Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Predicts Media Industry Shakeup in the Next Two Years with Mergers and Acquisitions and Streaming Partnerships
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav expects more media deals and consolidation in the next one to two years, whether through acquisitions or streaming partnerships. Zaslav is excited about WBD's upcoming streaming bundle with Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max launching this summer and their sports streaming joint venture Venu with Disney and Fox launching in the fall. Zaslav noted that major media companies have around 75% of sports programming between them through deals like ESPN. The NBA is finalizing new deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon that may see TNT's long-standing NBA rights expire. The Paramount-Skydance merger is expected to close next year pending regulatory approval.