We now live in a much less transparent time. Zaslav earned a BS degree from Binghamton University. Scrambling to walk back the comments, Discoverys team said Zaslav often uses the phrases the left or the right to reference current and future business initiatives. Media mogul William Randolph Hearst famously declared, This is my newspaper, these are my views, take or leave it. Hearst boldly placed his editorials on the front page, with his picture, signed for Gods sake. There was no subterfuge. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. If only houses could talk: This one, however, is a battered shadow of its proud Regency past, its interior walls torn apart, trucks parked on its tennis court. offers FT membership to read for free. 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. The new entity will inherit the biggest share of cable viewers in the U.S., accounting for 29% of viewing time. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the companys controversial decision this week to cancel releases for Batgirl and Scoob! It raises the question: Does super PAC funding, often with a hefty and opaque line-item labeled media spend,fund some of these outlets? It's unclear which political direction Discovery CEO David Zaslav wants to take the network in. During your trial you will have complete digital access to FT.com with everything in both of our Standard Digital and Premium Digital packages. Something we can likely all agree on is that trust in media is at an all-time low and Americans want reliable, nonpartisan news. Laurene Powell Jobs donated over $2 million. 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? Last year, Zaslav vowed to take a hands-on role in the operations of CNN. Zaslav was speaking at the Paley International Council Summit when he made the remarks, which were covered by several news outlets virtually attending the media event. He was granted no options. Man, you werent kidding, Kernen said, also laughing. Jeff Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, gave but $15,000over the past20 months through his PACs Blue Origin and Amazon while his net worth grew to near $200 billion. Lowe remains on Discovery's board and a personal friend, said a Zaslav friend. LIBERTY MEDIA CHAIRMAN CHIDES CNN TO 'ACTUALLY HAVE JOURNALISTS' FOLLOWING AT&T-DISCOVERY MERGER, "None of us had anything to do with it. There are just under 100 days until Election Day. The Bloomberg, Powell Jobsand even Murdoch setups are now bizarrely comforting: At least we know where they stand, and the money is domestic. Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. CNN, like MSNBC, serves liberal audiences. The merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery is reportedly set to be completed early in the spring. Heidi Legg is the lead research fellow at the Future of Media Project at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University. I think Fox News is much more of an advocacy network than a news network, Zaslav said, according to Washington Post media reporter Jeremy Barr. During the Evans era, the sources of corporate infighting were often esoteric. We have this great entertainment menu, which should keep people in the home, from the kids to the grandparents. To sustain that position, Zaslav will have to drastically readjust his spending habits. [46] He is chair of the Auschwitz: The Past Is Present Committee which promotes awareness of the Holocaust. Did Elon Musk, one of the biggest donors to Wikipedia, reallygive only $40,000 to political leaders and causesin 2020-21? After all, he intended to spend more time on it, and style is as important in tennis as it is in show business. I found these figures wanting. Of the top 10 political donors among S&P 500 CEOs, a majority gave big to GOP groups in the second quarter, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Discovery in April 2022. Correction: Mediaite has learned Zaslav was referring to the left side of the Discovery portfolio, not the left side of the political aisle. Got a confidential news tip? For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. Zaslavs comment drew a surprised response from CNBC host Joe Kernan, who wondered aloud if it was a reference to CNNs ideological bent. Market data provided by Factset. Zaslav is also one of the highest-paid CEOs in media history. Jeff Zucker is considered to be the person responsible for the CNNs shift away from the nonpartisan outlet it was before his tenure. James Zelter, co-president and CIO of Apollo Global Management that owns Yahoo News, gave $35,900 to Republicansand $25,200 to Democrats. But we dont. David Zaslav the CEO of Discovery Inc., and Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney who is now the companys executive chairman, are among the top executive According to OpenSecrets, an independent nonprofit that tracks money in U.S. politics, as of last week, 2,276 groups organized as super PACs have reported their numbers. In his contract extension, Zaslav also received stock options valued at $190 million, making him one of the highest-paid entertainment executives in the world. See Barrs tweets at the bottom of this post. That was down from the $45.8 million that Zaslav pulled in the pr We want to hear from you. No surprise, Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan collectivelygave over $2.5 million, mostly to Republicans. Zaslav wondered how he would stack up against the likes of Netflix and Disney without more content and if he would be forced to sell if he couldn't get bigger to compete with those companies, with their seemingly bottomless pockets. [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. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, [20][21], Zaslav became CEO of Discovery Communications in November 16, 2006, succeeding Judith McHale. [35][36] Zaslav's executive compensation package includes an annual salary of $3 million with an annual $22 million bonus. Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison has also been close to the president and was one of the donors advising Trump at the start of the pandemic. For now, a trio of CNN executives will assume Zuckers responsibilities at the network. Get the best insights and analysis delivered to your inbox, 2,276 groups organized as super PACs have reported, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Zaslav and other Discovery brass reportedly heard about the resignation just hours before it happened. So maybe Zaslav isnt offended by the transparent political bias Without it, journalists and society dont stand a chance to hold them accountable when the coverage is of disrepute. Zaslav also received $16,800 for a car allowance, $501 for home office expenses, $16,930 for personal security services, and $355,355 for private plane use. While Evans principal scenario was to package the chemistry between filmmakers and top stars, Zaslavs social objectives may be more corporately focused. Zaslav needs the house as badly as it needs Zaslav. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2022 and Malones comment left many CNN staffers with a sense of uneasiness about the networks future. But storm clouds were on the horizon. The most significant donation record of any media owner was Michael Bloomberg, who donated $140 million during his run for president. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg fund swaths of lobbyists in Washington. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. [45] He also is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Paley Center for Media and the Mt. And when asked about the future of cable, the former protector of the cable bundle acknowledged that the medium is declining, but believes it will still stick around a lot longer than people think.. We use His Facebook page is full of old school friendships and trips with the former GE CEO, Jack Welch. Biden has said he wants to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%. Discovery cant play any role in CNNs operations until the deal concludes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. "Sometimes it is difficult for his staff to keep up with his expectationsbut this is characteristic of a good leader who is on a mission," Discovery founder John Hendricks said of Zaslav. As Trump and other Republicans slide in the polls, the idea that taxes could go up under a Democratic administration and Congress has forced wealthy GOP donors off the sidelines. Discovery and has publicly committed to keeping CNN after the merger. James Murdoch, who left the family Fox News business, donated over $2.25 million. While Kernen did not clarify his comments, he went on to say that he sees sports as being on the right side of the Discovery portfolio. Other top-paid Discovery executives included Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels, who earned $6.9 million in total compensation, down from the $7.4 million he earned in 2019. Other notable S&P 500 CEO contributions to Republican led groups in the second quarter include Robert Bradway, the chief executive of biopharmaceutical company Amgen; Daniel Amos, the CEO of insurance giant Aflac; and Gregory Brown, the CEO of Motorola Solutions. Having pulled off the media coup of the decade, the energetic executive will preside over the Warner-Discovery group. If the medium controls the message, then we are asking these questions to make out your character, media owners. Super PACs have the freedom to report only twice a year, so there may be more to come. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Definitely to the left. Zaslav, however, in his quest for major talent, may also have to answer queries about the movies release platform and the structure of its compensation formula. tips@mediaite.com, Joe DePaolo is a Senior Editor at Mediaite. Where the country was when we launched MSNBC was much more fact-based and less divided.. Longtime Discovery chief David Zaslav, who will soon oversee CNN as part of his companys merger with WarnerMedia, called his future competitor Fox News 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. Zaslav made a similar remark during an AT&T and Discovery joint news conference in May 2021, describing the left side of the joint company as everything other than the content. For context, OpenSecrets reported that political spending in the 2020 election reached $14 billion, the most expensive election ever. And even as Zaslav prepped the launch of streaming service Discovery+, which now has 15 million subscribers, he had thoughts about whether to suggest bundling Discovery with Disney, according to a person familiar with talks. Discovery, Zaslav is turning off the content spigot and reorienting the company into something much more fiscally (and potentially culturally) conservative. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Media tends to be a reflection of where the country is. A Division of NBCUniversal. Under Zuckers leadership, CNN cultivated an antagonistic relationship with former President Donald Trump and other prominent conservatives. They credited the CEO with safeguarding the companys financial performance during difficult and rapidly changing economic times and growing its direct-to-consumer business. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many users needs. Simply log into Settings & Account and select "Cancel" on the right-hand side. Look up your friends and patriotsat the FEC. All that represents both serious business and serious persuasion disciplines that place the Regency house in Beverly Hills in a vastly different role. The tennis court, he decided, needed to be moved three feet, and changed to a clay surface. Media tends to be a reflection of where the country is. Even his wife, Clare Boothe Luce, herself a Republican member of Congress, chastised him publicly for his relentless coverage in Time of Barry Goldwaters GOP nomination for president. Sure, Henry Luce, the iconic publisher of Time, Fortuneand Life magazines, put his thumb on the scale. A Wall Street financial advisory firm recently told their clients they don't expect Biden to lean too far to the left as the policy recommendations put together by allies of Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't, they say, have many progressive ideas. He noted that the recent run of corporate executives giving to Republicans is a sign that the campaign is fervently calling these donors. 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. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, whose media giant is set to close its merger with CNNs owner WarnerMedia this spring, made the surprise remark during a Jean-Briac Perrette, president and CEO of Discovery International, earned $10.4 million total compensation, down from $14.4 million in 2019. Brian Flood is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Together, Discovery and WarnerMedia will span every genre from Hollywood movies and TV shows to reality TV, to news and sports. Any changes made can be done at any time and will become effective at the end of the trial period, allowing you to retain full access for 4 weeks, even if you downgrade or cancel. Did you say to the left? Kernan said, before taking back the question, saying he probably shouldnt have said that.. or redistributed. Discovery Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav s total compensation fell more than 17% in 2020, A continuously updated summary of the news stories that US political commentators are discussing online right now. Discovery , [2] Zaslav spearheaded the transaction between AT&T and Discovery to combine with WarnerMedia and create the combined Warner Bros. Barr also said Zaslav did not give an answer when asked about current CNN boss Jeff Zuckers future at the soon-to-be combined company. What investors need to know about Biden's economic vision. He's unsentimental and quick to rotate executives if they are not performing, though his key aides have been with him for years. Discovery, to be sure, funded Otter Dynasty, not Game of Thrones. You couldn't say that about a lot of other American CEOs. Sen. On Friday morning, he shocked CNBC hosts by calling the network 'the leader of news to the left'. But what sort of a time will it be? The Discovery CEO also was early in laying foundations overseas, where rival media companies are now trying to bulk up. You can still enjoy your subscription until the end of your current billing period. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. But here is where it fell short. Talk to David about European or Latin American TV, and he knows the details and the people there." Only 60 people in media leadership had donated more than$2,000 to a political candidate since 2019. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She also wrote a $46,100 check to the McCarthy Victory Fund in June. All Rights Reserved. Story tips can be sent tobrian.flood@fox.comand on Twitter: @briansflood. David Zaslav, Hollywoods new mogul. Zaslav wooed Scripps CEO Ken Lowe for a decade before consummating the $14.6 billion deal in 2018. Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the Settings & Account section. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The boss ofCNNs new parent companysaid on Friday the network was the leader in news to the left but his communications team soon scrambled to walk back the frank admission, insisting he wasnt talking about politics. Its a mess. Dan Eberhart, a longtime prominent Republican donor, told CNBC he senses that wealthy financiers are going to start lining up behind Trump. David Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31st 2022. ", 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.". Bob Evans at dinner would persuade Nicholson to accept the lead in Chinatown, praising the talent of a then young director, Roman Polanski. David Zaslav the CEO of Discovery Inc., and Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney who is now the company's executive chairman, are among the top executive Democratic donors from the second quarter. Definitely to the left, Kernen said. Discovery Chief Executive Officer David Zaslavs total compensation fell more than 17% in 2020, topping out at $37.7 million. That was down from the $45.8 million that Zaslav pulled in the previous year and significantly down from the massive $129.4 million in compensation that the Discovery chief earned in 2018, which included the value of stock options that amounted to more than $100 million as part of a new employment contract. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Zaslav also oversaw NBCUniversal's interests in A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and TiVo. But not disclosing a consensual relationship rarely results in the defenestration of a network president. 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. "Well have to see, really.". YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. That cycle, which covers contributions made in 2019, shows Zaslav contributed small sums to one Republican and three Democrats. They received collectively more than $3 billion ($3,427,543,995) in the 2019-20 presidential election cycle and showed independent expenditures of more than $2.1 billion. A Real Clear Politics polling average shows Biden ahead of Trump by close to 10 points. The total accounted loss was nearly $25 billion off the company's market cap. "Who do they want managing the economy: Trump (Mnuchin, Powell, Kudlow) or Biden (Bernie, Warren and AOC)?," Bailey said. CNNs political stance is a source of frequent scrutiny in the news industry. The lack of transparency in super PAC donations loomed as we scoured the FEC database. Oprah Winfrey is a great example of someone who the world wanted to do business with, but David had an incredible knack for making people want to work with him," said his former boss Tom Rogers, who was president of NBC Cable where Zaslav was head of distribution and new media. Of those donations, $1 million went to America First Action, a pro-Trump super PAC. The development comes as the presumptive Democratic nominee has expanded his lead in the polls over President Donald Trump. Spurred by the rapid proliferation of social media platforms, with questionable content,and a formerpresident who pummeled our free press repeatedly, its no wonder Americans are left wary and our information ecosystem is in shambles. 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. Zaslav interrupted, "John is going to be a board member of this company, and I am the operating--," before Kernen spoke over him asking if he had anything to do with Zuckers exit. The results were surprising. He's known for sporting the sleeveless fleece vests popular with financial industry executives and for bringing swag bags to meetings. His sole donation to a Republican politician, U.S. : Holiday James Murdoch, who left the family Fox News business, donated over $2.25 David Zaslav, Discovery's CEO, will lead the combined Discovery-WarnerMedia. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. His reputation for speed gave Discovery an edge over Comcast as a merger partner. "It's clear Team Trump needs to break the glass and pull the fire alarm. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Friday on CNBC that he had nothing to do with Jeff Zuckers CNN exit. Premium Digital includes access to our premier business column, Lex, as well as 15 curated newsletters covering key business themes with original, in-depth reporting. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Legal Statement. Warner Bros. Discovery, weighing in on content, forcing out executives and cutting costly projects like CNN+ while schmoozing with top Hollywood talent. becoming the first announced candidate for the party. "He had an incredible knack for developing strong relationships. [52], Zaslav lives in New York City with his wife Pam and the couple has three children. David Michael Zaslav (born January 15, 1960) is an American media executive who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Warner Bros. You may change or cancel your subscription or trial at any time online. Hilton Howell of Gray Television gave $17,600. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The parties within its walls were glitzy, the arguments were epic and the scandals provided perfect gossip fuel. The Discovery-WarnerMedia merger is expected to close in mid-2022. "Plus, David actually shows up. Overall, the combined content spend of WarnerMedia and Discovery totaled $19 billion last year, more than Disney or even Netflix. He's used his salary to buy some of the most sought-after real estate around, buying the Hollywood home of "The Godfather" film director Robert Evans for $16 million and snapping up Conan O'Brien's apartment on Central Park West. It is intended to be the backbone of our civilization and functioning governance. Zaslav is on the board of Mexican programming giant Televisa, now merging with Univision. Follow him on Twitter: @joe_depaolo. 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. And now, the former lawyer for Discovery founder John Hendricks is the new king of media, set to oversee $20 billion in content spend, topping Netflix's $17 billion. She has written extensively about the news media. People helping raise money for these Republican organizations told CNBC that the idea of taxes going up has struck a nerve with GOP donors and forced them off the sidelines after being largely absent throughout the 2020 election cycle. "I, and we as a company, we are a fighter for news. President and CEO, Discovery David Zaslav speaks onstage during the (CNBC Screenshot). "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,"Malonesaid in an interview that aired on CNBC. 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