By Lynn Elber, Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --The president of the ABC Entertainment Group is departing amid low ratings, to be replaced by the first African-American to head a broadcast TV network.
Paul Lee's successor is Channing Dungey, who has been ABC's executive vice president for drama development, movies and miniseries, the Walt Disney Co.-owned network said Wednesday. Dungey shepherded ABC hits including "Scandal," ''How to Get Away with Murder" and "Quantico."
The changeover comes a year after Ben Sherwood became president of the Disney-ABC TV Group and nearly six years after Lee started as entertainment chief.
Lee decided to step down, ABC said.
"Channing is a gifted leader and a proven magnet for top creative talent, with an impressive record" of helping to create compelling and popular series, Sherwood said in a statement.
Dungey is both the first black network programming chief and a rare female executive. Change has come faster for women than minorities in the TV executive ranks, with Jennifer Salke serving as NBC's entertainment president and, at Fox Television Group, Dana Walden sharing chair and CEO duties with Gary Newman.
Dungey's appointment as ABC Entertainment president comes at a time of increased scrutiny of Hollywood's lack of diversity on- and off-camera, with attention focused recently on the Oscars' all-white slate of nominees for this month's awards.
Dungey said in a statement that she is "thrilled and humbled" by the opportunity. She will not oversee ABC Studios, as Lee did. Instead, its executive vice president, Patrick Moran, will report to Sherwood.
Lee, in a statement issued by ABC, said he was proud of the team he built at the network and wished Dungey and Moran well. He did not say why he was leaving or what his next job would be.
The British-born Lee can claim credit for bringing notable diversity to ABC with shows including "black-ish" and "Fresh Off the Boat." The network also became home to megaproducer Shonda Rhimes' series that feature multi-ethnic casts and black stars. They include Viola Davis in "How to Get Away with Murder" and Kerry Washington in "Scandal."
"It is a mission statement to reflect America," Lee told a 2014 meeting of the Television Critics Association. "That's not so much diversity as authenticity when you reflect America."
Lee's schedule earned strong ratings in the 2014-15 season and still has impressive performers, especially Rhimes' Thursday night block of series.
But the network's numbers currently are in the doldrums, averaging 6.6 million viewers in prime time season-to-date. The network ranks third behind NBC and CBS, the leader with 11.7 million viewers. Last season, ABC averaged 8 million viewers.
Dungey, a graduate of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television, has been with ABC since 2004, starting with ABC Studios. Previously, she worked at production companies and as a production executive at Warner Bros., handling films including "Bridges of Madison County" and "The Matrix."
AP Television Writer Frazier Moore in New York contributed to this report.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More