Warner Bros TV channel executives leave amid restructuring

Two of Warner Bros. Discovery executives leading TV channels left the company as part of ongoing restructuring at the media giant, according to an internal memo.

Nancy Daniels, who led the Turner network and number of Discovery channels including Animal Planet, and Jane Latman of HGTV overseeing Food Network left the company, according to the memo sent by Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer of US Networks Group.

After Daniels’ departure, content for the D-Nets – Discovery, Animal Planet and Science Channel – will be overseen by Howard Lee, while he retains content leadership for TLC and Travel Channel. Jason Sarlanis, who oversees content at ID and HLN crime content, will oversee TBT/TBS/Tru.

With Latman stepping down as president, home & food content for HGTV and Food Network, creative oversight for programming content will move to content executives Betsy Sanne Ayala for Food and Loren Ruch for HGTV.

The company “needs to make additional adjustments for the future as we evolve to a more streamlined operating model”, the memo said.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

This comes at a time when companies are looking to rein in costs and trim their headcount to brace for an economic slowdown. CNN’s top boss Chris Licht last month informed employees in an all-staff memo that layoffs are under way.

Before taking charge of the Turner network, Daniels was president of TLC, known for its shows like “Sister Wives”, “90 Day Fiancé”, and “The Little Couple”.

Since joining HGTV in 2019, Latman has overseen series such as HGTV’s “Home Town Takeover”, “Celebrity IOU” and “Rock the Block.”

Hollywood and media news outlet Deadline first reported the departures on Friday. Reuters