Warner Bros. Discovery Relied on Food Network for Q4 Success
By Movieguide® Contributor
Warner Bros. Discovery relied on the Food Network for its 2023 Q4 success.
“With a ‘huge’ turnout of 34 million viewers across 52.5 hours of holiday-themed programming, Food Network chief Betsy Ayala told Variety‘s ‘Strictly Business’ podcast she’s proud of the results, which were driven by seasonal favorites including HOLIDAY BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP, HOLIDAY WARS and BEAT BOBBY FLAY: HOLIDAY THROWDOWN, as well as new competition series ELF ON THE SHELF: SWEET SHOWDOWN,” Variety reported.
“The whole company, all of the other networks, really got behind supporting Food Network to help make it the success that Betsy described,” said Karen Bronzo, U.S. Networks chief marketing officer, of the Q4 success. “Whether it was with other integrated content, or additional promotional power with running promos on the networks, we did a lot of things to really just try to boost the eyeballs to Food Network during that time, which paid off really, really well for us.”
The company hopes to build on this success with several returning shows, including WORST COOKS IN AMERICA, which premiered on Jan. 7, and Guy Fieri’s TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, returning Feb. 18.
Other upcoming shows include BEAT BOBBY FLAY, BEAT BOBBY FLAY: HOLIDAY SHOWDOWN, BOBBY’S TRIPLE THREAT, BBQ BRAWL, CHOPPED, GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE, SUPERMARKET STAKEOUT, SUMMER BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP, HOLIDAY BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP, OUTCHEF’D, PIONEER WOMAN and DELICIOUS MISS BROWN.
In addition to the Food Network, Warner Bros. Discovery hoped to draw people to Max and its movies during the fourth quarter.
“We also were able to use our platforms to support the theatrical releases and the Max releases that were happening throughout the year,” said Bronzo.
WONKA was one theatrical release that helped the company last year. It grossed over $500 million globally and has been nominated for Movieguide®’s Best Movies for Families award.
Part of the review reads:
WONKA is a very fun, funny movie, one of the most entertaining movies of the year. There are many fun and memorable songs throughout the movie, which makes it a delight to watch. WONKA shows good triumphing over evil through the magic of joy and great dreams. It also supports the little entrepreneur starting his own little business in the face of a government-sanctioned cartel. However, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older pre-teens because the cartel has bribed the police and a cathedral and its clerics with chocolate they can’t resist.
The company will follow WONKA up with several new theatrical releases, including DUNE: PART TWO, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA and HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA parts 1 and 2.
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