Two weeks after Disney/ABC head Anne Sweeney announced she would be leaving her post to become a TV director, the media conglomerate has announced her successor: Ben Sherwood.
Sherwood has served in the Disney family as president of ABC News since 2010. Today he becomes co-president of Disney/ABC Television Group effective immediately, beginning the transition to take over Sweeney’s post when she leaves in February of next year, when he will be named co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group.
While with ABC News, Sherwood has steered ratings for “Good Morning America,” launched the Univision joint venture Fusion and signed a news sharing agreement with Yahoo!.
In announcing the move, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said: “Ben is one of those unique executives who combine rich creative experience with great business acumen. He’s also focused, strategic, and competitive, as evidenced by the success of ‘GMA,’ the Yahoo! deal that delivered ABC News online dominance, and his vision behind our new cable and digital joint venture, Fusion.”
Read more at Variety.
Brief Take: Sherwood is coming off substantial success at ABC News, driving ratings for “GMA” and its Yahoo! partnership, so the announcement is no huge surprise. Media outlets had him on shortlists for Sweeney’s position since Disney publicized her decision to leave.
[Image courtesy of Variety]
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