As a gamer with a knack for binge-watching and an insatiable appetite for quality content, I can confidently say that the recent developments at Warner Bros. Discovery have me more than just a little excited! Kathleen Finch‘s departure might mean changes are on the horizon, but the upcoming HBO Max reboot of Harry Potter and the tantalizing prospect of a Food Network show centered around magical baked goods has me counting down the days!
Kathleen Finch, who is stepping down as the chairman and CEO of U.S. Networks at Warner Bros. Discovery, stated that their company has a deep understanding of its audience and possesses the ability to create programming that maintains viewer engagement for an extended period.
At Content London on Tuesday, the outgoing U.S. executive, who was handing over his role to Channing Dungey, the new chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group, discussed various topics. Among these, he was questioned about capitalizing on the Harry Potter intellectual property prior to the HBO Max reboot and generating enthusiasm among fans across multiple networks.
At Food Network, we’ve consistently excelled, often associated with grandiose gingerbread houses and spectacular shows. We’ve always dreamt of creating a Harry Potter-themed show, but every time we proposed the idea, it was turned down. Fortunately, a merger took place, giving us ownership of Harry Potter, which finally allowed us to realize this dream.
She went on to say, “We’ve launched a baking competition called ‘Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking‘ right here in England, at the very same Harry Potter studio. Let me tell you, this show is incredible! They construct enormous cakes, each one modeled after various Harry Potter scenes, sets, characters. These are exactly the sorts of chances we thrive on.
It was confirmed in July that Finch, responsible for a group of more than 20 networks, including Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, TNT, TBS, OWN, Investigation Discovery and Adult Swim, would be stepping down in her role and looking to Dungey to keep everything in ship-shape order, something that Finch has no doubt over. “What we are very proud of at Warner Brothers is the fact that our networks are very genre-specific,” Finch said. “We know our audience. We know what they want, we know what they come for. We know how to make shows that will keep them watching for a long, long time. And there’s an art to them.”
A genre that our company can’t seem to get enough of and keeps viewers hooked is true crime: “These topics are irresistible to our streaming audience. We just can’t get enough of true crime. I must say, it’s really taking off for us in the United States, including celebrity true crime – yes, if someone famous or infamous comes to light, we want to hear all about it.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that reality shows about relationships have also maintained their popularity: “90 Day Fiance,” as Finch pointed out, is a prime example. In fact, we’ve created 12 spin-offs in various languages, demonstrating its lasting appeal and success.
She was also asked about the state of the industry, still suffering from the lingering ramifications of the historic Hollywood strikes and COVID-19, and in particular the death of cable. “Is the cable business going to grow? No, of course not… But for the millions and millions of people who still have cable in the U.S. — millions of people still have cable — they are watching in very large numbers, and it’s a hugely profitable business. It is a multi-billion dollar a year business. It’s not going to go away in the near future. Is it growing? No, but it’s not going to go away.”
Finch went on to explain: “One key reason our business thrives is because we produce excellent content that reaches Max through various networks. First, it appears on the networks within my portfolio. However, its reach extends far beyond this initial stop, as each platform it visits brings in additional revenue for the company. This means there are numerous advantages to maintaining a strong and vibrant business, and ours remains a profitable, multi-million dollar enterprise, though it is currently experiencing a slowdown rather than a decline.
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2024-12-03 18:55