AT&T and Discovery have entered into a definitive agreement to combine WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery’s leading nonfiction and international entertainment and sports businesses.
Under the terms of the agreement, which is structured as an all-stock, Reverse Morris Trust transaction, AT&T would receive $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities, and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt, and AT&T’s shareholders would receive stock representing 71% of the new company. Meanwhile, Discovery shareholders would own 29% of the new company. The boards of directors of both AT&T and Discovery have approved the transaction.
The new company will compete globally in the fast-growing D2C business, bringing content to D2C subscribers across its portfolio, including HBO Max and the recently launched discovery+. The transaction will combine WarnerMedia’s content library of popular and valuable IP with Discovery’s global footprint, local-language content and regional expertise across more than 200 countries and territories. The new company will be able to invest in more original content for its streaming services, enhance the programming options across its global linear pay-TV and broadcast channels, and offer more innovative video experiences and consumer choices.
The new company will have a library of nearly 200,000 hours of programming and bring together over 100 brands including HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet and ID.
The companies have also announced that Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav will lead the proposed new company with a management team and leadership from both companies.
Discovery’s current multiple classes of shares will be consolidated to a single class with one vote per share.
The new company’s board of directors will consist of 13 members, seven initially appointed by AT&T, including the chairperson of the board. Discovery will initially appoint six members, including CEO David Zaslav.
Commenting on the transaction, which is expected to close in mid-2022, John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, said: “This agreement unites two entertainment leaders with complementary content strengths and positions the new company to be one of the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. It will support the fantastic growth and international launch of HBO Max with Discovery’s global footprint and create efficiencies which can be re-invested in producing more great content to give consumers what they want. For AT&T shareholders, this is an opportunity to unlock value and be one of the best capitalized broadband companies, focused on investing in 5G and fiber to meet substantial, long-term demand for connectivity. AT&T shareholders will retain their stake in our leading communications company that comes with an attractive dividend. Plus, they will get a stake in the new company, a global media leader that can build one of the top streaming platforms in the world”.
David Zaslav added: “During my many conversations with John, we always come back to the same simple and powerful strategic principle: these assets are better and more valuable together. It is super exciting to combine such historic brands, world class journalism and iconic franchises under one roof and unlock so much value and opportunity. With a library of cherished IP, dynamite management teams and global expertise in every market in the world, we believe everyone wins…consumers with more diverse choices, talent and storytellers with more resources and compelling pathways to larger audiences, and shareholders with a globally scaled growth company committed to a strong balance sheet that is better positioned to compete with the world’s largest streamers. We will build a new chapter together with the creative and talented WarnerMedia team and these incredible assets built on a nearly 100-year legacy of the most wonderful storytelling in the world. That will be our singular mission: to focus on telling the most amazing stories and have a ton of fun doing it.”
