UPDATED WITH MORE NAMES AND DETAILS: day 1 disney‘S second wave of layoffs That’s affecting ABC and Freeform’s senior programming ranks, Disney Television Studios Marketing, which is being disbanded, and its music operations, which are being consolidated.
Respected Development Executive Julie Jarmon, going into her second stint at Freeform as SVP development, consolidated the network’s development and original programming and development under current EVP Jamila Hunter. (Also left in the layoffs is Freeform’s director of development and programming, Alix Lee.)
as well as media giants Sarah Tomasi LindemannMoving to Freeform’s SVP Content Planning & Strategy, Scheduling for Disney Cable Networks.
Stacy Adams, ABC’s SVP, Current Programming, leading the network’s drama current team, is departing. Head of Drama Brianna Bennett, who has been leading the development, will also be leading the present. (ABC head of comedy Erin Wehrenberg is already handling both development and current).
Over the past few decades, networks have gone back and forth several times between standalone current programming units and in conjunction with development.
In one of the biggest cuts to date, the Disney TV Studios marketing operation is being disbanded, with the outlets letting individual studios handle marketing for the shows from now on, including ABC and Hulu.
Top executives affected by the move are the 23-year-old 20th television veteran steven melnickSVP, Marketing; Sharon Merle-Lieberman, SVP, Marketing and Promotions 20th Television; And Sonia Boris, SVP Marketing ABC Signature and 20th TV Animation. All three are leaving with some members of their teams.
The music departments of 20th Television and ABC Signature are being consolidated under 20th TV’s EVP and Head of Music, Jeremy Summers. their counterparts, don solarThe 16.5-year veteran of SVP Music and Studios for ABC Signature, is leaving as part of the layoffs.
“Goodbye ABC….and later,” he wrote On Facebook.
In first round of layoffsNetwork and platform production for scripted television at Disney Entertainment was consolidated under ABC Signature’s Carol Turner, and the studio’s IP acquisitions department was disbanded.
Also today the 20th SVP of Television is going to present the current programming dana sharpless and Manager Comedy Development Stephanie Rosenthal-Gruber as well as ABC Signature VP Drama Development Brenda Vogel, VP Comedy Jenny Fritz, and Managers Drama Development Gabriel Gould and Max Henke, along with multiple coordinators.