Another round of layoffs at DC

[superduperman]

Yeah the direct market is going to die off. I doubt it will survive DC pulling out. I doubt DC will survive all these cuts either. Batman will be fine, WW and Superman maybe (although they’ll still be treated like crap), most of the Leaguers will be ok. Say goodbye to stuff like Strange Adventures though. You’ll never see a C-Lister (or maybe even a B-Lister) get a comic again.

So much for my Ambush Bug/Dumb Bunny crossover.

[Frontier]

So much for my Ambush Bug/Dumb Bunny crossover.

I'll miss those holiday anthologies...

[krazijoe]

I am sure Ethan Van Sciver would love to get Tattoo Man back.

He's going scorched earth, so he may never get the chance now.

[Fergus]

AT&T didn't buyy WB to sell comics.
The fact that they shut down the merchandising and even considered getting rid of the Games dept and not the comics [which brings in the least amount] proves that IP farming to beef up their streaming service is the goal.

As for the layoffs and reorganising it seems that it's a necessary evil based on this break down of the WB business structure.

Grace breaks down the AT&T WB structure in this video [she also correctly predicted this recent round of layoffs]

[The Kid]

This was always my big fear when AT&T bought WB and why Marvel honestly lucked out getting bought by Disney. They completely botched their HBOMax launch, can’t release any movies, and are a hundred billion in debt

These firings aren’t the result of a new vision of the comic industry but like what vordan said. AT&T is completely fucked and trying to save money wherever they can. DC is just collateral damage

[skyvolt2000]

This was always my big fear when AT&T bought WB and why Marvel honestly lucked out getting bought by Disney. They completely botched their HBOMax launch, can’t release any movies, and are a hundred billion in debt

These firings aren’t the result of a new vision of the comic industry but like what vordan said. AT&T is completely fucked and trying to save money wherever they can. DC is just collateral damage

Correct.

I know folks want stuff to stay the same but all that toxic behavior in and outside of DC (and other places) & toxic behavior to certain demographics have a price to pay.

[Holt]

AT&T is looking to shed more assets in a possible spin-off of WarnerMedia to Discovery.

Three years ago, AT&T Inc. marched into Hollywood with big ambitions to be a 21st century media colossus, connecting its booming cellphone business with legendary media properties — HBO, the Warner Bros. film and TV studio and Turner channels including cable news juggernaut CNN.

Now, the company is retreating from those plans.

Daunted by the challenges of competing in the streaming age and shackled by a mountain of debt, the Dallas telecommunications behemoth is poised to spin off its entertainment assets into a new venture with cable programming company Discovery, which owns HGTV, the Food Network and Animal Planet, according to people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment.

The companies are expected to announce their proposed joint venture as early as Monday, these people said. Bloomberg News first reported that AT&T and Discovery were in advanced talks to merge their entertainment properties.

The deal would reshape Hollywood, which has already witnessed dramatic contraction after Walt Disney Co.'s $71-billion acquisition of much of Rupert Murdoch’s entertainment empire in 2019. Legacy media companies laid off thousands of workers last year during the COVID-19 pandemic as they’ve witnessed an exodus of once loyal viewers to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+.

The proposed new venture would unite one of the world’s biggest producers of unscripted programming, Discovery, with WarnerMedia, a preeminent producer of movies, including “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Wonder Woman,” and such TV shows as “Game of Thrones,” “The Voice” and “The Bachelor.”

The proposed transaction, which would require the approval of federal regulators, would mark a stunning retreat for AT&T, which spent $85 billion three years ago to buy Time Warner Inc., the owner of CNN, HBO, TBS, TNT and the storied Warner Bros. film and TV studio. AT&T now appears ready to jettison those assets — although AT&T investors are expected to remain stakeholders.

“What a dismal failure, and what an embarrassing chapter for what was once one of America’s most storied companies,” telecommunications analyst Craig Moffett said.

[Frontier]

Jeez, this seems troubling .

[HsssH]

Its hard to understand what people running ATT are actually thinking.

[Korath]

Its hard to understand what people running ATT are actually thinking.

How to make plenty of money real fast to line the pocket of the investors, I'd wager. It's modern capitalism' only rule after all.

[Robotman]

The Senate ruling in favor of AT&T in the anti-trust case has cost thousands of people their jobs and has done a lot of long term damage to the companies being purchased. Allowing a company that is $164 billion in debt to make this massive of a merger is incredibly stupid. But hey the free market and all that ****.

[Vordan]

Apparently this shouldn’t affect DC too much, but Jesus has ATT buying WB been a nightmare for anyone working there. You’re never sure what the hell is happening next.

[Holt]

Its hard to understand what people running ATT are actually thinking.

"Oh ****, maybe dropping billions on a new acquisition when we're already drowning in debt was a....bad idea?"

[John Venus]

"Let's buy an entertainment company and make mountains of money on streaming!

..........

I have no idea how any of this works."

Is that what happened?

[Godlike13]

Sounds to me they are fixing the car up to eventually sell it off. Creating this spin off media company. Which honestly might be for the best.