I have a great programming idea for you at 9 PM.'. Why it matters: Ratings are secondary to credibility, in the view of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav embraces the past as he plans his company's future. Wouldnt failing to report on it in a way that sounded alarms be a gross dereliction of duty? We've received your submission. David Zaslav the CEO of . Those two tend to split viewers, and Fox News is regularly No. Where the country was when we launched MSNBC was much more fact-based and less divided.. David Zaslav's income source is mostly from being a successful President. For legal reasons, Discovery must avoid getting involved with WarnerMedia until the deal has been approved by the U.S. government. Net Worth. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The entertainment giant owns the Warner Bros. film and TV studios, HBO, CNN, TBS, the Food Network . Fox News has that sewn up. When a product has been provided for free you will see disclosure at the bottom of the article. David has made over 19 trades of the Discovery Inc stock since 2009, according to the Form 4 filled with the SEC. Follow the money. What else could a person, Read More 20 Winnie The Pooh Quotes That Apply to BusinessContinue. August 1, 2022. Under Licht, CNN has dialed back usingthe breaking news banner on its reports in order to shift away from opinion-based programming. Jeffrey Sprecher, the CEO of the Intercontinental Exchange and husband to Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., who came under scrutiny for their stock dealings during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, gave nearly $1.3 million during the April-June quarter. 'I would never do oppo research on anybody alleging anything like this,' he told investigators. David Zaslav, who led the merger with CNN and Discovery, donated over $240,000. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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(2 minutes) Warner Bros. As David Zaslav prepared to take over Warner Bros. As Trump and other Republicans slide in the polls, the idea that taxes could go up under a Democratic administration and Congress has forced GOP donors off the sidelines, according to people helping raise money for GOP organizations. Listen to article. I do. Malone also wants the news portion of CNN to be more centrist. He managed to triple revenues, generate 57 per cent profit . for their coverage of . Market data provided by Factset. For now, a trio of CNN executives will assume Zuckers responsibilities at the network. Brian Flood is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Married with 3 children, his kids laugh at his Sirius station choices, Bruce Springsteen and the 1970s Station. Discovery, one of the world's largest and most diverse media and entertainment companies with market leadership across all programming genres, including premium scripted television and movies, non-fiction series, international, animation, global sports and news.