David Zaslav

David Zaslav
Born	15 1, 1960
Birthplace	New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Media executive
Title	CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery
Known for	Leading Discovery, Inc. and its merger with WarnerMedia to form Warner Bros. Discovery
Education	Binghamton University (BS) Boston University School of Law (JD)
Spouse(s)	Pam Zaslav
Children	3
Awards	Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award (2025)

David Zaslav (born January 15, 1960) is an American media executive who serves as the chief executive officer and president of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), one of the largest media and entertainment companies in the world. His career in media spans more than three decades, beginning with formative work at NBCUniversal, where he played a role in developing and launching the cable news channels CNBC and MSNBC. In 2006, he was appointed president and CEO of Discovery Communications (later Discovery, Inc.), guiding the company through its initial public offering in 2008, a series of major acquisitions, and ultimately its landmark merger with WarnerMedia in April 2022, which created Warner Bros. Discovery. As of early 2026, Zaslav continues to lead WBD through a period of significant industry consolidation, with the company navigating potential merger discussions with both Netflix and Paramount Skydance. Over the course of his tenure, Zaslav has become one of the most prominent — and debated — figures in the American entertainment industry.

Early Life

David Zaslav was born on January 15, 1960, in New York City. He grew up in the New York metropolitan area. Zaslav has maintained connections to his Jewish heritage throughout his life; in January 2015, he was among the entertainment industry leaders who traveled to Poland to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, alongside filmmaker Steven Spielberg. That event was widely covered in trade and news publications, with Variety and Cablefax noting the significance of Zaslav's participation alongside other prominent industry figures.

Details about Zaslav's childhood and family background prior to his college years are limited in published sources. His career trajectory, beginning with a law degree and evolving into the cable television business, would come to define one of the more notable executive paths in modern American media.

Education

Zaslav attended Binghamton University, a public university in Binghamton, New York, part of the State University of New York system, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently attended Boston University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree. His legal training provided a foundation for his early career in the cable television industry, where regulatory and business affairs expertise proved valuable during a period of rapid expansion in the 1980s and 1990s.

Career

NBCUniversal (1989–2006)

Before joining Discovery Communications, Zaslav spent approximately 17 years at NBCUniversal, where he rose through the ranks of the company's cable division. During his time at NBC, Zaslav was instrumental in the development and launch of two major cable news channels: CNBC, the business news network, and MSNBC, the joint venture between NBC and Microsoft that launched in 1996. His work at NBC positioned him as a key figure in the cable television landscape, and his expertise in building and distributing cable networks attracted the attention of Discovery Communications' board of directors.

The Washington Post reported in November 2006 that Zaslav's appointment as Discovery's new CEO was driven in part by his deep relationships with cable operators and his demonstrated ability to launch new programming services.

Discovery Communications: Early Tenure (2006–2012)

Zaslav was named president and CEO of Discovery Communications in late 2006, succeeding previous leadership at a time when the company was primarily known for its flagship Discovery Channel and a portfolio of nonfiction cable networks. His mandate was to expand the company's brand portfolio, grow its international footprint, and prepare it for the public markets.

In 2008, Discovery Communications completed its initial public offering, becoming a publicly traded company. The IPO was a milestone for the company and marked the beginning of a period of aggressive growth under Zaslav's leadership.

Under Zaslav, Discovery pursued a strategy of launching new networks and rebranding existing ones to capture specific demographics. In one notable move, Discovery launched the Velocity channel, a network aimed at affluent male viewers with programming centered on automobiles, luxury goods, and adventure. The company also rebranded its eco-themed channel, Planet Green, moving it away from its original environmental focus in 2010 as the network struggled to find a broader audience.

During this period, Zaslav articulated a consistent growth plan for Discovery that focused on international expansion and the development of new content verticals. MediaPost reported on his strategy of leveraging Discovery's strong brand identity in nonfiction and factual programming to enter new markets around the world.

Zaslav also pushed Discovery into digital education. In 2012, The New York Times reported that Discovery invested in digital textbooks, seeking new avenues of growth beyond traditional television advertising. This initiative reflected Zaslav's interest in extending Discovery's content expertise into adjacent markets, though the digital education business would remain a relatively small part of the company's overall portfolio.

Expansion and the Scripps Networks Acquisition (2012–2021)

The second half of Zaslav's tenure at Discovery was defined by a major push into acquisitions. The company expanded its domestic and international channel portfolio, and Zaslav positioned Discovery as a consolidator in an increasingly fragmented cable television landscape.

The most significant deal during this period was Discovery's acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive in 2018. The purchase, which closed in March 2018, brought networks such as HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, and DIY Network under the Discovery umbrella, creating what The Hollywood Reporter described as a "nonscripted content giant." The deal significantly expanded Discovery's reach in the domestic cable market, giving the combined company a portfolio of channels with particular strength among female and home-oriented demographics.

Following the Scripps acquisition, Zaslav presided over the integration of the two companies and the development of new programming strategies. In 2018, Discovery also highlighted its Motor Trend network as part of its upfront presentations, signaling continued investment in enthusiast-focused content.

Throughout this period, Discovery also invested in its advertising sales infrastructure. A 2010 New York Times article documented the company's efforts to boost its advertising revenue through new sales strategies and data-driven targeting, part of a broader industry trend toward more sophisticated ad products in cable television.

A Washington Post profile from 2007, early in Zaslav's Discovery tenure, noted his approach to management and his efforts to revitalize the company's culture and programming lineup. A 2010 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article further documented Zaslav's influence on Discovery's direction during this period of expansion.

WarnerMedia Merger and Warner Bros. Discovery (2021–present)

In May 2021, AT&T announced that it would spin off its WarnerMedia division and combine it with Discovery, Inc. to create a new standalone media company. The deal, structured as a Reverse Morris Trust transaction, was one of the largest media mergers in history. The merger closed in April 2022, and the combined entity was named Warner Bros. Discovery. Zaslav was named CEO and president of the new company.

The creation of Warner Bros. Discovery placed Zaslav at the helm of a company with a vastly expanded portfolio that included the Warner Bros. film and television studio, HBO, CNN, TNT, TBS, the DC superhero franchise, and the former Discovery networks. The combined company became one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, competing directly with The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, and NBCUniversal.

Zaslav's leadership of WBD has been marked by significant cost-cutting measures, restructuring, and strategic pivots that have generated both industry attention and controversy. The Hollywood Reporter, in a December 2025 retrospective, examined Zaslav's standing among Hollywood's executives, noting the polarizing nature of his tenure and the open question of his legacy.

Merger Negotiations (2025–2026)

By late 2025 and into early 2026, Warner Bros. Discovery became the subject of intense merger speculation and formal deal negotiations. Reports indicated that both Netflix and Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, were pursuing acquisition or merger arrangements with WBD.

In February 2026, WBD's board of directors unanimously recommended that shareholders vote in favor of a proposed merger with Netflix at a special meeting scheduled for March 20, 2026. At the same time, the company disclosed that Netflix had granted a seven-day waiver permitting WBD to engage in discussions with Paramount Skydance regarding deficiencies in its amended offer.

According to the New York Post, sources indicated that Zaslav's strategy involved allowing Paramount and Netflix to compete against each other, with the goal of maximizing value for WBD shareholders. The report suggested that even as Zaslav appeared focused on a Netflix deal, his real intent was to reignite interest from Paramount.

Deadline reported that Paramount subsequently sweetened its offer for WBD to above $30 per share, intensifying the bidding process. WBD's stock was noted as one of the few equities to rise during a broader market downturn driven by tariff and trade uncertainty, as investors awaited the outcome of the merger process.

Puck reported that some on Wall Street were considering whether Netflix's secondary motive in pursuing WBD was to act as an anti-competitive weapon against Paramount, complicating the strategic calculus for all parties involved.

In January 2026, after Paramount Skydance's eighth takeover bid was rejected by WBD, Zaslav sent an internal memo to employees addressing the situation, a communication that was subsequently obtained and published by Business Insider.

As of late February 2026, the outcome of the merger process remained unresolved, with the March 20 shareholder meeting expected to be a pivotal moment in determining the future of the company and Zaslav's role within it.

Personal Life

David Zaslav is married to Pam Zaslav. The couple has three children. Details about his family life beyond these facts are limited in published sources, as Zaslav has maintained a degree of privacy regarding his personal affairs.

Zaslav has been involved in philanthropic and civic activities. He has been an advocate for causes related to Holocaust remembrance; in 2015, he joined Steven Spielberg and other entertainment industry figures at the 70th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz in Poland. He has also been associated with the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, supporting efforts to raise awareness and funding for research into frontotemporal degeneration, a group of neurological disorders.

Recognition

In October 2025, the Simon Wiesenthal Center honored Zaslav with its Humanitarian Award at its annual gala dinner. The event was attended by leaders from the entertainment, philanthropy, and Jewish communities and raised a record $4.3 million to support the Wiesenthal Center's mission of combating antisemitism and promoting tolerance.

Throughout his career, Zaslav has received attention from various media and industry publications. The Hollywood Reporter included him in its assessment of Hollywood's most notable moguls in December 2025, reflecting on the scale of his influence and the debates surrounding his leadership decisions at Warner Bros. Discovery. MoneyInc profiled Zaslav as part of its coverage of notable business executives, highlighting aspects of his career and personal background.

Legacy

David Zaslav's legacy in the American media industry is shaped by several distinct achievements and ongoing debates. His nearly two-decade tenure at Discovery Communications transformed what was a mid-sized cable network operator into one of the world's largest nonfiction media companies, culminating in the Scripps Networks acquisition that created a dominant portfolio of lifestyle and factual entertainment brands. His role in bringing Discovery to the public markets through its 2008 IPO was a defining moment for the company.

The creation of Warner Bros. Discovery through the 2022 merger with WarnerMedia represented the most consequential chapter of Zaslav's career. The deal gave him stewardship over one of Hollywood's most storied studios, premium brands like HBO and CNN, and a vast library of intellectual property. However, his tenure at WBD has also been defined by aggressive cost-cutting, content write-offs, and restructuring that drew criticism from segments of the creative community and industry observers. The Hollywood Reporter noted in its 2025 assessment that the question of Zaslav's legacy remained open, particularly as the company's future ownership was in flux due to the ongoing merger negotiations with Netflix and Paramount Skydance.

His earlier contributions at NBCUniversal — particularly his involvement in the launches of CNBC and MSNBC — established him as a builder of cable networks during a transformative era in American television. Across his career, Zaslav's trajectory from cable executive to the leader of a major entertainment conglomerate reflects the broader consolidation and transformation of the American media landscape in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.