Magnolia Network moved under HBO after WarnerMedia-Discovery merger closes

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After Discovery’s acquisition of WarnerMedia, the new company, now known as Warner Bros. Discovery, has moved Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ network under HBO.

Variety, which was first to report the news, notes that Allison Page, who is the president of Magnolia Network, will now report to Casey Bloys, who heads up HBO and HBO Max.

Magnolia took the place of DIY Network, the former sister network to HGTV and Food Network, which was originally created by Scripps when it owned the family of channels.

Discovery bought Scripps and signed a deal with the home improvement and interior design mavens to launch a joint venture under the Magnolia name.

Magnolia initially launched on Discovery’s streamer Discovery+ in early 2021 before coming to cable in early 2022.

It’s not immediately clear what implications moving responsibility for the network under HBO will have other than a change to organizational charts.

According to a Variety source, at least some of the decision was based on the Gaines’ “star power” and “elevated nature” of the network’s programming.

All of Discovery’s networks feature big names ranging from Bobby Flay to the Property Brothers to Ina Garten, and even Magnolia Network features other personalities, but the Gaines family is synonymous with the name.

Discovery networks are also full of reality-based programming, including Magnolia, but its selections focus more on lifestyle reality as opposed to less sophisticated selections such as “90 Day Fiance,” “Dr. Pimple Popper” and “Sister Wives” on TLC, for example.