The Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront took place on Wednesday morning. It began on a somber note by remembering Ted Turner.
What We Know: The Warner Bros. Discovery upfront began with a tribute to Turner, who died last week at 87. Part of the tribute included the first moments of CNN on the air in 1980.
What They Said: “Ted Turner was so many things, but I knew him as the founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting, a bold visionary with an unrivaled work ethic. He believed in the value of people’s access to information, and he built a company that has impacted not only everyone in this room, but anyone who has ever watched television. The legacy that he built continues to inspire this industry every day. And it will for years to come. So before we start today’s presentation, I just wanted to leave you with this famous Ted saying, which feels appropriate for today: ‘Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise!’” -Anderson Cooper
What Remains Unclear: If this will be the last ever Warner Bros. Discovery upfront. The company is in the process of being acquired by Paramount Skydance. Conceivably, that company would simply integrate the WBD brand into is already existing portfolio. But that also remains unclear.
What It Means: The death of Ted Turner remains on the minds of those at CNN and Warner Bros. Discovery.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
