1. At Warner Bros., new CEO’s first task is to bring peace to
studio – Los Angeles Times
In taking the reins of Warner Bros., one of Kevin Tsujihara’s first tasks will be returning calm to
a studio that has been racked by divisions and infighting.
Although Warner was Hollywood’s No. 1 supplier of television shows, No. 1 in the home video
market and No. 2 at the box office last year, the rivalry between Tsujihara and two other
executives for the top job created tensions on the studio’s Burbank lot and uncertainty among
its partners throughout the entertainment industry.
On Monday, as word spread that Tsujihara had been named chief executive, many in Hollywood
immediately began asking what his appointment would mean for the two rivals: Television
Group President Bruce Rosenblum and Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov.
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Experts said that lingering resentments are an unavoidable outcome of the public two-year
competition that Jeff Bewkes, CEO of parent company Time Warner Inc., held for the studio’s
top spot.
“One of the reasons a lot of people don’t recommend this process is you end up winning with
one executive and losing with the others,” said Edward Lawler, a professor at USC’s Marshall
School of Business. “You can try to keep the people who lose out by changing their titles or
giving them more money, but it’s not easy to retain them.”
Tsujihara said in an interview that he hoped both Rosenblum and Robinov would stay with
Warner and expressed an openness to reshaping the studio in a way that could give both more
responsibility.
“I think that over the coming weeks we’re going to continue conversations about defining their
roles and defining the organization in a way that makes sense for the company,” he said.
“They’re both talented executives and both are my friends.”
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2. One of the reasons that Tsujihara was selected, according to company insiders, was that
Bewkes and Warner Chairman Barry Meyer, who is retiring at year’s end after 14 years at the
helm, decided that a power-sharing arrangement would be untenable.
“There always has to be a boss,” said Bob Daly, former Warner chairman who left the studio in
1999 after nearly two decades on the job.
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With his lack of experience in TV and film production, and relatively few relationships with
creators in both fields, Tsujihara will need to rely on Robinov and Rosenblum to succeed in his
new job.
Although Tsujihara gets along well with Robinov, he has developed a contentious relationship
with Rosenblum in recent years, according to numerous people who know both but were not
authorized to speak publicly. Tsujihara said such accusations were “overblown.”
The TV group produces just over half of Warner’s profits, which had led many inside and
outside the studio to believe Rosenblum had the inside line for the top job. In a statement, he
conceded he was disappointed but said, “Warner Bros. is a unique and special place and I
know it will be in good hands with Kevin at the helm.”
Some have speculated that when Rosenblum’s contract expires in August, he might seek a
new position within Time Warner or, more likely, outside the company.
Robinov did not address his own feelings in a statement, saying only that he and Tsujihara “are
both good friends and colleagues and I think he’s an excellent choice for the job.”
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3. But Robinov previously has made no secret of his desire to run a studio and could bolt if he
were able to secure such a position elsewhere.
Among the three, Robinov and Rosenblum have clashed the most. If Robinov or Rosenblum
would have landed the top job, the other would have been likely to leave.
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“By the first of the year, everyone will be rowing in the right direction,” Daly predicted. But “any
time you take a company that has been so stable and make a major change, there could be
other effects.”
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Waddywood.com At Warner Bros., new CEO’s first task is to bring peace to studio – Los
Angeles Times
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