Bruce Haring
Viewers looking for classic movies in the coming weeks may not be able to access TCM as they usually do.
On Friday, host Ben Mankiewicz asked viewers to “forgive our digital dust” as TCM modernizes and expands its broadcasts.
Details on how long the breaks will last and what time the activities will take place were not disclosed.
“The best fans and the best movies deserve the best service. The best fans and the best movies deserve the best service,” Mankiewicz said in the video announcement: “So to ensure that the TCM on-air experience is reliable and seamless for the foreseeable future, we are working to optimize our broadcast operations.” “You may notice some interruptions as we go through this process, so please be patient.”
TCM was launched in 1994 by Ted Turner. The channel shows classic theatrical films from Turner Entertainment Co.’s library, including Warner Bros. pre-1950, MGM and North American rights from RKO Pictures. and also licenses from other studios.
In 2023, executive restructuring raised some concerns about the future of TCM, causing panic among Hollywood executives. Directors Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson and Steven Spielberg were among those who met with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to express their enthusiasm for TCM.
The subsequent appointments of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdi were seen as a vote of confidence in the channel, with the three aforementioned directors said to be engaged in “active collaboration with the channel.”
A source