After all the uproar over the senior management firings of Turner Classic Movies, which saw the ousting of longtime executives who had been instrumental in bringing the brand to the level of adoration its fans feel for it, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson is here to strike a note of restraint.
In a joint statement released via Spielberg’s production company Amblin, the three filmmakers go all out in praise of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
“Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel,” the statement read. “It really is a valuable cinematic resource, open 24/7. And while it’s never been a financial behemoth, it’s always been a profitable endeavor since its inception.
“Earlier this week, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav got in touch to talk about the restructuring of TCM. We understand the pressures and realities of a company as large as WBD, of which TCM is a moving part.
“Each of us spent time talking to David, separately and together, and it’s clear that TCM and classic cinema are very important to him. Our main goal is to ensure that TCM programming is intact and secure.
“We are heartened and encouraged by the conversations we’ve had thus far and are committed to working together to ensure the continuation of this cultural touchstone we all treasure.”
As for what that could mean: bigger plans for the brand involving directors? – more than TCM’s survival is at stake. TCM was shaped into what it is thanks to passionate cinephiles in executive roles. A brand is powered by the people who work on it day to day. What follows will be, at the very least, a different TCM.
Consider what film writer and journalist Mark Harris tweeted today: “David Zaslav might respond by saying, ‘But we don’t abandon TCM.’ But TCM isn’t just a library, it’s a small, intense, exceptional talent pool. It is not defined simply by its content, but by the people who curate and nurture it. This goes for all the big cultural brands”.
