In a surprise move, Warner Bros. Discovery's head of advertising sales, Jon Steinlauf, will leave the company later this year.
Bruce Campbell, WBD's chief revenue and strategy officer, announced Steinlauf's impending exit Friday, telling staff that “I have some news to share that may come as a surprise to many of you.”
“Jon is one of the most respected and well-known advertising sales executives in the industry and has had an incredible career here at WBD through major industry mergers, transformations and pivots,” Campbell added after announcing his exit. “He has been a key part of our leadership at the company and is someone both David and I have relied on for many years.”
WBD is now beginning the search for Steinlauf's successor, with the executive remaining in the role for now until the company finds a new head of advertising sales.
“I have had the privilege of representing this great portfolio of brands for the past 32 years: at Turner, Scripps, Discovery and now at WBD. I am grateful for the opportunities David Zaslav, Bruce Campbell and other leaders have given me. This is the right time to begin a new chapter both personally and professionally,” Steinlauf wrote to staff. “It's incredible to look back on my early years at ESPN and the birth of cable, to see how the business has grown and transformed .”
Steinlauf leaves the company as the television industry is at a crucial point. Video streaming platforms (including WBD's Max) have all pushed into advertising in recent years, hoping to offset declines in linear TV. However, Steinlauf and WBD have long supported the value of linearity. Given the state of the industry, however, it's clear that streaming is where the majority of advertising dollars will end up flowing.