UPDATED with TCM statement. Warner Bros Discovery’s TCM is officially discontinuing its Underground sub-brand, two months after laying off programmer Millie De Chirico.
TCM’s official Twitter handle confirmed the news on Wednesday, which riled up cinephiles on the social platform. The final titles carrying the Underground label will air on Friday. “Classic cult favorites and hard-to-find films will always be in our DNA, and we will continue to find ways to showcase them,” the company said in a statement.
No further staff reductions will result from the official end of the banner, a rep confirmed to Deadline. WBD, which reports its quarterly earnings Thursday afternoon, has been on a quest to deliver $3.5 billion in cost savings following the April 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery.
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“Well, it’s been a great 18 1/2 years, but my job was cut in a company restructure recently which means tomorrow is my last day at TCM,” TCM Underground programmer Millie De Chirico announced today which, of course, is three days before Christmas.
TCM is part of Warner Bros. Discovery, which has been laying people off in droves recently. CNN announced significant layoffs late last month that saw prominent faces such as Chris Clizza and Martin Savidge depart. Nancy Daniels, who oversaw the Turner networks and a number of Discovery channels, and Jane Latman, the HGTV veteran who was also in charge of Food Network were among the many WBD exec departures this month.
De Chirico has been programming TCM Underground for 15 years. She also has hosted the companion YouTube series TCM Slumberground and been a part of the outlet’s popular TCM Classic Film Festival.
Billed as a “late-night movie franchise that showcases the best of classic cult favorites and hard-to-find films, from experimental shorts to off-beat comedies,” TCM Underground airs overnight Saturday into Sunday.
De Chirico thanked her supporters today online.
“Very grateful to anyone who supported my programming work over the years, including @TCMUnderground. Means a lot!” she wrote, before noting, “I’ll still be around laughing very loudly on our film podcast, @ISawPod.”
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