Diane Nelson Named President, Warner Premiere

(August 21, 2006 – Burbank, CA) – Diane Nelson has been named President, Warner Premiere, the brand new direct-to-DVD production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, it was announced today by Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Jeff Robinov, President, Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. Nelson will report to both Tsujihara and Robinov. Warner Premiere has been founded with the mandate to develop, produce and market feature-length content for the rapidly growing direct-to-DVD market. The division’s production roster will focus on original films which leverage a well-established creator, talent or brand equity; sequels and prequels to already-produced Warner Bros. Entertainment properties; and releases with storylines which expand upon projects currently in production at the studio. Select Warner Premiere releases may also have a traditional or limited theatrical exhibition window as well as release to emerging direct-to-consumer platforms, including digital distribution. Warner Premiere will produce up to 15 titles a year, the first of which, “Dukes of Hazzard II” — a continuation the storyline featured in the 2005 theatrical release—recently wrapped production and will be available spring 2007. “Consumers today have more ways than ever to access content, which naturally increases the need for all forms of programming, especially in the DVD originals arena,” said Tsujihara. “With Warner Premiere, we’re creating an additional stream of new, high-quality, ‘fan-ready’ DVDs that will be supported by top-notch marketing to help them standout in the increasingly crowded marketplace.” “This is very exciting for us, as well as the next logical step in the evolution of digital entertainment for a company our size,” said Robinov. “While the films and shorts produced by Warner Premiere will be produced under a new business model, they will have no creative constraints on them and should not be thought of as low-budget or second-rate in any way. We’re creating projects with a very specific mindset, geared to a specific distribution platform, while at the same time trying new creative approaches, telling different stories, working with new talent and responding quickly to consumer feedback and demand.” “My goal with Warner Premiere is to continue the Studio’s mandate of being a destination for both established and upcoming talent,” said Nelson. “Warner Premiere can provide creative opportunities—from exploring and developing back stories and lesser characters in existing properties to creating original titles that work better in the new media—for writers, producers, directors and talent that may not available to them within the established studio system.” Prior to her new position, Nelson served as Executive Vice President, Global Brand Management, Warner Bros. Entertainment, with the primary responsibility of working cross-divisionally and throughout Time Warner to maximize and optimize all the various windows and outlets available to the Studio’s signature franchises, brands and event properties on a global basis. Additionally, since 2000, Nelson has overseen the management of the Harry Potter franchise and represents the Studio's interests with the author of the Harry Potter books, JK Rowling, and will continue to do so. “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in Global Brand Management in just two and half years,” said Nelson. “With properties ranging from Batman and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Superman, Happy Feet and, of course, Harry Potter, the division is a recognized asset and resource across the studio and our parent company and is poised for continued growth and success.” (A new head of Global Brand Management will be named shortly.) Prior to her post in Global Brand Management, Nelson served as Executive Vice President, Domestic Theatrical Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures. She has risen quickly through the company’s ranks, having also served as Senior Vice President, Domestic Theatrical Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures, and, prior to that, as Senior Vice President, Family Entertainment, Warner Bros. Corporate Worldwide Marketing and Planning. Before that, she was Vice President, Worldwide Corporate Promotions, a post she was promoted to two years after joining the Studio in September 1996 as Director of Worldwide Corporate Promotions. Nelson came to the Warner Bros. from Walt Disney Records, where she served as Director of National Promotions, working on the promotion and marketing of the soundtrack and product line for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and the management of national promotions for such corporate sponsors as McDonald's, Procter & Gamble and Mattel. She is a graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications.# # #