Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav reportedly held an ’emergency call’ with filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson on Wednesday in the wake of major backlash over changes at TCM (Turner Classic Movies).
Multiple executive layoffs have taken place at the network this week, including several high-profile key staffers who’ve been there for decades such as general manager Pola Chagnon who is exiting are more than 25 years.
That shake-up coincided with reports of a new round of executive layoffs in the Warner Bros. Discovery TV division and has led to speculation that Turner Classic Movies’ future may now be short-lived.
Spielberg, Scorsese and Anderson are prominent advocates for film preservation and have talked about the significance of TCM in the past. All three are part of the film restoration and preservation organization The Film Foundation, which Scorsese founded.
According to The Wrap, Zaslav said the focus of the meeting was about “making TCM more included in the U.S. Networks Group so that it can be stronger and benefit from cross-promotion” in the future.
Zaslav himself spoke in April of the importance of TCM saying: “I watch Turner Classic Movies all the time. It’s the history of our country, the motion pictures.”
Source: Deadline
