In the past few months, several major television networks have been shuffling the deck by replacing a number of high-ranking employees. The most recent executive shake-up comes from ABC as it was just announced that Channing Dungey will be stepping down as the president of the ABC Entertainment Group, a report from The Hollywood Reporter stated.
In 2016 Dungey made history by becoming the first black president of ABC Entertainment Group. She had been with ABC since 2004 and has been called an integral component to the rise of Shonda Rhimes and the launch of hit shows like The Good Doctor . Dungey made headlines when she made the decision to fire Roseanne Barr from an upcoming reboot of the series Roseanne after Barr made comments that were deemed racist, as previously reported by the Inquisitr . Dungey then reworked the reboot, turning it into a spinoff, The Conners , which focused on the beloved American family without its matriarch.
According to a report from Variety , the news of Dungey’s departure did not come as a surprise to those close to the TV maven but it has sent shock waves through the company. Dungey’s contract with ABC comes to an end early next year and she had been reportedly struggling with the decision of what to do next.
Dungey will be replaced by Karey Burke, head of programming for Freeform, but will stay on to help Burke navigate the transition period.
Channing Dungey Exits ABC; Karey Burke to Take Over as Entertainment President https://t.co/Uk14dN3BHH pic.twitter.com/jJ91vwirOs
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 16, 2018
“I’m incredibly proud of what the team and I have accomplished over the years, and all the meaningful and impactful programming we’ve developed,” Dungey said in a statement. “This job has been the highlight of my career. While I’ve loved every moment and knew I could call ABC home for many years to come, I’m excited to tackle new challenges.”
Walt Disney Company chairman and C.E.O. Bob Iger also chimed in saying, “I’m grateful to Channing for her significant contributions and unwavering dedication to the success of ABC over the past 14 years. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to work with and mentor Channing; her curiosity, passion, and creativity will ensure she is successful in whatever path she chooses going forward.”
There have been some rumors swirling that Dungey would be leaving the network to join past ABC creators Rhimes and Kenya Barris at Netflix but these rumors have yet to be confirmed. Both Rhimes, who created shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, and Black-ish’s Barris left the TV network after signing major deals with the streaming giant to create original content.
