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Robert Gibbs, who served as White House press secretary to President Obama, will join Warner Bros. Discovery as head of its communications team.
After years leading public relations efforts in the private sector, Gibbs will now oversee public relations and public affairs during a turbulent time for the media industry. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery Channel are at historic lows while the industry grapples with rapid changes in consumer behavior.
Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN, has had some success with hits like “Barbie” and its TNT sports unit. However, like many of its peers, the company has had trouble attracting fans this year. Television ratings and cable subscriptions continue to decline, and the company faces challenges renewing its expensive NBA packages.
Gibbs’s charge is not to address broader issues in the media industry, but to improve the communications strategy at Warner Bros. Discovery, which has struggled to communicate its plans to fans amid cancelling expensive shows, cutting resources and gradually rebooting its DC Entertainment brand.
CEO David Zaslav expressed confidence in Gibbs’ abilities, saying, “Robert has an incredible track record of advancing strong communications and public affairs strategies, which will make him a valuable asset to WBD as we focus on nurturing our internal culture, deepening connections with consumers and partners, and innovating across our business.”
Zaslav highlighted Gibbs’ history of helping the company succeed during periods of transformation, calling him “the perfect person for this role.”
Gibbs served as communications director for Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign and 2008 presidential campaign before becoming the Obama administration’s first White House press secretary. Most recently, he was a partner at consulting firm Bully Pulpit International and, before that, was chief communications officer for McDonald’s.
Gibbs will replace Katie Martin-Kelly and Laura Watson, who have served as interim communications directors since Nathaniel Brown’s departure in January. Gibbs will begin his new role on August 5.
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