As layoffs continue throughout Warner Bros. Discovery, some outside forces are stepping up to express their hopes that Turner Classic Movies won’t be getting the chop.
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A new round of layoffs began to hit Warner Bros. Discovery this week, with the focus falling onto the cable channel division the most. Amongst those layoffs were three of the top brass at Turner Classic Movies – better known as TCM – senior vice president of programming and content strategy Charles Tabesh, vice president of studio production Anne Wilson, vice president of marketing and creative Dexter Fedor and TCM Enterprises vice president Genevieve McGillicuddy were all let go.
With this recent turn of events, it seems to have motivated three of Hollywood’s biggest directors to step up and express their hopes that the channel would not be coming to an end. Rumors began to circulate on Wednesday that Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Raging Bull), Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, E.T.), and Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights) were reaching out to WBD CEO David Zaslav to express their concerns for the channel.
By Wednesday night, the talks were confirmed in a joint statement released by the three directors, but with the caveat that it was Zaslav that had reached out to them. “Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel. It is truly a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” the filmmakers said in a joint statement. “And while it has never been a financial juggernaut, it has always been a profitable endeavor since its inception.”
Scorsese, Spielberg, and Anderson went on to add that Zaslav had spoken with all three directors individually and as a group. “It’s clear that TCM and classic cinema are very important to him. Our primary aim is to ensure that TCM’s programming is untouched and protected.”
“We are heartened and encouraged by the conversations we’ve had thus far, and we are committed to working together to ensure the continuation of this cultural touchstone that we all treasure,” the directors went on to say.
For now, TCM remains as is.
