As a long-time fan and observer of the ever-changing landscape of the television industry, I can’t help but feel a sense of deja vu reading about Disney‘s decision to shut down ABC Signature TV studio. It seems like just yesterday that we saw a similar move by Disney after their purchase of 21st Century Fox’s assets in 2019.
Disney’s choice to close down ABC Signature TV studio is the second instance within the past two months where a media giant has taken such action. This move underscores the current era of tightening belts, but it also mirrors a decision Disney made four years ago following its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets, suggesting a pattern in their strategy.
On October 1st, ABC Signature (previously known as ABC Studios) was closed down. This restructuring also involves the combining of scripted development teams from ABC and Hulu. As a result, approximately 30 positions were eliminated and now, 20th Television stands as the main supplier for Disney Television Studios, catering to both their internal networks and external clients. In a memo, Eric Schrier, president of Disney TV studios and business operations, stated that these decisions were extremely challenging and were made with great care.
This action mirrors a step taken by Paramount Global in August, where they shut down Paramount Television Studios. As a result, all their ongoing series and new projects were merged with CBS Studios.
The ABC Signature series, which encompasses shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, and the newcomer “High Potential,” as well as collaborative productions such as “Criminal Minds: Evolution” (in partnership with CBS Studios), will now fall under the 20th TV banner. Karey Burke will carry on her role as head of 20th TV, while ABC Signature president Tracy Underwood transitions to a broader producing agreement with Disney Television Studios.
The vast Disney conglomerate boasts additional studio properties too: FX Productions, which as the title implies, produces content for FX’s broadcast channels and streaming platform Hulu. Moreover, Onyx Collective, a production house, has created several shows for both Hulu and Disney+, primarily featuring talent from underrepresented demographics (such as the series “How to Die Alone” on Hulu, produced in collaboration with ABC Signature).
The first pair of units primarily create programming for Disney exclusively, whereas the second one offers content to a wide range of clients. It has shows like “Tracker” at CBS, “Nobody Wants This” on Netflix, and “The Chi” on Showtime, in addition to classic Fox animated series such as “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” and “Bob’s Burgers,” which were all established before the Disney-Fox merger. Furthermore, it also manages over 15 shows across Disney+, Hulu, ABC, and FX.
Given the significant size of its content library, it’s not surprising that 20th Television could be the sole title remaining. Similar to Paramount two months ago and other traditional media companies in the current market conditions, Disney is aiming to optimize operations with a focus on steady profits from streaming. Merging the Hulu and ABC development teams under Simran Sethi, as announced alongside the closure of ABC Signature, is another move towards this corporate objective. However, it’s important to note that in both instances, this means fewer opportunities for writers and producers to present their ideas.
Previously, Disney had ventured here not so long ago. Following their merger with Fox, the consolidated company boasted four studios instead of three: ABC Studios and its affiliate, ABC Signature Studios, joined by 20th TV and Fox 21, which were behind hit shows like “Homeland,” “The Americans,” and “Sons of Anarchy” (in collaboration with FX Productions). Subsequently, ABC Studios and ABC Signature Studios combined under the name ABC Signature, while Fox 21 was rebranded as a fresh version of Touchstone TV in August 2020.
The setup only persisted for fewer than four months. In December of the same year, Fox 21/Touchstone was merged into 20th TV. At that point, Burke transitioned from ABC to lead the studio. Meanwhile, Craig Erwich, who was in charge of originals at Hulu, took control of the network. The merger of a smaller studio with a larger one, the integration of Hulu and ABC operations, and the departure of a studio head (Bert Salke, in this instance, who returned to his role as a producer under a deal with Disney) all bear a striking resemblance to today’s circumstances.
Today, we’re unveiling some crucial adjustments within our structure. These changes aim to merge our linear and streaming creative units into a single platform, offering seamless access for our creative collaborators – a one-stop solution. This move is intended to optimally utilize one of our key strengths: the versatility to release content across both traditional broadcasting and streaming platforms. Additionally, these changes are strategically aligned with three objectives: reshaping our organization to better fit our needs, improving operational efficiency across our studios and original content teams, and enhancing our collaborations with the talented creators who work with Disney Television Studios.
Initially, Erwich (currently president of Disney Television Group) spoke about the shutdown of ABC Signature. This was followed by Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, in 2020, discussing the earlier restructuring of the studios. Despite these changes, the strategy remained consistent.
“You can find this tale in the October 9th edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To stay updated, consider subscribing.
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2024-10-09 18:25