Is TCM Going Away? Legendary Movie Directors Try to Save the Network
With major changes going on at Warner Bros. Discovery and continued layoffs at the company, some people are fearing for the future of the Turner Classic Movies cable network.
Three of those people are directors Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, who issued a plea to WBD CEO David Zaslav to “ensure that TCM’s programming is untouched and protected.”
The trio of legendary filmmakers issued this joint statement:
“Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel. It is truly a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day seven days a week. And while it has never been a financial juggernaut, it has always been a profitable endeavor since its inception.
Earlier this week, David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, got in touch to talk about the restructuring of TCM. We understand the pressures and realities of a corporation as large as WBD, of which TCM is one moving part.
We have each spent time talking to David, separately and together, and it’s clear that TCM and classic cinema are very important to him. Our primary aim is to ensure that TCM’s programming is untouched and protected.
We are heartened and encouraged by the conversations we’ve had thus far, and we are committed to working together to ensure the continuation of this cultural touchstone that we all treasure.”
Of course, Zaslav is beholden to WBD stockholders and not Spielberg, Scorsese and Anderson, and Zaslav has come under fire for sacrificing quality to save money.
Expect Zaslav to do whatever makes the most financial and strategic sense to him, even if that means drastically altering or eliminating one of the few TV networks still committed to quality programming.
Hollywood Glamour
May 2020
Celebrate the most glamorous leading ladies from the Golden Age of Hollywood
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