You've made this assertion before, always without any evidence. I don't think this is true. I think WBD continues to produce/license just as much original content for HBO (original series, docs, specials) now that it is a part of Max as they did before. Any recent dip in output is, I believe, attributable to last year's strikes which paused film and TV production for several months, but that has affected all streamers/networks, not just HBO.
Except the other streamers are not having the same problems, Netflix is putting out as much as ever, Disney+ already has 3 Star Wars/2 more Marvel shows done and set for this year, has 1 Marvel Show done for next year, 1 Star Wars (Andor) in post for 2025, Ahsoka season 2 for 2025 and 2 more Marvel shows filming right now for 2025.
Paramount+ has enough ready until the end of summer, Peacock I have no idea.
Yet some of the big shows Warner announced in 2023, have not even filmed yet, Last of Us #2 does not have all the scripts done yet, now that Pedro Pascal‘s shoulder was broken, looking at late next year.
Then we have the Harry Potter series, which does not even have a showrunner yet, so looking at about 3 years for that.
Now, it is true that Warner has reduced or eliminated original output at TNT, TBS, TruTV and Cinemax, choosing to shift those resources toward Max Originals.
There is no evidence they did that, the reason why is because is because 3 of those channels have lost up to 30 Million per sub fees, Cinemax original series production stoppage was decided a couple of years ago.
So, the only reason was cost savings, not moving production/ development costs to MAX-
UPDATED: TNT and TBS are pausing their scripted game under new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, which CEO David Zaslav has promised will find $3 billion in cost savings across the new company in the post-merger era, Variety has learned exclusively.
TNT and TBS are moving out of the scripted game under new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, Variety has learned exclusively.
variety.com
But it seems to me that they continue to be very protective of their crown jewel, HBO.
The only thing they are protective of is cost savings…$$$$.