Warner Bros. Discovery’s Zaslav takes conciliatory tone on striking actors and writers
Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav expressed hope Thursday for a resolution in the strikes by the writers and actors that have brought TV and film production to a standstill.
“I think all of us in in this business are very keen to figure out a solution as quickly as possible,” Zaslav told analysts on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
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Perhaps aware that wealthy media moguls — including himself — have been ridiculed at strike rallies by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA for being greedy, Zaslav took a conciliatory tone when addressing the labor standoff.
“We’re hopeful that all sides will get back to the negotiating room soon, that these strikes get resolved in a way that the writers and actors feel they are fairly compensated and their efforts and contributions are fully valued,” Zaslav said.
Zaslav has been mocked by the guilds for his comment in May that “love for the business and a love for working” would eventually lead to an end of the writers strike.
His remarks come a day before the Writers Guild’s negotiating committee and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which bargains on behalf of the studios and streamers, meet to discuss negotiations. The two sides have not convened since the writers’ strike commenced on May 2.
SAG-AFTRA began its strike on July 14. Both guilds are looking for improved residual payments for streaming and protections against the use of artificial intelligence.
While WBD executives did not mention any timetable for a resolution, their financial models for the year are based on a return to work by September.
The stoppage of the production of scripted content at the company led to a savings in the “low $100-million range” in the second quarter, Warner Bros. Discovery said.
Executives did not play up the strike-related savings, however, as any benefit from the work stoppage will be short-lived.
WBD is battling Netflix, Comcast and other media companies for audiences in the streaming market, and a pipeline of fresh programming is key to making its Max a must-have service.
