Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. TV Group and US Networks, despatched a memo to employees on Tuesday night confirming her position within the new Skydance construction, together with that she might be a part of the corporate’s new administration workforce.
Dungey’s oversight will develop: As anticipated, she introduced that she would take over all of Paramount’s media networks (which embrace MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET), along with the US WBD networks that she has already been operating since final 12 months.
She additionally confirmed that she could have a brand new boss duo. The manager, who reported on to CEO David Zaslav throughout the Warner Bros. period. Discovery, will now report back to new Skydance TV Co-President and Chief Content material Officer George Cheeks and JB Perrette in his position as Skydance TV Co-President and Chief Enterprise Officer.
Dungey has already labored with Perette for years at WBD and is aware of Cheeks properly, significantly as a result of Warner Bros. has been a provider to numerous hit collection for CBS (together with many Chuck Lorre comedies).
“I sit up for working much more carefully with George and JB in our new company construction,” Dungey wrote. “I do know they are going to be nice belongings to us.”
Within the memo, she additionally praised Paramount TV Studios president Matt Thunell and CBS Studios president David Stapf, with whom she is going to work carefully on the trio of studios led by Cheeks and Perrette.
In his be aware, Dungey started by touting the studio’s current successes, together with 13 new collection orders and 13 collection renewals thus far this 12 months and its general slate of greater than 80 titles for greater than 20 platforms.
“Bear in mind, I’ve the best admiration for the dedication, professionalism and exhausting work that every of you deliver to this firm, and I do know that our new management shares my appreciation for the genius of this workforce,” she wrote.
However Dungey additionally acknowledged the “worrying time” that comes with adjusting to a merger: “I think about a lot of you’re coming to this stage with blended feelings: pleasure in what your groups have achieved, real pleasure concerning the prospects forward, and, in fact, some uncertainty about what’s subsequent,” she wrote. “I haven’t got all of the solutions right this moment – some issues will develop into clear shortly, whereas others will take longer to know – however I’m dedicated to retaining you as knowledgeable as potential as we transfer ahead.”
Dungey first took over as chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. TV Group in early 2021; she later added the Warner Bros. Networks. Discovery US to its surveillance in early 2025.
Right here is Dungey’s full memo:
Good day workforce –
Initially, I wish to thanks all on your unwavering focus and dedication to the Studio. I deeply recognize each one in every of you. We now have shared an unbelievable journey, and right this moment we flip the web page and start a brand new chapter.
However earlier than that, let me remind you what a scorching streak the Studio has had, even throughout this time of uncertainty and speedy change within the {industry}. We now have secured 13 new collection orders and 13 collection renewals since January. The Studio’s present roster totals over 80 titles for over 20 platforms, with many different initiatives in improvement. A number of WBTVG collection reached No. 1 standing in varied classes this season, together with “Ted Lasso,” “The Pitt,” “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Reminiscence of a Killer,” “Rooster” and “Working Level,” whereas “Lanterns” ranks among the many high 5 collection launched in HBO Max historical past. Our many blockbuster animated movies embrace the primary a part of the “Batman: Knightfall” trilogy, which rose to #2 on Apple TV’s Greatest Films chart. Our unscripted workforce triumphed with Season 7 of “The Actual Housewives of Salt Lake Metropolis,” which recorded the biggest first-season viewers within the collection’ historical past. By way of syndication, “The Jennifer Hudson Present” ranks because the primary daytime discuss present on social media, reaching over 11 billion views throughout social platforms. You’re killing him!
I think about a lot of you come to this stage with blended feelings: pleasure in what your groups have achieved, real pleasure concerning the prospects forward of you, and, in fact, some uncertainty about what’s subsequent. I haven’t got all of the solutions right this moment – some issues will develop into clear shortly, whereas others will take longer to know – however I am dedicated to retaining you as knowledgeable as potential as we transfer ahead.
Now that we’re formally a part of the Skydance household, I wish to offer you an outline of present plans for the longer term route of the studio and the construction of the brand new administration workforce.
I’m joyful to proceed main the Warner Bros. group. Tv and also will proceed to supervise the corporate’s U.S. networks as a part of the brand new administration workforce. Moreover, I’ll assume oversight of Paramount Media Networks, which incorporates MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET and different extremely in style networks. In all of those studio and community roles, I’ll report back to JB Perrette, co-president and chief enterprise officer of Skydance TV, and George Cheeks, co-president and chief content material officer of Skydance TV. George, for these of you who do not know him, is an achieved and revered government who has overseen all of Paramount’s CBS-branded properties, in addition to BET Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, See It Now Studios and Paramount Media Networks. WBTVG and CBS have had a terrific relationship through the years and I sit up for working much more carefully with George and JB in our new company construction. I do know they are going to be nice belongings to us.
I’m additionally wanting ahead to working with proficient studio heads Matt Thunell and David Stapf. Matt is the President of Paramount Tv Studios and is answerable for the hit collection “Landman,” “Dutton Ranch,” “The Madison” and “Tulsa King,” and David is the President of CBS Studios, overseeing all facets of this prolific studio, which at present has greater than 70 collection in varied levels of manufacturing. By working alongside these two extremely regarded studios, we’re poised to realize a strategic aggressive benefit inside the {industry}.
I am certain you are questioning what all of those adjustments imply for every of you individually. I’ve no additional particulars presently, apart from to guarantee you that our new management respects and appreciates how particular our unbelievable, industry-leading workforce is, and I’ll work carefully with them on strategizing our future success.
I hope you had been capable of attend right this moment’s World Shareholders’ Assembly, the place David offered Skydance’s imaginative and prescient, mission and strategic priorities. In any other case, or if you want to view the replay, it’s accessible on the Skydance Integration Hub, which is able to function your go-to supply for updates, FAQs, and different data as we transfer ahead with this transition.
It will inevitably be a worrying time for many people, and I wish to emphasize the significance all through this technique of sustaining your psychological and bodily well being. For those who need assistance, communicate up. The corporate affords care and recommendation by way of LYRA. For those who want additional help, contact your supervisor or P&C. And naturally, my door is at all times open.
I do know everybody has extra questions and I’ll do my finest to reply them as they develop into recognized. Within the meantime, do not forget that I’ve the best admiration for the dedication, professionalism and exhausting work that every of you deliver to this firm, and I do know that our new management shares my appreciation for the genius of this workforce.
I’ll clarify extra clearly what you’ll be able to anticipate within the coming weeks and months as we transfer ahead with this transition. Within the meantime, I sit up for receiving everybody’s suggestions and views and dealing collectively to form the way forward for WBTVG as a part of the Skydance household.
As we start this subsequent chapter within the firm’s wealthy historical past, I hope we are able to work collectively to make this transition as easy and constructive as potential for everybody concerned, and to construct a future for the studios larger and higher than ever earlier than.
Warmly,
Channing