[ad_1]
Channing Dungey called a meeting of ABC executives on Friday and revealed that she would step down as president of the entertainment presidency. In less than an hour, Disney has publicly announced that Karey Burke, programming director at Freeform, ABC's sibling, will succeed Dungey.
This news was not a surprise to those who know Dungey, who fought for his decision to stay at ABC or leave after the end of his contract early next year, three years after being named president. of ABC Entertainment in February 2016.
But the news has always generated a shock wave within ABC. Anxiety is already on the network as Disney prepares to finalize the acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which will bring Fox's Peter Rice and Dana Walden as the new management team.
"Everyone is devastated," said one insider Variety. "There's a reason why Channing was so loved and respected in the city."
The sources present tell Variety Dungey did not give any indication when she told her management team what she would do next. She expressed her admiration for Rice, who will direct all non-sporting TV shows; and Walden, who will oversee ABC, the Freeform cable channel, and the expansion of the television studio.
Related
Dungey was seen proposing a new contract and encouraged to stay, but chose not to be part of the new scheme.
Insiders pointed out that there was no ill-will towards Burke, an experienced television broadcaster member of Disney's extended TV family at Freeform since 2014. A source close to the situation said that discussions with Dungey and Burke had started about a month ago. Rice and Walden took part in the process, even though none of them officially started their new job at Disney.
Dungey held a unique position in the Disney-ABC television group and in the industry in general. A veteran of ABC for 14 years, she became president of the entertainment industry in 2016 after Paul Lee's departure, with her record as a leader in developing drama for the network. The programs she contributed to the show's creation, especially Shonda Rhimes' "Scandal" and "How to get by", set an era for ABC. As the first African-American leader to lead a broadcast network, her public profile grew this year when she decided to cancel "Roseanne," the highest-rated television show of last season, shortly after the Racist comments from star Roseanne Barr on Twitter triggered a firestorm. critical. Dungey then quickly worked with executive producer Tom Werner to develop a spin-off, "The Conners," designed to capitalize on the series' popularity by keeping the lead cast, less Barr, who voluntarily waived his right to benefit financially from the new series. .
"We were very clear that if we went ahead, Roseanne Barr would no longer need to participate in the series," Dungey said. Variety in August. "We were able to get to a place where everyone felt comfortable and happy about it. We were very clear about the fact that if we wanted to go ahead, Roseanne Barr would no longer need to participate in the series. We were able to get to a place where everyone felt good and comfortable with it. "
Although Dungey's departure, effective immediately, surprised his team, he comes at a time when ABC insiders are just beginning to experience the expected change in the acquisition of Fox. In October, network comedy leader Jamila Hunter joined the production company Kenya Barris. Over the last 18 months, Barris and Rhimes have negotiated the early exit of their global contracts with ABC Studios in order to sign lucrative new deals with Netflix, which is a blow to the ABC brand and its development portfolio.
What Dungey will do next is, for the moment, a question. It's a popular setting with admired programming and deep talent – especially with Rhimes, whose Netflix development list is superior to some cable channels – and that could benefit from a hand of seasoned management working with the producer.
Sources close to the situation pointed out that the decision to leave ABC belonged entirely to Dungey. It is known that she had close relationships with Disney's President and CEO, Bob Iger, who would have assured her that she would have a place at ABC or Disney in the post-Fox realignment. Dungey has expressed a desire to move closer to the production process, after being quoted at ABC through the studio.
Burke, meanwhile, arrives at ABC with the experience gained as a buyer and seller. She worked for NBC at the time of the "unavoidable television". She started as an assistant in the early 90s and became executive vice president of the primetime series before becoming part of a larger network transformation in 2003.
Burke then collaborated with Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg in Katalyst Films, which is very active in digital entertainment and traditional television. Katalyst had a global deal with 20th Century Fox TV when this studio was run by Walden, who had known Burke for a long time in business and social media circles.
In 2010, Burke joined director Todd Holland in the Dark Toy production banner. The company broke its record by winning two comic book series on NBC – Matthew Perry's comedy "Go On" and the sitcom "Free Agents" – in no time. Burke's production time as a producer of networked programming will be invaluable, as it takes on the challenge of keeping ABC in the game at a time when content costs are skyrocketing and agreements with the greatest talents have reached nine figures. interval.
Burke's work at Freeform impressed Walden and Rice, both by the quality of programming generated by cable and by the leadership she showed in setting up her programming and marketing team at Freeform.
Dungey's notoriety at ABC has grown in the last 12 months since the Fox transaction became a reality. A source said Dungey was looking to ensure that its leaders were well placed for the rest of the merger and was incredibly friendly while conversations with Burke accelerated.
Another impressive fact: the news of the Dungey-Burke transition remained silent until ABC released the news around 2 pm. PT Friday. This ability to keep an eye on information involving such a high-level reshuffle reflected Disney's philosophy, unlike the Fox culture, where information and gossip were traditionally much more porous across the Century City lot.
"They knew how to handle it very stealthily," said a Fox executive who will make the transition to Disney. "It was very impressive."
Source link
