TCM Fans Fears May Be Assuaged With Warners Bros. Bosses Reported To Gain Oversight Of The Classic Movie Channel
As David Zaslav continues to make changes in Warner Bros, fans fear that TCM may be in danger of losing its beloved brand. Fans are concerned that new leadership might alter or censor certain films, effectively erasing cinema history. Others have a more benign fear that the impressive TCM library will be buried behind a mountain of other content. To put to rest those fears, Zaslav announced that Warner Bros. Pictures bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy would oversee the TCM channel after the departure of TCM Chief Pola Chagnon. The new appointees are a means to reassure fans and filmmakers alike that TCM will stay true to its mission.
A trio of filmmakers, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, and Paul Thomas Anderson, expressed their relief in a joint statement, “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 filmmakers called the TCM channel “a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day seven days a week.”
While De Luca and Chagnon handle the creative part of the channel, Micheal Ouweleen and Kathleen Finch will oversee the business side. Warner Bros. Discovery seems confident that this team will live up to the channel’s legacy. Time will tell if they deliver on that promise.
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Source(s): The Hollywood Reporter, GQ