Michael Lombardo Departing HBO

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Michael Lombardo, HBO programming president, is departing the premium network after a 33-year run.

After a brilliant run of hits earlier in Lombardo’s career, HBO could use a few. Vinyl has failed to catch on after considerable initial buzz. The second season of True Detective was panned by critics and viewers alike. Game of Thrones is a monster, but is on the back end of its run.

HBO has signed up cultural tastemakers Jon Stewart and Bill Simmons, but lacks a clear scripted hit successor to Game of Thrones.

Lombardo has held the president of programming title since 2007.

HBO confirmed Lombardo's departure.

Variety was first to report the news, saying the decision was believed to be Lombardo's.

Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.