Jason Kilar is making tough and unpopular decisions atAT&T 'sWarnerMedia in his quest to growHBO Max .- Business Insider talked to people in and close to the company who questioned his communications style and wondered if the tech industry vet is the right person to turn around the
media and entertainment giant. - AT&T needs to show that it can grow HBO Max to compete with
Netflix , Amazon, and Disney in the streaming wars.
Jason Kilar is eight months into his new job running AT&T's WarnerMedia - and some insiders are wondering if he has what it takes to run a complex, $34-billion dollar business.
Kilar's decision to put Warner movies on HBO Max at the same time they open in cinemas is a pro-consumer move that will give HBO Max a much-needed shot in the arm. But it could come at the expense of Warner's profitable cable channels and its huge TV and film production business.
Business Insider talked to eight people close to the company who described Kilar as a "tech bro" who acts on his own and has threatened key relationships, which some say risks turning WarnerMedia into another AOL-Time Warner.