EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. Discovery is in the middle of a loud process to sell its studios and streaming business, a move that will also see the creation of Discovery Global, which will house its cable networks.
The latter, which will be run by current WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, will comprise networks including TLC, Discovery Channel, HGTV, TNT, Investigation Discovery, TruTV, Animal Planet and Cartoon Network as well as CNN.
The mood in the camp should be buoyed by the fact that this collection of cable networks was able to launch 18 of the top 25 new cable originals in 2025, outside of news and sports, per Nielsen.
The company is touting the fact that for adults aged 25-54 (a slightly different metric to the oft-used 18-49), it scored the biggest new show of the year with TLC’s Baylen Out Loud, eight of the top ten and four of the top ten ad-supported cable networks.
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The top ten (see full list below) also included Investigation Discovery’s The Fall of Diddy, HGTV’s The Flip Off and TLC’s The Baldwins.
“Our networks are all about creating the shows fans love, whether it’s focused on relationships, true crime, cooking competitions, home transformations, or adult animation,” said Howard Lee, Chief Creative Officer, U.S. Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Next year, we’re turning it up even more with thousands of hours of new content across our brands to keep audiences engaged and entertained, while also delivering advertisers unmatched opportunities.”
Non-WBD titles in the top 25 included Bravo’s Denise Richards’ Wild Things, USA Network’s Everything On The Menu, Bravo’s Next Gen NYC, A&E’s Florida Heat and Homicide Squad NOLA, and Bravo’s Love Hotel and Wife Swap: Housewives.
Baylen Out Loud was both the number one freshman series among adults and women 25-54 in primetime. The series, which comes from Michael Levitt Productions, follows Baylen Dupree, a young woman with Tourette syndrome, her parents, five siblings and fiancé. It premiered in January and was quickly renewed for a second season.
Other successes touted by the company include the fact that the third season of Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends was the top cable show among adults 18-34, the Puppy Bowl, which aired across Discovery Channel, TBS and TruTV, delivered its highest rating to date, HGTV’s The Flip Off, which was also renewed for a second season, was the network’s highest-rated freshman series among adults 25-54 since 2022 and ID’s The Fall of Diddy was the network’s highest-rated special or season since March 2024.
TOP RATED FRESMAN CABLE SHOWS:
The Baylen Out Loud (TLC)
The Fall of Diddy (ID)
The Flip Off (HGTV)
90 Day: Hunt For Love (TLC)
Tournament of Champions: All Star Christmas (Food Network)
Denise Richards’ Wild Things (Bravo)
Naked & Afraid Apocalypse (Discovery)
Filthy Fortunes (Discovery)
Everything On The Menu (USA Network)
The Baldwins (TLC)
Next Gen NYC (Bravo)
Body In The Snow: The Trial of Karen Read (ID)
Florida Heat (A&E)
Sherry Papini: Caught In The Lie (ID)
Homicide Squad NOLA (A&E)
Love Hotel (Bravo)
Renovation Aloha (HGTV)
1000lb Roomies (TLC)
Castle Impossible (HGTV)
Polyfamily (TLC)
Wife Swap: Housewives (Bravo)
Hollywood Demons (ID)
Izzy Does It (HGTV)
Virgins (TLC)
Source: US Nielsen. 2025 to date (12/30/24-11/30/25). L+3, Prime 8p-11p. Excludes sports/news only networks.