HBO CEO resigns in the wake of AT & T's acquisition

Plepler has been with Time Warner since 1992 and is one of the key drivers of HBO's recent success. He was named co-chair of the premium cable channel in 2007 and became CEO in 2013. Under his leadership, HBO has won more than 160 Emmys awards for programs such as Game of Thrones, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire. He also oversaw the rollout of HBO Go and HBO Now, which expanded the reach of the network.

the New York Times Plepler's decision to resign was influenced by the persistent tension with John Stankey, an AT & T executive who took over Warner Media's management after the merger. Despite promises to increase HBO's budget, the Time indicated that Plepler felt like he had less autonomy under the thumb of AT & T.

While Plepler was at HBO and Levy – who was responsible for Turner's contracts with the NBA and the passivity of esports – who would have left Warner Media, AT & T suddenly has two major roles to play within the newly acquired media group. according to The Hollywood journalistAT & T coveted Bob Greenblatt, former chairman of NBC Entertainment, for a major role in Time Warner.