ITV

Tag: Disney TV

  • 20th TV & Touchstone merged under Disney TV restructure

    20th TV & Touchstone merged under Disney TV restructure

    MUMBAI: The shake-up in Walt Disney’s upper echelons continues, after the company announced large-scale streamlining of its content creation and distribution into separate and distinct global units earlier this year. Falling in line with CEO Bob Chapek’s vision of ‘strategic reorganisation’ in the wake of the tumult caused by Covid2019, other heads of businesses – namely general entertainment content chairman Peter Rice, and media and entertainment distribution overseen by Kareem Daniels – divvied up responsibilities, shuffled top-rung personnel, consolidated assets, and generally spruced up operations to make the multi-billion dollar enterprise more profitable in these troubled times.

    Last month, Disney-owned ESPN unveiled its own reshuffle of senior leaders, with content executive vice president Connor Schell leaving the company. Reports stated that the sports outlet is expected to reduce its workforce by 500 staffers.

    Now, ahead of Investor Day (scheduled for 10 December), Disney has undertaken another big round of restructuring to further consolidate its content creation across streaming and linear. Walt Disney Television chairman of entertainment Dana Walden has initiated a major reorganisation of the television production and original content businesses under her leadership. This includes Hulu’s longtime SVP content Craig Erwich adding oversight of ABC original content to his purview. He has been named president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.

    He will take over responsibilities held by ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke who, after a successful stint at the network, is taking on a role as president of 20th Television, the combined operation of 20th Television and Touchstone Television. As the cable/streaming-focused studio is being folded into 20th TV, Disney TV Studios has now gone down to two divisions with ABC Studios and ABC Signature merger earlier this year. 20th TV will be run by Burke, and ABC Signature will be headed by president Jonnie Davis. Both Davis and Burke will report to Walden.

    Craig Hunegs will move from his role as president of Disney Television Studios to become Walt Disney Television entertainment president, working alongside Walden across all business units. He will oversee centralised business affairs, production, casting and creative talent development & inclusion teams.

    Touchstone TV (formerly Fox 21) president Bert Salke will bring transition to a multi-year overall producing deal with Disney Television Studios. During his time at the company, Salke looked after development and production at the studio, which included such shows as Homeland, Genius, Queen of the South and The Hot Zone. Together with FX Prods, the studio produced The Americans, Sons of Anarchy, Mayans M.C and more.

    Former 20th TV president Carolyn Cassidy will stay back at the studio as EVP, development. Touchstone TV’s Jane Francis will also stay put and become EVP – series for 20th TV. Both Francis and Cassidy will report to Burke.

    As part of the restructuring, 20th Animation, currently a division of 20th TV, will have its own unit, run by Marci Proietto. Additionally, Disney TV will launch a production unit for unscripted programming. Both divisions will be overseen by Hunegs.

    Tara Duncan will continue to oversee original programming for Freeform. She and Erwich will continue to report to Walden.

    “This has been an incredibly challenging but successful year. Our television studios produce many of the top-rated shows in the industry. ABC is now the number one entertainment network and the Hulu Originals team launched their most successful slate yet of critically acclaimed, award-winning, high-performing shows. I am proud of our exceptional leadership team and all we have accomplished, but the media landscape is changing and this reorganisation better positions us for the future,” said Walden. “The changes we are announcing today are in service of three goals: rightsizing our organization, streamlining functions across our studios and original content teams, and strengthening our partnerships with the extraordinary creators who call Disney Television Studios their home.”

  • Kids channels fight to protect turf, Cartoon Network rules South

    Kids TV is poised for expansion in India with Reliance ADAG‘s Big Broadcasting set to debut this fiscal.

    Anticipating an increase in competition, the existing broadcasters in the kids‘ segment – Disney, Turner and Viacom 18 – have left no stone unturned to woo their loyal audiences.

    Indiantelevision.com takes a look at what kept the kids channels busy in the first half of 2008.

    With six players fighting it out, there has been no major change in the ratings ladder. Hungama continues to lead in the Hindi speaking markets (HSM) while Cartoon Network stays second, according to Tam data (C&S 4-14 years).

    The southern region, however, has seen a change with Cartoon Network ousting Chutti TV to take the leadership slot.

    HUNGAMA CONTINUES TO RULE

    Hungama TV leads the pack with an average channel share of 28 per cent. This is followed by Cartoon Network, capturing a 23.3 share.

    Channel Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
    Hungama TV 25 29 29 30 27 28
    Cartoon Network 25 27 23 20 24 21
    Nickelodeon 19 17 17 17 19 21
    Pogo 17 14 18 19 18 19
    Disney Channel 9 8 8 9 7 7
    Jetix 6 6 5 4 5 4
    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System Mkt: HSM TG: CS 4-14 YRS Period: 1st Jan to 30th June ‘08

    Hungama TV has held on to its leadership status with the help of its ‘mad positioning‘ and ‘fun programming‘. The channel did not change its popular content much and mixed it with innovative ideas such as a search for ‘Sabse Bada Pyjama‘, to engage children.

    Doraemon and Shin Chan remained popular programmes on Hungama TV. During the on ground activation to promote the search of ‘Sabse Bada Pyjama‘, the two favourite characters toured the key cities across India to urge participation from kids.

    Cartoon Network, the oldest channel in the genre, maintained its second position. It displayed an impressive lineup of movies as a part its summer programming, but its channel share dipped in April and June (See table).

    Pogo, the sister channel from Turner, has seen a dip in February. However, it recovered quickly and ended the first six months of the year with an average channel share of 17.5 per cent.

    “In the summer period (mid-April to mid-June), Cartoon Network and Pogo‘s combined shares grew by 14 per cent (from 6 to 6.9 in absolute terms),” says Turner International India vice president and entertainment networks South Asia deputy general manager Monica Tata.

    Turner has long gone the localisation route and tied up with local production houses to churn out Indian shows like CIA, MAD, Sunaina and movies on weekend. It has also acquired a bunch of local Indian animated movies to air on both its channels. The titles include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Gulliver‘s Travels and action-packed Trouble in Tokyo, as well as Ninja Turtles III and Bal Ganesh.

    “As far as ratings are concerned, we have always played fair and looked at long-term ratings rather than just a few weeks. Therefore, if you look at our overall performance through the year, it has been positive and we have been number one and number two channels right from January-June 2008, all India, all SECs, 4-14. Cartoon Network and Pogo‘s combined shares in 1 Jan 1 – 30 Jun 2008 stood at 43 per cent in All India;41 per cent in HSM and 48 per cent in South India,” explains Tata.

    Nick, which has grown consistently since the last one year, has settled with the third spot. The channel‘s average share in the HSM is 18.3 per cent, benefitting from its “Indianised” marketing initiatives.

    “Our shows are extremely filtered and suitable for kids and family watching. Children can connect to the characters readily. Importantly, we carry out monthly initiatives. Even during exams we had ‘Exam Popat‘ which has kept the TG engaged to our channel,” says Nick India VP and GM Nina Elavia Jaipuria.

    ‘Kaun Banega Valentoon‘, ‘April Fool is School‘, ‘Mother‘s day‘, ‘Masti Ki Pathshala‘ and ‘Nick Fundoo Superstar with Mandira Bedi and Saroj Khan‘ are some of the initiatives that Nick undertook in these six months.

    Movies like Stuart Little and Dinotopia augmented the growth.

    Kids viewing seems to have been marginally affected during the period when the IPL (Indian Premier League) matches were being telecast live. “IPL must have affected us marginally but not as much as the examinations have done,” says Jaipuria.

    Voicing similar sentiments, Tata says, “Cartoon Network and Pogo witnessed a 10 per cent growth during the IPL.”

    The next two players in the performance chart are Disney and Jetix. While the former stands at an average channel share of 8 per cent, the later has managed a share of 5 per cent.

    CATOON NETWORK BECOMES NUMBER ONE IN SOUTH

    The story in the Southern market, however, looks drastically different from what it was in 2007.

     

    Channel Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
    Cartoon Network 23 27 26 23 30 32
    Jetix 26 26 24 26 24 25
    Pogo 20 20 22 24 22 22
    Chutti TV 25 20 21 18 17 13
    Nickelodeon 3 3 2 3 2 3
    Hungama TV 2 3 3 3 3 3
    Disney Channel 2 2 2 3 2 2
    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System Mkt: South Mkt TG: CS 4-14 YRS Period: 1st Jan to 30th June ‘08

    Chutti TV has dropped its share every month, ending with an average of 19 per cent in the first half of this year, down from 25.83 per cent in the year-ago period.

    Surpassing everyone, Cartoon Network has gone ahead to claim the numero uno position with an average channel share of 26.84 per cent.

    In the critical southern market, language plays an important role. Local feed of the channel in Tamil and Telugu has helped Cartoon Network to grow phenomenally.

    “We are specifically catering to the southern markets with Tamil and Telugu language feeds and the active viewing day-part of Cartoon Network is already available in these two languages, apart from English in the other two Southern states. This has helped us build strong bonds with kids in South India and provides us with an opportunity to showcase their favourite programming in their preferred language,” explains Tata.

    Cartoon Network‘s sister channel Pogo has also remained consistent throughout these xmonths. Its average market share stands at 21.6 per cent.

    “Of the top 100 transmissions for the first half of the year 2008, 73 have been from Cartoon Network and 4 from Pogo. Our top shows and characters include Tom & Jerry Cat and Mouse Full House, Ben 10 and from POGO the movie Krrish, Chhota Bheem and Mr Bean,” says Tata.

    Chutti TV, which ruled the market ever since its launch in April 2007, has declined to the fourth spot.

    Explains Chutti TV business head Kavitha Zubin, “We are still experimenting with shows. We will soon secure our position in the top slot.”

    The channel is banking on shows like Gloria‘s House, Me and Mow. It has also acquired movie titles from Southern Star, Sony Pictures which will be aired soon.

    “None of our shows are action-based. They are all educational and apt for family viewing. We have a variety of shows like puppets, 2D, 3D and clay cartoons and these are all educational and for family viewing,” says Zubin.

    Meanwhile Jetix, the action channel from Disney, has stayed consistent throughout the six-month period with an average channel share of 25.1 per cent.

    The channel, which also runs its feed in Telugu and Tamil, remained unmoved from the second spot.

    Perhaps, language disconnect is the reason why Nick, Disney Channel and Hungama TV feature in the bottom three.

    “We definitely have plans for the southern market but we first want to consolidate our position in HSM,” says Jaipuria.