In a candid moment at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav didn’t mince words according to The Hollywood Reporter: television, he declared, has become “a terrible consumer experience.” For a media titan who has built his career in the industry, Zaslav’s critique is a damning indictment of the state of TV in 2025. While he champions his own platform, HBO Max, as a beacon of quality, his comments reflect a broader sentiment—television, once a unifying source of entertainment, is now a fragmented, frustrating maze for viewers worldwide.
Zaslav pointed to the overwhelming number of streaming services as a primary culprit. “The marketplace is really challenged with too many players,” he said, noting that consumers are drowning in choices. With platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, YouTube, and HBO Max—alongside countless niche services—viewers face a dizzying array of subscriptions, interfaces, and content libraries. Turning on the TV is no longer a simple act of flipping through channels; it’s a logistical nightmare. “Where is it? How do I get from one to the other? How do I get into that platform?” Zaslav said, echoing the exasperation of millions who juggle multiple apps and subscriptions just to watch their favorite shows.
This fragmentation has created a paradox: more content than ever, yet harder to access. The average viewer must navigate clunky interfaces, inconsistent search functions, and platform-exclusive content. Want to watch a new series? It might be on Peacock, Hulu, or Apple TV+—good luck remembering which. Add to that the rising costs of subscriptions, and the joy of TV watching is quickly replaced by decision fatigue and wallet strain. Zaslav himself hinted at further price hikes for HBO Max, which he believes is “way underpriced” for its premium offerings. With HBO Max projected to reach 150 million homes by next year, Zaslav is banking on quality to justify the increase, but it’s a risky move in an already crowded market.
The broader industry is also grappling with structural upheaval. Warner Bros. Discovery is set to split into two entities by April 2026, with Zaslav leading “Warner Bros.,” encompassing HBO, Warner Bros. studios, DC Studios, and TCM, while CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will helm “Discovery,” managing linear channels like CNN, TBS, and Discovery+, along with most of the company’s debt. This restructuring reflects a broader trend of media companies reevaluating their strategies in a hyper-competitive landscape.
For viewers, the dream of seamless, affordable TV seems further away than ever. Zaslav’s HBO Max may thrive, but his critique underscores a grim reality: the golden age of television has given way to a chaotic, consumer-unfriendly era where finding and affording great shows feels like a chore.
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