Cartoon Network president will step down in latest WarnerMedia change

Christina Miller, head of WarnerMedia’s Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, will step down at the end of the year, marking the latest high-profile executive change for the AT&T Inc.-owned entertainment company.

No reason was given for Miller’s departure, but in a Wednesday memo to staff, she said it was her decision to leave. A person close to the company, who was not authorized to comment, said she was asked to stay.

“This is not a decision I came to lightly; it’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career,” Miller wrote. “Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so, feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.”

Miller has been with WarnerMedia, formerly known as Time Warner Inc., for nearly 15 years. She’s overseen its kids and young adults division for the last five years, leading popular brands Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, which has found success in recent years with the irreverent comedy series “Rick and Morty.” Turner Classic Movies was recently added to her portfolio.

WarnerMedia has gone through a major restructuring since it was purchased by Dallas mobile company AT&T last year and placed under the leadership of John Stankey, with multiple top executives leaving divisions, including Warner Bros., Turner Networks and HBO.

This year, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM were put under the purview of Burbank studio Warner Bros.’ then-Chief Executive Kevin Tsujihara. BBC executive Ann Sarnoff was tapped to lead the studio in June after Tsujihara stepped down because of a sex scandal.

Cartoon Network shows are expected to play a significant role in AT&T’s strategy to draw subscribers to its upcoming streaming service, HBO Max, which launches in May at $14.99 a month. The service is expected to compete with other streaming services, including Disney+ and Netflix.

Michael Ouweleen, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, will take over Miller’s duties on an interim basis as the company looks for a permanent replacement.

Miller joined Time Warner’s Turner Networks in 2005 as vice president of Cartoon Network Enterprises, where she was responsible for building the division’s consumer products business. Before taking on her current job, she was a top executive at Turner Sports, where she led day-to-day operations for the NBA Digital business.