Free Republic

Previously unseen text messages reveal how CNN lobbied the former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on behalf of its parent company Warner Bros. to reopen theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a text sent to Andrew Cuomo in September 2020, CNN's chief marketing officer at the time, Allison Gollust, appeared to request the governor meet then-Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff. 'She's bummed you don't open theaters in NY, but perhaps you can hear her out,' Gollust said in the message, which was first reported on by Semafor.

'Paranoid' WarnerMedia staff are preparing for another round of layoffs ahead of the completion of its merger with media conglomerate Discovery, sources have revealed, after a firing spree this week saw nine top execs nixed from the company. The nine departures saw the exit of CEO Jason Kilar, Warner Bros. chief Ann Sarnoff, and HBO Max general manager Andy Forssell. Other staffers set to leave the company Friday include WarnerMedia CRO Tony Goncalves, CTO Richard Tom, CFO Jennifer Biry, Executive Vice President Jim Cummings, CIO Christy Haubegger and WarnerMedia general counsel Jim Meza. All were top members of Kilar's management...