Years in Cable: 29
Education: BS, SUNY Binghamton; JD, Boston University Law School
Zaslav’s empire just keeps expanding. At a time of increased scrutiny on industry mergers and acquisitions, Discovery’s $14.6 billion purchase of Scripps Networks Interactive sailed through, bringing greater scale and programming breadth. Plus there have been new ventures such as the automotive digital media company Motor Trend Group. Beyond linear, Zaslav pushed Discovery this year to make its greatest strides to date in attacking direct-to-consumer, short-form and mobile platforms. The company’s investment in sports has been of particular focus with Eurosport’s 2018 Olympic Games debut, and Zaslav is spearheading further investment in an increasingly local, premium and exclusive package of sports rights across Europe.
Last show I binged not on my network(s): “The Crown”
What’s the first thing you read in the morning? The Hive
Favorite short-form content? Everything on our Group Nine platforms… NowThis is the No. 1 social news brand with more than 2.5 billion monthly views!
What does the future look like for skinny bundles and flexible packaging? Expect to see a big increase in genre-specific SVOD services for enthusiast audiences… like Motor Trend, Discovery’s newest digital destination for auto fans.
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year? Recognition that the overstuffed sports bundle is a heavy lift… and consumers want and need a $15-$20 skinny bundle (and it’s good for us!).
