David Zaslav: We should Thank Him For Cartoon Network that is Died

On Tuesday, the Warner Bros. Tv Group (WBTVG) terminated 82 including David Zaslav, scripted, nonfiction, and animation staff members and decided not to fill another 43 vacancies. The 125 roles accounted for 26% of the total employment of the company in those units.

Thanks to David Zaslav, Cartoon Network as you know it is no longer.

The layoffs, though widely anticipated, don’t entirely capture the situation at Warner Bros. Discovery’s animation studios. In reality, a more significant announcement was made yesterday. Yhat would radically change the way Cartoon Network Studios is organized moving ahead and will have a significant impact on the content it creates.

The business refers to it as a “strategic realignment.”

Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios will be combining, according to a memo distributed to all employees by company chairman Channing Dungey (CNS). Sam Register will continue to lead WBA, CNS, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe in the future, the latter of which will continue to run separately from the other two.

All three designations will continue to survive, albeit probably more in title than in practice, the memo states. The cross-studio squads that were already establishing for television, casting, legal and financial matters. Also artist relations will now be expanding to include both production and development at WBA and CNS.

That appears to be a foreboding indication for the future of unique Cartoon Network animation. WBA has typically been a catalog/IP-driving studio, whereas CNS has produce original show and specials that have frequently become touchstones for thousands of viewers.

 Given that Warner Bros. Discovery, led by CEO David Zaslav, has stated a desire to place a greater emphasis on intellectual property (IP) across all of its businesses,

And given that CNS must now share production and development resources with WBA. It is challenging to envision a scenario in which the studio’s original animation output will suit what it has been in the old days. As long as Zaslav reigns supreme, Cartoon Network Studios is expecting to focus more on rebooting its back catalogue. As it is now doing with The Powerpuff Girls, than creating fresh intellectual property.

Many animation fans may not have fully grasped the significance of yesterday’s revelation. But many in the industry immediately recognized the importance of the news and its influence on Cartoon Network Studio’s. Also, by extension, Cartoon Network’s – future. Brian Miller, Cartoon Network Studios’ former general manager and a significant leader at the firm for 21 years. Published a quotation from the Variety piece and a dismal two-word description of what he thinks it implies for Cartoon Network Studios’ future: “RIP CNS.”

Audrey Diehl will head children and family series production at both WBA and CNS. Peter Girardi will handle adult animation development, and Sammy Perlmutter will lead animated longform series development. This is with Bobbie Page leading primary production. Ed Adams will remain as executive vice president and general manager.

For more entertaining news, Click here.