Kathleen Finch: Last News

Carson Burton “Ghostober,” the multi-platform spooky television event, is returning this year with more than 55 hours of new series, specials and returning shows for the Halloween season. The programming for the event includes ghost hunts, supernatural tales and pumpkin carvings fromTravel Channel, Food Network and Discovery+. “Ghostober” will feature programming starring the likes of Zak Bagans, Eli Roth, Sunny Anderson, John Henson and paranormal investigator Jack Osbourne. “Fans have come to view ‘Ghostober’ as the unofficial start of the holiday season and with our 25+ US networks, we can promote all of its in-demand content to more than 35% of cable’s nightly primetime audience,” Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer of US Networks Group at Warner Bros. Discovery, said. “Ghostober is a proven success with record levels of engagement across social media and this year we’ve increased the number of hours across our platforms to super-serve the audience. We are officially the home of Halloween.” 

Warner Bros. Discovery is moving fast with its reorganization.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterBrett Weitz is exiting as general manager of TBS, TNT and truTV, Variety has learned.Weitz, who was appointed to the role in January 2019, was among the group of WarnerMedia execs that came over under the new David Zaslav-selected regime at Warner Bros. Discovery, following the close of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger in early April.Weitz was moved under Discovery lifestyle channels chief Kathleen Finch, who assumed a newly created role of chairman and chief content officer of U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Brett Weitz is leaving as General Manager Of TNT, TBS, & truTV. He will be transitioning out of his role in the next 30 days, with his last day marking his 14th anniversary at the TNets.

EXCLUSIVE: Kill the Orange-Faced Bear starring Damon Wayans Jr. will not be going forward at TBS. The cast and crew were just told about the decision, which comes a week before the comedy series was scheduled to begin production on its 10-episode order in Vancouver. I hear the project, which has a filmed pilot, will be shopped to other outlets by the producers.

In one of the most head-scratching reporting changes under the new Warner Bros. Discovery leadership, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network has moved from the Discovery to the Warner Bros. side of the company under HBO and HBO Max Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys. Upon closer examination, the move, which could lead to a Magnolia-branded hub on HBO Max and the Gaines’ dipping their toe in scripted programming, is not that shocking. It just took the couple two mergers and three relationships to get there.

The final bow has been placed atop the $40 billion merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, forming one of the largest pure content players in the media business.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterChip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network will move under HBO’s purview upon the completion of Discovery’s acquisition of WarnerMedia, which will result in the launch of Warner Bros. Discovery Monday, Variety has learned exclusively.Allison Page, president of Magnolia, which is a joint venture between the Gaineses and Discovery, Inc., will report directly to HBO and HBO Max chief Casey Bloys.

Ahead of tomorrow’s expected close of the $43 billion WarnerMedia-Discovery merger, the executive leadership structure of the new company has been set.

As Discovery and WarnerMedia are set to close their $43B merger later this week, the attention has been focused mainly on the deal’s ramifications for WarnerMedia’s movie and scripted television businesses. There’s been much industry chatter about the importance of Casey Bloys’ scripted television empire and whether Toby Emmerich continues to oversee The Batman film studio.

David Zaslav will have a tight grip on the operations of Warner Bros. Discovery under the management structure unveiled for the new company that is set to emerge on Monday, Variety has learned.Zaslav, as longtime observers predicted, has opted to have a direct-report relationship with the leaders of the businesses he doesn’t know as well as he does cable channels and advertising sales, per individuals close to the situation.

HGTV veteran Jane Latman will be taking the helm of Food Network, expanding her responsibilities as President, HGTV and Streaming Home Content. The move comes as current Food Network President Courtney White departs to launch a new production company, Butternut Films, and as parent company Discovery prepares for the merger with WarnerMedia, which is expected to close in April. Latman begins her expanded role on April 30, and will continue to report to Kathleen Finch, Chief Lifestyle Brands Officer, Discovery, Inc.

HGTV veteran Jane Latman will be taking the helm of Food Network, expanding her responsibilities as President, HGTV and Streaming Home Content. The move comes as current Food Network President Courtney White departs to launch a new production company, Butternut Films, and as parent company Discovery prepares for the merger with WarnerMedia, which is expected to close in April. Latman begins her expanded role on April 30, and will continue to report to Kathleen Finch, Chief Lifestyle Brands Officer, Discovery, Inc.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorDiscovery’s cable powerhouses Food Network and HGTV are undergoing a management shuffle as the company prepares to merge with WarnerMedia in a deal that is expected to close in April.HGTV veteran Jane Latman is taking over management of Food Network in addition to the home-focused lifestyle cabler. Courtney White is exiting her post as president of Food Network to launch a new content banner, Butternut Films.“Jane has more than proven her leadership skills at HGTV where, so far this year, she leads the industry in launching six of the top 20 freshman hits among ages 25-54 — more than any other cable network,” Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brands officer of Discovery, said in a statement.

Americans stuck at home staring at fading furniture and wondering what to cook for dinner have been a boon for television networks like HGTV and the Food Network.