WBD CEO Could Earn $500M in Potential $56B Sale to Paramount

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav Could Earn $500M in Potential $56B Sale to Paramount
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, stands to gain approximately $500 million if the company is sold near the $56 billion offer from David Ellison’s Paramount, according to Semafor, citing details from Zaslav’s contract. 

David Zaslav

Paramount proposed $23.50 per share to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which went up for sale this week, sparking a potential bidding war with players like Comcast, Netflix, and Amazon.

The company is also navigating a strategic split, planning to offload CNN to a separate entity next year, mirroring Comcast’s approach with MSNBC. 

This move aims to address the decline of linear assets like CNN, which saw 200 layoffs in its TV division in January as part of cost-cutting efforts led by Zaslav and former CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels. These efforts have reduced Warner Bros. Discovery’s debt from $55 billion to $34 billion.

While pursuing the sale, Warner Bros. Discovery is considering alternative separation structures to facilitate a merger if a buyer emerges, potentially reshaping the U.S. media landscape.