The studio and cable conglomerate that David Zaslav created couldn’t overcome outside forces and massive debt.

Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting up after just over three years, and Wall Street is cheering. The spinoff will create a slew of new questions.

For 15 years, Zaslav was Mr. Cable (being coached all the way by his mentor: “Cable Cowboy” John Malone). Zaslav defended the delivery system and the bundle for as long as he could — and then for a few years longer than that.

Zaslav will lead as CEO a new so-called “Streaming & Studios” company made up of WB Television; WB Motion Picture Group; DC Studios; HBO and HBO Max (including its international sports offering); WB Games;

David Zaslav insisted that Discovery Communications together with what was then called WarnerMedia was more than the sum of its parts. They had a “formidable” lineup of global assets, he said. "When you put us together - Batman,