Warner Bros. Discovery is ‘absolutely not for sale,’ says CEO

Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav seems to be trying to squash rumors that he wants to sell the company to the likes of Comcast. According to a report from Deadline, he told employees that “we are not for sale, absolutely, not for sale,” during a Zoom call on Wednesday attended by staff from all over the company.

While he reportedly didn’t address any specific rumors, a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter seems to be the likely target of his comments. Earlier this month, the outlet suggested that “top industry execs” were “convinced” that Warner Bros. was on the brink of merging with Comcast, owners of NBCUniversal and the Peacock streaming service (and, disclosure, an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company). One was even already mourning the loss of another major studio after Disney bought 21st Century Fox, according to the report.

It’s easy to understand why there are rumors that the company might be looking for a buy-out. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, its search for someone to lead its 10-year DC plan hasn’t been particularly fruitful, it has a staggering amount of debt, and there have been layoffs, with talk of more being on the way. The Verge