Warner Bros. Discovery Is Threatening To Add CNN Alerts To Movies And Shows On Max, And People Sure Aren’t Having It

Update: As of now Max has “no intention” of adding news alerts to Max.

The David Zaslav era of Warner Bros. Discovery sure hasn’t been a good one. The richly paid exec has made one bizarre decision after another, including removing hundreds of classic Looney Tunes shorts and other movies/shows from HBO Max, revamping HBO Max as simply (and confusingly) Max, and cancelling mostly completed films for tax write-offs. (That’s to say nothing of him helping inspire two industry-stalling strikes.) How could his reign get any worse Well, guess what

— Variety (@Variety) August 30, 2023

Variety has a new piece about CNN Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest attempt to adapt the flailing news network for the streaming era (after the first one didn’t go so hot). It’s still in the development stage, but it will initially focus on breaking news, aired live 24/7, just like regular CNN, but on a streamer. Zaslav and company have some other ideas, too, including this doozy:

Among the features the company will try out are ways of alerting Max viewers to breaking news while they are watching something else on the service, whether it be an HBO series, a Turner Classic Movies selection or an old episode of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

Over on another online service now under questionable leadership — and with an even more abbreviated new name — people chimed in. Did they approve of having CNN alerts interrupt The Righteous Gemstones, Lethal Weapon 2, Seven Samurai or Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Absolutely not.

— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) August 30, 2023

I would just like to watch my movies and shows please. https://t.co/ULYUQQrXJ5

— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) August 30, 2023

The only acceptable alert would be Obama recreating his Bin Laden speech, but for announcing Trump has been taken into custody. https://t.co/OgZwehc6AA

— Schooley (@Rschooley) August 30, 2023

Jack Donaghy would do this to tank NBC https://t.co/TeRGVgEk9Q

— Mr. Chau (@Srirachachau) August 30, 2023

I love to watch the finale of The Leftovers and get a little pop up alert onscreen that Gorpman is set to testify against Bleemer. https://t.co/e8fHK8B0rl

— luke (@lukeoneil47) August 30, 2023

After debranding HBO to Max, Warner Bros. Discovery will test out new subscription cancellation strategy https://t.co/MatbLCdqeN

— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) August 30, 2023

This is a dream come true for me, a person who wants pop-up alerts about who Ariana Grande is dating while I’m watching Hotel Rwanda. https://t.co/JKcQG6IBjg

— Shawn Wines WGA Captain (@shawnwines) August 30, 2023

I will cancel this shit the first time it happens https://t.co/POnHLe5wwU

— Sam Youngman (@samyoungman) August 30, 2023

David Zaslav gets paid $250 million to come to work, say something like "We're replacing laugh tracks with airhorns" and go home. https://t.co/2AdW4cJY7Z

— Mike Scollins (@mikescollins) August 30, 2023

Absolutely nobody wants this https://t.co/b0pmkINjdd

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) August 30, 2023

the war that Zaslav is waging on HBO Max's quality/usability is starting to feel like a vendetta against me, personally https://t.co/ZCv3YZYjmE

— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) August 30, 2023

Some even made beta videos of what such a monstrosity would look like.

— manny (@mannyfidel) August 30, 2023

Alas, David Zaslav has never let public opinion stop him from doing unpopular things to the once-beloved brands he’s taken over. Perhaps you’ll learn about some upcoming Donald Trump verdict while deeply ensconsed in an episode of Otter Dynasty.