Adweek reported former ABC President Channing Dungey is heading to Netflix, where Shonda Rhimes and Kenya Barris also reside. Hopefully, Roseanne Barr wasn’t pitching any Netflix projects.
Former ABC President Channing Dungey Follows Shonda Rhimes and Kenya Barris to Netflix
She’s the latest to ditch broadcast TV for streaming
By Jason Lynch
Not too long ago, the most coveted TV jobs were in broadcasting. Now they increasingly seem to be at streaming services—specifically, at Netflix.
Former ABC president Channing Dungey is the latest to ditch broadcast for streaming. A month after announcing her exit from ABC, she found her new gig at Netflix, where she will be vp of original content.
Dungey, who is expected to start in February, will report to Cindy Holland, who also has the vp of original content title. She’ll help set the strategic direction for original programming at Netflix, which the company spent $8 billion on in 2018, and will oversee the company’s robust deals with creators like Shonda Rhimes, Kenya Barris, Marti Noxon and Jenji Kohan.
Dungey already has years of experience working with Rhimes and Barris, who she collaborated with at ABC before they each departed for Netflix during the past year. Rhimes’ ABC output included Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder while Barris created Black-ish.
“Channing is a creative force whose taste and talent have earned her the admiration of her peers across the industry. She’s a risk taker and ground-breaker, and talent loves working with her. I couldn’t be happier to welcome her to Netflix,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer, in a statement.
Holland added, “We’re delighted to be adding Channing’s expertise, leadership and deep experience to Netflix, and I look forward to partnering with her as we continue to grow and evolve our global network.”
In her own statement, Dungey said, “I’m drawn to the forward-thinking, risk-taking and creative culture at Netflix and the deeply talented people there, especially Ted and Cindy, with whom I’m excited to partner on setting the strategy for original content. Given that ABC, the place I’ve called home for nearly 15 years, represents the gold standard of traditional broadcast, it feels like the perfect next step for me to join Netflix, the unparalleled leader in streaming. I’m invigorated by the challenges ahead and the opportunity to forge new relationships and excited for the very welcome reunion with incredible talent.”
Last month, Dungey decided to leave ABC, where she had been president of entertainment for the past three years, ahead of the Disney-Fox merger, which is expected to close early in 2019. She was replaced by Karey Burke, who had been head of Freeform original programming development.
In addition to talent like Rhimes, Barris and Ryan Murphy departing broadcast for streaming, broadcast execs are started to migrate there as well. Jennifer Salke, who had been NBC Entertainment president, left in February to run Amazon Studios.
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