Warner Bros. Discovery has reversed its plan to lay off the programming chief for Turner Classic Movies and announced moves to help bolster the channel, after incurring the wrath of film fans with planned cuts.
Charles Tabesh, TCM’s senior vice president of programming who has guided the channel for 25 years, has agreed to stay on, a Warner Bros. Discovery representative said Wednesday. Tabesh was slated to exit along with other top TCM management as part of cost-cutting moves across the Warner Bros. Discovery’s TV channels as the company looks for ways to reduce its debt.
The network will now report directly to Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. The move is an attempt to protect the channel and get the operation more support from Hollywood’s film community.
