Turner Classic Movies is apparently safe, unlike everything else at Warner Bros. Discovery
Fans have feared for Turner Classic Movies after last year's merger of media giants led to widespread cancellations
Aux News Turner Classic Movies
Sure, last year’s Warner Bros. Discovery merger meant that the new media giant immediately became more known for canceling movies and shows than releasing them, but that’s apparently all in the past. Given that Turner Classic Movies is a subsidiary of Warner Bros., the network’s viewers have understandably been concerned about its future. Entertainment Weekly recently dropped by the TCM offices to chat with the channel’s hosts, who assure fans that their favorite throwback films are here to stay.
“All is well right now,” says Alicia Malone. “Nothing’s changed. We all feel very protective over the channel and we know how precious it is, and increasingly rare. So, not on our watch.”
While EW was onsite, new Warners Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav very conveniently happened to drop by, and of course, the TCM hosts reportedly had a great time hanging out with their new boss. (They’re still around, unlike the people who have been laid off.)
“He’s so enthusiastic in his support for TCM, and it’s genuine,” Jacqueline Stewart says. “TCM was on in his office. That’s not just some myth.”
Ben Mankiewicz, TCM’s longest-running host, adds that Zaslav is a classic film buff himself, to the point where he is about to move into the former home of famed Paramount exec Robert Evans and has had a desk belonging to Warner Bros. co-founder Jacob Warner installed in his own office.
“We’ve had a lot of changes in the last five years, one after another,” Mankiewicz says. “New bosses. When [Zaslav] says that they value what we do and that we’re going to be continuing what we do in the foreseeable future, I believe him. And he’s ready. He is connected in this town, and he’s prepared to use that muscle to make sure this town turns out to support us.”
From Hollywood to Sesame Street, it seems like no one has been safe from the widespread cancellations for tax write-offs that took place last year. Batgirl, Stanley Tucci, and, yes, even Big Bird were among those done dirty by the new regime. TCM provides the crucial service of highlighting older films, as well as providing commentary about their historical contexts, and it would be sad to see it go indeed.
41 Comments
Oh thank god. The thought of someone messing with TCM is unthinkable. So long as Noir Alley and Eddie Mueller stick around, I’ll be somewhat content with life.
And the impression I get is that TCM and the adjacent Warner Archive have been pretty steady, reliable earners for them. It’s all their IP, so they generate good revenue with very little up front investment.
This is great to hear, but I’m curious how stable the ground is under TCM. I’m not smart enough to figure out how profitable it is, but it sounds like a big part of its longevity is that it both brings in enough money and that enough important people personally enjoy it. I wonder how much of its existence is owed to the latter vs. the former.
I figure it can’t have much operating costs. They’ve owned the IP for a long time and they basically just pay someone like Ben Mankiewicz to do the little intros. Outside of having someone set the schedule, how much more money do you need to spend? It’s not like they are investing in new shows and IP, which is what most all other networks do.
My guess is their biggest hit to profitability is people buying whatever cable/sat tier the network is on. Some providers have it on midrange tiers, others on the top tier. With more people cutting the cord, they’re losing profits that way. They don’t offer a standalone subscription service (their section on HBO Max is subpar and doesn’t count) so they really need to make sure they stay on whatever the most purchases cable/sat tiers are.
the final straw for me dropping regular cable/sat tv was having to go up a tier to get TCM. hulu live includes it, although i had to push them to get listed by TCM as a “cable provider” so i could watch TCM directly. hulu live used to be a bargain but their prices are now pretty high, esp after they raised rates & made us get disney+. their response to my complaint that i didn’t want disney+ was, “we were going to raise rates anyway, we’re giving you disney+ as a bonus.” sure, jan.
I adore Noir Alley, watch it every week
Same! I love the 10 minute outro and intro. I love that even crappy Noir films get attention, like a couple months back one film has a literal car crash ending and Eddie is pretty merciless to it as he should.
yes, me, too! a few times when i’ve forgotten to record it & i’ve gone to watch the film alone, i really miss eddie’s insights.
Until they develop a time machine and convince Warner of the 1940s that it would be better for tax reasons not to release Casablanca and other classic films.
Did somebody manipulate that picture? Dude’s head looks a little too large for his body.
Nah, he’s just got a big ol noggin
It’s the wide angle lenses they use at red carpet events. Anything outside the center of the lens, and/or a minor tilt of the camera creates distortions.
He’s got a big ol’ bullum head.
I just moved a few years ago to a place where we pretty much have to have cable/internet etc. Which is fine, we can afford it, and I’ve found out that…Holy god, TCM is great. Just SO many fine movies, and the hosts are great (Eddie Muller and Noir Alley especially). Love Ben Mankiewicz’s sense of humor – sometimes he’ll just flat out say that a movie isn’t great, but he always has a reason to watch it.
Basically I just love the whole attitude of TCM. They’ll show noirs, silents, acknowledged and undiscovered (by me) classics, and sometimes even goofy promo films (such as the one from Brunswick Bowling aimed at… managers of bowling alleys?).. And – I guess I could be imagining it, but the hosts and guest hosts seem to really like each other, and to love their jobs.
Also old weird educational Public Service shorts.Like not getting VD, and keeping your house tidy so it doesn’t burn up in a nuclear war.
mr. b natural! springy, the spring sprite – no springs here!
if you love goofy promos, i’m assuming you’re a fan of MST3K?????
if you love goofy promos, i’m assuming you’re a fan of MST3K?????
Oh my lord yes. The fun part is that I’m old enough to have seen some of those promos when I was a kid… and was shown some of those ridiculous “safety” and “etiquette” movies in school. When MST3K does them it’s equal parts hilarity, nostalgia, and quiet horror…
And yeah, we all whispered the same MST3K kinda stuff in school. We weren’t as good at it of course. We didn’t have robots for one.
Its very wholesome and you can feel the joy. They also weren’t above mocking themselves, as the late original host of TCM, Robert Osborn, appeared as himself mocking a fake movie in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
It would be awesome if TCM could launch a streaming service (or have a more substantial presence than their so-so hub in HBO Max.) It’s the one thing I really miss since I dropped my cable package years and years ago, especially since they still regularly have films that are otherwise nearly impossible to see anywhere else.
That’s a great point. If the new owner is such a film fan, maybe he’ll really put an effort behind getting the TCM better stocked on their site, and more respect and spotlight as the gem it is.
They had one, it was a service they launched with Criterion called FilmStruck. AT&T killed it when they merged with Warner Media and created HBO Max. Although it appears that there were know hard feelings and HBO Max and the Criterion Channel have some kind of working relationship going on.
It was such a shock when they cancelled Filmstruck! Nothing, no streaming service has come even close since.
Well yeah, I’m pretty sure that all those movies have been out long enough at this point that they can’t claim that they would be more profitable having never existed.
That’s good. I only discovered a few years ago that you can watch movies on their website after they air and have taken good advantage of that since.
I’m guessing they show mostly films that WB already owns (for the most part)? I can’t imagine it’s terribly expensive to run. It’s like when networks cancel scripted programing to save money by not paying writers, except they don’t have to pay anyone else either. As long as it gets even mediocre ratings/ad-revenue, I’d think it’d be a cash cow.
They license a decent bit out from the other studios, too. On rare occasions they’ll play more recent fare like Phantom Thread, Selma, or Brokeback Mountain.
From a story about TCM:But Warner Bros. is also a film studio which owns a vast library of
thousands of classic movies. TCM on the whole airs just films, both
licensed from Warner Bros. and from other studios. Even its original
shows are tied to such films.
I started to really get into film in my late teens and TCM was instrumental in providing me with a great education. It would be a real tragedy to see it have to close up shop.
I’ve recently discovered an old Batman series from the 40s they play.Maybe it’s common knowledge, but I didn’t know about it.
The Batman serial on now was made during WII, so there are Japanophobic slurs and characterizations. TCM rotates these serials on a regular basis and will likely later show another Batman made later in the 40s with different actors playing Bruce and Dick, the latter looking like he hit the gym whenever possible and could have pummeled Bruce into a coma if aggravated. That version played more like a low-energy noir.
I’ve just seen Nazis so far.
The 1943 Batman serial had a Japanese villain played by Caucasian actor J. Carroll Naish and had a pro-internment segment that suggests that the internment of Japanese Americans “was for their own good” (really!) Less offensive : no Commissioner Gordon, no batmobile and some pretty heavy Zorro vibes.
I just watched TCM last night. They were playing one of my all-time favourites, the original Italian Job.
No one has ever referred to Jack Warner as Jacob Warner.
I’m pretty sure his sister Dot did, if only to tease him.
The Kid Stays in the Picture 2: The Picture Stays in the Vault
You don’t fuck with the Boomer money
Unfortunately on my cable package (xfinity) they switched TCM to an additional charge, as much as I love it I’m hesitant to kick in even more for an already pretty large cable bill. I suppose that’s one way it helps pay for itself.
good news. i wasn’t even aware they might be in trouble. “noir alley” is my fav program! love that eddie!
One thing (one more thing) I like about TCM is.. they know damn well that some movies (Gone with the Wind springs to mind) are now controversial for various reasons. Do they decide not to show them? Fuck no – they show them with an introductory panel of well-informed, educated hosts, who can talk about how the movie was received (and perceived) on release, its history since, and why it’s important to watch it today.I mean, I don’t like Gone with the Wind much at all. Not because of the glorification of the “cause” or its portrayals of black people. I think it’s a potboiler romance based on a potboiler romance novel. But… yes it’s important to have available, uncut and uninterrupted (though I think TCM actually leaves the “intermission” card in the middle when they show it).
Sometimes a bit of context is needed, that’s all. And TCM provides that, for such things as Gone with the Wind, as well as .. when Eddie Muller points out that a particular noir film was made in like 5 days with no completed script in sight.Again, I just love TCM. It’s not the only movie source I have, but if suddenly it was? I bet I would do just fine.