![]() Michelle Slavich |
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group is consolidating the domestic and international operations of its marketing and PR departments, with a resulting cut of about 15 jobs in New York and Los Angeles, according to a report in today’s Variety.
Domestic and international publicity teams that formerly operated separately will now be run as a single unit overseen by executive vp global publicity Michelle Slavich. Slavich came to Warner Bros five months ago from YouTube, where she had served as head of entertainment communications.
Among those receiving pink slips were executive VP of international publicity Lance Volland and Ernie Johnston, who has worked in promotions and field publicity for the company for 20 years.
Lynne Frank, the studio's president of international marketing and worldwide planning, will be leaving after finishing campaigns on the upcoming “Fantastic Beasts” sequel and “Aquaman.” PR senior VP Courtney Rogge is also said to be departing. No further cuts are expected.
The changes are being spearheaded by Blair Rich, the studio’s president of worldwide theatrical and home entertainment marketing. A source told Variety that the cuts were the result of an extended review of the departments, and were not related to or dictated by the AT&T-Time Warner merger.


Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. has replaced CEO and former California Congressman Devin Nunes with Kevin McGurn, a seasoned media sales executive.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is being bought by the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a nonprofit that is the parent organization of the Baltimore Banner... The British Broadcasting Corporation is axing approximately 2,000 jobs, about 10 percent of its work force... Snap, the company behind Snapchat, is also succumbing to layoff fever, announcing plans to lay off 16 percent of its employees, about 1,000 people.
CBS News Radio will go off the air on May 22, part of the axe-swinging managerial plan put into play by CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss... The Economist, which was first published in 1843, is changing hands. Canadian billionaire Stephen Smith has agreed to acquire a 26.9 percent stake in the publication from Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, her family and family foundation... Nexstar Media Group says it has closed its acquisition of TEGNA, the broadcast, digital media and marketing services company that was formed in 2015, when the Gannett Company split into two publicly traded companies.
USA TODAY brings on Jamie Stockwell as VP of news, effective March 30. Stockwell was most recently deputy managing editor of news for the Washington Post... YouTube expands its likeness detection capabilities to a pilot group of government officials, journalists and political candidates... The AP Fund for Journalism adds 50 news organizations to its local news program, bringing the total number of participating newsrooms to 100.
Versant Media Group, the NBCUniversal cable TV spin-off, today reported its first financial results as 2025 revenues dipped 5.3 percent to $6.7B and standalone EBITDA dropped 9.1 percent to $2.2B.



