Los Angeles, California – In a major move that has been in the works for six years, ABC Signature is dissolving its production unit. The operations of ABC Signature will now merge into 20th Television under the leadership of 20th TV President Karey Burke.
Furthermore, ABC and Hulu Originals’ scripted drama and comedy teams are coming together under the guidance of Simran Sethi, who has been promoted to President of Scripted Programming for Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment. As part of the restructuring, Tracy Underwood will be stepping down as President of ABC Signature to pursue an overall producing deal with Disney Television Studios, while SVP Erin Wehrenberg, ABC’s Head Of Comedy, will also be leaving their respective positions.
The consolidation of the studios and scripted teams will affect approximately 30 employees within Disney Entertainment Television. The majority of these employees are from the studio side, with a significant number transitioning from ABC Signature to the expanded 20th TV. The decision to combine the operations comes after a similar move by Paramount TV Studios last month, with its slate now under CBS Studios.
Karey Burke and Simran Sethi will both continue to report to top executives at Disney Television Studios, who have referred to the layoffs as difficult and painstaking decisions. With the dissolution of ABC Signature, Disney TV Studios will now consist of 20th TV and 20th Animation.
The restructuring also includes promotions and changes in leadership, with Jordan Helman taking on a broader role overseeing broadcast drama for Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment. Additionally, Josh Sussman will lead the new combined business affairs team, reporting to the top executives at Disney Television Studios.
The merging of ABC and Hulu’s scripted teams is seen as a strategic move, aligning with the evolving landscape of linear and streaming platforms. This consolidation aims to create a unified entry point for content creators looking to partner with ABC and Hulu for their projects.
Overall, the restructuring and consolidation of ABC Signature and 20th Television mark a significant shift in Disney’s television operations, streamlining the production and development process across different platforms. This move reflects the industry-wide trend of media companies adapting to changing viewer habits and the demand for high-quality content across multiple platforms.