As she prepares to add the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. networks to her oversight in January, Warner Bros. Television Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey is finalizing the division’s new executive structure. That includes expanding duties for her top lieutenant at Warner Bros. TV Group, Brett Paul, who will now also serve as chief operating officer for U.S. networks.
Those networks include HGTV, Discovery, TBS, Food Network, TNT, Investigation Discovery (ID), TLC, Animal Planet, Cooking Channel, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim and TruTV, all of which will now fall under Dungey as WBD U.S. Networks chairman/CEO Kathleen Finch departs at the end of the year.
Like Dungey, Paul will now straddle duties at both the studio and networks divisions, which means he maintains his current role as president of Warner Bros. TV Group while taking on new oversight at the networks. Paul will continue to report to Dungey, and in addition to his present duties at the studio will now lead business affairs and digital strategy for the networks, while assisting Dungey in her plans for the channels.
Dungey has also promoted longtime Discovery networks exec Howard Lee to chief creative officer of U.S. networks; he also will continue in his current role as the president and head of content for TLC and Discovery. Lee reports to Dungey and focus on the content strategy across WBD’s linear networks, on streaming service Max, and via global licensing and partnerships.
Among other U.S. networks appontments: Susan Kolar has been named chief financial and strategy officer for U.S. networks, and continues to report to WBD chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels. And Karen Bronzo will continue as chief global marketing officer for U.S. networks and news, co-reporting to Dungey and CNN Worldwide chief operating officer David Leavy.
“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.”
Dungey takes over just as Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to split into two distinct operating divisions, one for the linear TV networks and another centered around production studios and streaming platforms. Despite the split of studios from networks, Dungey will have a toe in both divisions as she oversees both the company’s studio operations and its TV networks — and now Paul will also be in both worlds.
