Disney General Entertainment Content

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"Disney–ABC" redirects here. For the home entertainment and domestic TV distribution and syndication arm also using the Disney–ABC title/name, see Disney–ABC Domestic Television.
"DATG" redirects here. For the airport in In Guezzam, Algeria with the ICAO airport code "DATG", see In Guezzam Airport.
Disney General Entertainment Content
Formerly
  • ABC Group (1996–2004)
  • Disney–ABC Television Group (2004–2019)
  • Walt Disney Television (2019–2021)
Company typeDivision
Industry
Predecessor
FoundedSeptember 5, 1996; 28 years ago (1996-09-05)
Headquarters
Burbank, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide, but mainly United States
Key people
Products
Brands
Services
Parent
Disney Media Networks (1996-2020)
The Walt Disney Company (2020-2023)
Disney Entertainment (2023-present)
DivisionsDisney Branded Television
Subsidiaries
WebsiteOfficial website
Footnotes / references
[2][3][4]

Disney General Entertainment Content (DGEC),[a] formerly ABC Group,[5] Disney–ABC Television Group and the second incarnation of Walt Disney Television,[b] is a division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversees its owned-and-operated television content, assets and sub-divisions.[6]

Sub-divisions of DGEC include the American Broadcasting Company, ABC News, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, Hulu Original Content Teams, FX Networks and National Geographic.

History

ABC Group

HDTV, video cassette, Optical disc, on-line services and location-based entertainment.[7]

In April 1996, due to the ongoing post Disney-CC/ABC merger realignment and retirement of its president, the

Greengrass Productions.[9] The international operations of Disney TV International and ABC Cable and International Broadcast Group were merged in June as Disney/ABC International Television.[10]

Under Disney, ABC Group sold various publishing companies in 1997. Chilton was sold to Reed Elsevier for $447 million and received $142 million from Euromoney Publications for Institutional Investor. In April,

Scandinavian Broadcasting System up for sale.[12]

In late 1999, Walt Disney Television, along with other television units, were transferred again from

Robert A. Iger was promoted from president and chief operating officer in February 1999 to chairman of ABC Group and president of Walt Disney International.[16]

In March 2000, ABC formed the Disney Kids Network (DKN) advertising group via consolidation to sell ads for ABC's "

Disney's One Saturday Morning, the Disney's One Too syndicated programming block, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Wonderful World of Disney, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh primetime specials. DKN was placed under senior vice president of sales at ABC, Dan Barnathan, and would also work on some ads with Radio Disney, Disney.com and the Disney Adventures magazine. DKN added Toon Disney when the channel started accepting ads in September 2000.[17][18]

Iger was named president and chief operating officer of

Chase Capital Partners, Heyward re-purchased DIC Entertainment, L.P. from Disney, making the company re-independent[20]

In September 2002, then-Disney Chairman/CEO Michael Eisner outlined a proposed realignment of the ABC broadcast network's daytime parts with the similar unit in its cable channels: ABC Saturday mornings with Disney Channel units (Toon Disney & Playhouse Disney), ABC daytime with Soapnet and ABC prime time with ABC Family.[21] In October 2003, ABC Family Worldwide was changed from a unit directly reporting to the Disney COO to a unit running within the ABC Cable Networks Group under Anne Sweeney.[22]

Disney–ABC Television Group

Former logo as Disney–ABC Television Group from 2013 to 2019.

On April 21, 2004, Disney announced a restructuring of its Disney Media Networks division with Sweeney being named president of Disney–ABC Television Group,

ABC News Now was launched that year in the US on digital subchannel of 70 ABC owned & operated and affiliates.[26]

On June 12, 2007, Disney spun off its ABC Radio Networks and merged it into Citadel Communications with Citadel Broadcasting while retaining its ESPN Radio and Radio Disney networks and stations and a 10-year news provider licensing agreement with Citadel for ABC News Radio and the networks.[27][28]

In February 2007, the previous iteration of Touchstone Television was renamed

A&E Networks.[29] ABC1 in the UK was shut down on September 26, 2007.[30]

On January 22, 2009, Disney–ABC announced a merger of

A+E Networks acquired Lifetime Entertainment Services with DATG ownership increasing to 42%.[37] In November, Disney-ABC sells GMTV to ITV for $37 million.[38]

On March 24, 2012, following the dissolution of the ABC Daytime division,

Disney Junior; which would later rebrand to Disney Jr. on June 1, 2024.[39][40]

In July 2012, NBCUniversal confirmed plans to sell its 15.8% stake in A+E Networks to Disney for $3 billion (along with its previous owner Hearst Entertainment & Syndication, who became 50-50 partners in the joint venture).[41][42]

On August 21, 2013, Disney–ABC announced it will lay off 175 employees. The layoffs are expected to hit positions among technical operations as well as the unit's eight local stations.

Fusion, a cable Hispanic news and satire channel.[44]

In August 2014, A+E took a 10% stake in

H2 would be rebranded into the Vice channel with an indicated early 2016 launch.[45] Disney also directly made two $200 investments in Vice Media in November 2015, then a week later in December, they directly invested in it again for 10% to assist in funding its programming.[46] ABC Family became Freeform on January 12, 2016.[47]

On April 21, 2016, Disney–ABC sold its share in

Fusion to Univision.[48] In September 2016, the group's president Ben Sherwood named Bruce Rosenblum, Television Academy chairman and former head of Warner Bros. TV Group, as president of business operations in s the newly created position, to reduce the number of direct reports from 17 to about 8. Roseblum would oversee ad sales in conjunction with channel heads, affiliate sales and marketing, engineering, digital media, global distribution, IT, research and strategy and business development. This allows Sherwood to focus on content and direct operating units that continue to directly report to him, ABC network units, cable channel units (Disney Channels Worldwide, and Freeform), ABC Studios and ABC TV Stations.[49]

With the March 14, 2018, Disney Company reorganization,

Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, a new segment, with US channels remaining with Disney–ABC Television Group. All global sales units and distribution units have been transfer to the Disney Direct-to-Consumer segment.[50]

Walt Disney Television

Former logo as Walt Disney Television from 2019 to 2021.

On October 8, 2018, Disney announced the division would be renamed into the second incarnation of Walt Disney Television following the completion of

Fox 21 Television Studios, and National Geographic Global Networks to the division. Fox television executives Peter Rice, Dana Walden, John Landgraf, and Gary Knell joined The Walt Disney Company on March 20, 2019.[51]

On March 5, 2019, Craig Hunegs was named to lead the combined Disney Television Studios — ABC Studios, ABC Signature, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios. He would report to Walden.[3]

Following the completed acquisition of the 21st Century Fox assets in March 2019, Disney reorganized its television division to align various operations. On June 10, 2019, Disney announced that both Disney Television Studios and FX Entertainment would share the same casting division.[52] After assuming full control over Hulu in May 2019, Disney reorganized Hulu's reporting structure in July 2019, placing Hulu's Scripted Originals team under Walt Disney Television. Under the new structure, Hulu's SVP of Original Scripted Content would report directly to the chairman of Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment.[53]

On August 10, 2020,

Disney-ABC Domestic Television.[54]

Disney General Entertainment Content

On October 12, 2020, the division was rechristened as Disney General Entertainment Content.[55][56]

In December 2020, Touchstone Television merged into 20th Television.[57]

On February 3, 2021, Disney Television Studios established a new unit known as "Walt Disney Television Alternative", which will be headed by former senior vice president of alternative, specials and late-night series at ABC, Rob Mills, to oversee the development of non-scripted programming.[58]

On October 1, 2024, ABC Signature was folded into 20th Television.[59]

Leadership

  • Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment
    • Steve Chung, Chief Counsel
    • Craig Erwich, President, Disney Television Group
    • Trisha Husson, Head of Strategy, Business Operations and Finance
    • Sharon Klein, Head of Casting
    • John Landgraf, Chairman, FX, National Geographic and Onyx Collective
      • Gina Balian, President, FX Entertainment
      • Tara Duncan, President, Onyx Collective
      • Nick Grad, President, FX Entertainment
      • Stephanie Gibbons, President, Creative, Strategy and Digital, Multi-Platform Marketing, FX
      • Courteney Monroe, President, National Geographic Content
    • Debra OConnell, President, News Group and Networks
    • Jen Reberger, Senior Vice President, Human Resources
    • Shannon Ryan, President, Marketing
      • Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul, Executive Vice President, Publicity, and Head of Communications
    • Eric Schrier, President, Disney Television Studios and Global Original Television Strategy
      • Karey Burke, President, 20th Television
      • Marci Proietto, Executive Vice President, 20th Television Animation
      • Josh Sussman, Executive Vice President, Business Affairs
      • Carol Turner, Head of Production, Disney Entertainment Television
      • Jon Wax, Executive Vice President, International Original Television

Units

Current structure

As of October 2024, the following are the current units based on reporting structure:[60][59]

Disney Television Studios

Disney Television Group

News Group and Networks

Former units

Transferred to Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED)

Re-organizational transfers 2018
These assets were transferred to Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International (then Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution) in 2018, which include:[50]

  • Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment – formerly Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  • Disney Media Distribution
    – formerly Disney–ABC International Television and before that, ABC Cable and International Broadcast Group
  • Disney Branded Television - international channels only
    • Broadcast Satellite Disney Co., Ltd. (April 2009–2018) – operator of Dlife channel (Japan)[63]
    • Hungama TV (2006–2018)
  • Buena Vista International Television Investments
    • RTL Disney Television Limited Partnership, 50%[64] (–2018)
    • Tele Munich Television Media Participation Limited Partnership, 50%[64]
      • RTL 2 Television Limited Partnership, 31.5% (1994–2018)
        • RTL II
          (Germany)
  • Super RTL (1995–2021) Germany
    • Kividoo subscription video-on-demand (2015)
    • Toggo Plus (2016)

Others

Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications

Unit[7][8] Transferred to[8]
KCAL-TV Los Angeles Sold to Young Broadcasting[65]
Walt Disney Television
 Walt Disney Studios
Disney Television Animation
Touchstone Television
Disney Interactive
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Walt Disney Film & Television Awards
Walt Disney Television International CC/ABC
Disney Channel International
Buena Vista Television
GMTV
Super RTL
Disney TeleVentures Defunct as of 2000

Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications (WDTT) was a division of The Walt Disney Company. At the time Disney and Capital Cities/ABC merged, WDTT's divisions were The Disney Channel, KCAL-TV Los Angeles, Walt Disney Television, Touchstone Television, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, and Disney Interactive.[7]

WDTT history

On August 24, 1994, with Jeffrey Katzenberg's resignation, a reorganization of Disney took place in which Richard H. Frank became head of newly formed Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications, which was split from its filmed entertainment business, Walt Disney Studios.[66] On December 5, 1994, Walt Disney Computer Software was transferred within WDTT as Disney Interactive.[67] At the end of his contract on April 30, 1995, Frank left Disney.[68] Dennis Hightower, a marketing executive, was appointed by April 9 to succeed Frank.[69]

In April 1996, due to ongoing post-Disney-CC/ABC merger realignment and the retirement of Hightower as president, WDTT's divisions were reassigned to other groups, with most of them transferred to either The Walt Disney Studios or CC/ABC.[8] KCAL was sold to Young Broadcasting in May 1996 due to CC/ABC ownership of KABC-TV.[65]


See also

Notes

  1. ^ Alternatively known by the official website copyright tagline "Disney General Entertainment" (DGE).
  2. ^ Preceded by the first incarnation/phase of Walt Disney Television, which used the name from 1988 to 2003.

References

  1. ^ Low, Elaine (October 12, 2020). "Disney Reorganizes Content and Distribution Units to Bolster Streaming Businesses". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  2. ^ "About The Walt Disney Company". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Low, Elaine (March 5, 2019). "Disney Taps Warner Bros. Vet Craig Hunegs to Lead Merged TV Studios Unit". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (September 14, 2016). "Disney/ABC TV's Ben Sherwood on a 'Star Wars' Series, "Mistakes" in Michael Strahan's 'Live' Exit and Bob Iger's Future". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  5. ISBN 978-1-135-19472-7 – via Google Books
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  6. ^ Low, Elaine (October 12, 2020). "Disney Reorganizes Content and Distribution Units to Bolster Streaming Businesses". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  7. ^
    The Free Library
    .
  8. ^ a b c d "Roth, Iger Assume Expanded Responsibilities at the Walt Disney Company" (Press release). PR Newswire. April 16, 1996. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  9. ^ Littleton, Cynthia. (May 27, 1996) ABC folds in-house arm. (TV series production unit). Broadcasting & Cable. Access on November 13, 2013.
  10. ^ Johnson, Debra (July 1, 1996). "Granath takes top slot at Disney/ABC International". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
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  12. ^ "Disney to sell SBS stake" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. March 2, 1998. p. 39. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  13. ^ Hofmeister, Sallie (July 8, 1999). "Disney Plans to Consolidate Two of Its Television Groups". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  14. ^ Hofmeister, Sallie (July 9, 1999). "Disney Combining Network TV Operations Into One ABC Unit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  15. ^ Schlosser, Joe (November 29, 1999). "A Mouse in-house". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  16. ISBN 978-1-135-19472-7
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  17. ^ Hettrick, Scott (February 25, 2000). "Stay Toon-ed For Ads On Disney Spinoff Channel". All Business. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  18. ^ Haman, Andrea (February 1, 2001). "Disney Kids Network looks for cross-promo opps". Kid Screen. Brunico Communications Ltd. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  19. ISSN 0362-4331
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  20. ^ Lyons, Charles (November 19, 2000). "DIC plays new toon". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  21. ^ McClellan, Steve; Trigoboff, Dan (October 7, 2002). "Eisner touts 'national' duops: disney chief's turnaround plan couples ABC, cable networks by daypart". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  22. ^ Romano, Allison (October 20, 2003). "Sweeney is family's new parent figure". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
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  24. ^ "ABC Networks Get Major Executive Overhaul". The Futon Critic.
  25. ^ Deans, Jason (August 5, 2004). "ABC spells out plans for Freeview channel". The Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  26. ^ Jesdanun, Anick (September 4, 2004). "ABC News banks on digital, despite small audiences today". USA Today. AP. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  27. ^ Rosenthal, Phil (February 7, 2006). "Disney in deal to merge ABC Radio with Citadel". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
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  29. ^ "Disney to Drop Buena Vista Brand Name, People Say (Update1)". Bloomberg. April 25, 2007. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  30. ^ "Disney pulls plug on ABC1". Digital Spy. September 26, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  31. ^ James, Meg; Chmielewski, Dawn (January 23, 2009). "ABC Combines TV Network, Production Units". Los Angeles Times.
  32. ^ Disney Combines ABC's Programming, Production Units, Bloomberg.com, January 23, 2009
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  34. ^ "ABC O&Os Launch Digital Network". Broadcasting & Cable. April 27, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  35. ^ ABC O&Os Launch Digital Network, Broadcasting & Cable, April 27, 2009
  36. ^ ABC Multicasts Live Well HD Channel, Mediaweek, October 25, 2009
  37. ^ A&E Acquires Lifetime. Variety.com. August 27, 2009.
  38. ^ "Disney sells stake in U.K.'s GMTV". Variety. November 26, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  39. ^ Eades, Chris (March 1, 2012). "ABC Family Is Taking Over SOAPnet... For Now!". Soaps in Depth. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  40. ^ Giddens, Jamey (February 29, 2012). "BREAKING NEWS: Kate Nelson OUT at SOAPnet; Day-to-Day Operations Now Under ABC Family Until Channel Goes Dark". Daytime Confidential. Confidential Media, Inc. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  41. ^ "Walt Disney Company, Form 10-Q, Quarterly Report, Filing Date Aug 7, 2012" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  42. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (July 10, 2012). "Comcast to sell A&E stake for $3 billion: A&E to redeem the 15.8% stake". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  43. ^ Steinberg, Brian (August 21, 2013). "Disney To Eliminate 175 Jobs At ABC Television Group". Variety. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  44. ^ James, Meg (August 1, 2013). "ABC-Univision cable network, Fusion, to launch Oct. 28". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  45. ^ Atkinson, Claire (April 28, 2015). "Vice to get TV channel, replacing H2 on A&E Networks' roster". NY Post. NYP Holdings, Inc. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  46. ^ Ember, Sydney (December 8, 2015). "Disney Invests $200 Million More in Vice Media to Support New Programming". The New York Times. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  47. ^ Petski, Denise (December 10, 2015). "ABC Family Name-Change To Coincide With 'Pretty Little Liars' & 'Shadowhunters' Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  48. ^ James, Meg (April 21, 2016). "Walt Disney Co.'s ABC sells its Fusion stake to Univision, exits joint venture". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  49. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (September 16, 2016). "Bruce Rosenblum Joins Disney/ABC TV as President of Business Operations". Variety. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  50. ^ a b Wang, Christine (March 14, 2018). "Disney announces strategic reorganization, effective immediately". CNBC. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  51. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 8, 2018). "Disney Unveils Top TV Executive Structure Post Fox Acquisition: Peter Rice, Dana Walden, John Landgraf, Gary Knell Joining". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  52. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 10, 2019). "Sharon Klein Named Head Of Casting For Disney Television Studios & FX Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  53. ^ Low, Elaine (July 31, 2019). "Walt Disney Television Gains Oversight of Hulu's Scripted Originals Content Team". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  54. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 10, 2020). "Disney Television Studios Rebrands Its Three Units As 20th Television, ABC Signature & Touchstone Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  55. ^ Hayes, Dade (October 12, 2020). "Disney Streamlines As COVID-19 Woes Continue, Creating Single Media and Entertainment Distribution Unit Led By Kareem Daniel". Deadline. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  56. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 10, 2020). "Peter Rice Unveils Structure Of Disney's General Entertainment Division Focused On TV Content Creation". Deadline. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  57. ^ a b Holloway, Daniel (December 1, 2020). "Dana Walden Reorganizes Disney TV Team; Karey Burke Moves to 20th as Craig Erwich Adds ABC Entertainment". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  58. ^ White, Peter (February 3, 2021). "ABC Unscripted Chief Rob Mills To Oversee Walt Disney Television Alternative Unit As Part Of Expanded Role". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  59. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (October 1, 2024). "ABC Signature Folding Into 20th TV Under Karey Burke; Hulu & ABC Scripted Teams Combining Under Simran Sethi In Major Reorg Resulting In Layoffs". Deadline. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  60. ^ a b Rose, Lacey (February 28, 2023). "Disney's Dana Walden Reorganizes Senior Team: John Landgraf, Simran Sethi Elevated". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  61. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 19, 2021). "Disney XD's Marc Buhaj To Lead Unscripted Series & Specials For Disney Branded Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  62. ^ Werpin, Alex (January 22, 2022). "Disney Names Chad Matthews President of ABC Owned Television Stations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  63. ^ "Annual Report" (PDF). The Walt Disney Company. September 28, 2013. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014. Disney Channels Worldwide includes over 100 channels available in 34 languages and 166 countries/territories. Branded channels include Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Disney Cinemagic, Hungama and DLife.
  64. ^ a b Briel, Robert (November 16, 2012). "KEK okays Disney's takeover of Das Vierte". Broadband TV News. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  65. ^ a b "New York Firm to Buy KCAL-TV for $385 Million". Los Angeles Times. May 14, 1996. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  66. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (August 25, 1994). "Chairman of Disney Studios Resigns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
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    *CD-ROM Today. February 1995. 3(2). p. 26.
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  68. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (March 7, 1995). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Top Disney TV Official May Leave". The New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  69. ISSN 0362-4331
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