ABC Entertainment Group Merges TV, Production Units

Stephen McPherson of ABCLooking to streamline the entertainment process--as well as save a few bucks--Disney-ABC Television will merge its network programming and TV production operations under one roof.

ABC Entertainment Group will be the newly merged entity of ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios. Stephen McPherson, who has been president of ABC Entertainment, will now be president of the new group. The move had been expected.

Mark Pedowitz, who was president of ABC Studios, will have a new title--senior adviser to the office of the co-chairman--and will work with Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney-Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group, on business, labor relations and emerging media issues.

The new division's primary purpose will be to produce programming for broadcast on ABC. When appropriate, the group will sell to non-Disney-ABC entities.

Sweeney said in a statement: "By operating these units in a coordinated fashion, we'll be able to present the industry with a unified, cohesive creative vision for ABC programming, which will serve us well as we move forward."

Other big TV network groups have also made recent cuts due to a weakening economy and the need to justify operations.

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