Warner Bros. Discovery is establishing a new leadership team at its U.S. TV networks business, which will soon report to Channing Dungey. Dungey, who also runs WBDs TV studios group, will add oversight of the U.S. TV networks following the retirement of Kathleen Finch.
Dungey announced the new structure Wednesday.
Building on the foundation that Kathleen established, I am excited to announce the core U.S. Networks leadership team who will drive a new creative vision and distribution plan that best serves our audiences, our partners, and our business, said Dungey in a statement. This powerful group will work to redefine the role of the U.S. Networks by fortifying our linear business while continuing to develop a content engine that feeds Max and creates shows that smartly leverage and promote our unparalleled IP. The leadership team will include Brett Paul, who will be COO of the new group, in addition to his current role as president of the Warner Bros. TV Group; Howard Lee has been promoted to chief creative officer, while continuing to serve as president of content for TLC and Discovery. Lee will work on strategy across the networks and on Max and around the world; Sudan Kolar will be chief financial and strategy officer, while Karen Bronzo continues as CMO for the group.
WBDs U.S. networks group includes TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Discovery Channel, TruTV, and Investigation Discovery, among many others. Dungey will run both the networks and TV studios for the company, even as it sets a new corporate structure built around legacy linear TV networks in one division, and studios and streaming (as well as HBO) in another.