I have got the dream team, the absolute dream team heading up all these networks, Finch said.
They know content better than anybody, they know their brands better than anybody.
When you go through a merger, you do sort of figure out how many layers we need.
MILF Manor, Kathleen Finch and Power Slap: Road to the Title tbs pressTBS/Getty/TLC
How much staff do we need?
Tax Write-Offs
Reality seriesThe Big Dwas pulled from the schedule a few weeks before it was due to air.
Honestly, I wouldnt categorize it really as for tax reasons, Finch said.
‘The Big D’TBS
The challenges when you bring two companies together, you assess what you have.
Then you see if what you have fits with your ongoing strategy.
So that had a lot to do with what we had to do.
They were painful decisions.
None of this was taken lightly at all.
I totally get why people would be nervous.
Its happening in the industry in other places.
Its not how we do business, its not a strategy.
Turner Networks
What really works on the Turner networks is sports and off-net sitcoms, she said.
We will commission around 4500 hours of content for this year.
We do have unscripted content on the nets, but I wouldnt focus your attention there.
We have a really a really fun unscripted comedy show, kinda likePunkdthat well be launching for TBS.
We like sports-adjacent, a couple of reality shows in the sports world that were working on.
TBS airs the series,although it pushed back the premiere a week.
Was Finch concerned about airing it after what White did?
Yes, she said.
This is an experiment.
The goal is, we are making shows for our fans, thats who we work for.
This may surprise you to know that I did not know much about wrestling before I took this job.
I know, I seem like a wrestling fan, but Im not.
But I did have to learn a lot about the audience.
A lot of families that watch [wrestling], I was very surprised to learn this.
I have huge respect for this audience.
AEW wrestling airs on two of our networks, TNT and TBS on both nights it kills.
Finding something that speaks to that audience, that would be gold.
The actual series is produced by eOne and Spun Gold.
Were not the Learning Channel anymore.
TLC is a fun connection.
Its got such a passionate fan base and we embrace that fan base, because we love them.
We considered calling in a dozen other [names].
We knew this thing would be controversial.
But thats exactly why we chose it.
We like causing attention.
Its going to double down.
I mean, its going to continue even more, Finch said.
Theyre fishermen, theyre gold miners, a new show with sewer divers.
Howard is very good at finding the everyman, and then turning them into a television star.
Thats what Discovery does very well, and what we want more.
We dont need a fully formed show.
We dont need anything that is polished or even needs to have a format necessarily.
Diversity
Finch is aware of the need to continue to improve diversity across the networks.
Some of them are better than others, its not intent, she said.
But in some, its just harder, I mean, depending on what the content is sometimes.
But were trying to all of us get to the same level of doing better.
And thats really our goal is.
Finding people in these interesting worlds, it is a challenge.
Is there a cost per hour we like to hit there?
Do we break that rule?
Dont restrict yourselves come to us.
Let us sort of talk to you about it.
That also brings costs down very often.
Finch says that shes become more flexible.
We have a huge international footprint now, and we were all over the world.
We actually stayed really strong.
But I definitely sense that were making a turn and that people are visiting.
I think quite honestly, what were seeing right now is a bit of a level set.
