Bob Iger Wins Support To Continue Running Disney And ESPN
Issue #148—One of Bob Iger's immediate mandates is boosting ESPN's visibility, which has seen its reach decrease as a result of cord-cutting.
Bob Iger Wins Support To Continue Running Disney And ESPN
Nelson Peltz failed spectacularly to unseat Bob Iger during this past week’s Walt Disney shareholder vote. Peltz’s Trian Partners could not secure any board seats as Iger received 94% of the support from the shareholders.
As Disney CEO, Iger can now fulfill his mandate without constantly looking over his shoulder, though he will still have to look over it occasionally. Iger can now focus on working on ESPN's standalone direct-to-consumer service, the upcoming sports bundle ESPN is partnering with Fox Sports and TNT Sports, the merging of Disney Plus with Hulu, as well as figuring out what to do with the linear networks outside of ABC and ABC News amongst other things.
Iger can also work on his succession plan, which he bungled the first time around when he appointed Bob Chapek as his successor in 2020, only for him to reclaim the throne towards the end of 2022.
Since returning to Disney, Iger has restructured the divisions within Disney, oversaw company-wide layoffs, dealt with a work stoppage caused by the writers and actors strike in 2023, and built a massive defense and offense to thwart Peltz’s proxy battle, which came about because Peltz was not satisfied with Iger’s handling of the media conglomerate.
“Now that this distracting proxy contest is behind us, we are eager to focus 100% of our attention on our most important priorities,” Iger said in a thank-you note to shareholders.
It’s all systems go in launching the ESPN standalone streaming service, which the House of Mickey has now said will debut in 2025 and feature a “full suite” of ESPN channels, including content from the flagship linear channel. According to Iger, during the shareholders meeting, viewers will be able to stream live games and studio shows and participate in an “immersive, customizable sports experience” that sees fantasy sports, betting, e-commerce, and more being embedded within the platform.
The new ESPN service will also be integrated into Disney Plus in the same manner as Hulu was.
The value of ESPN to Disney’s balance sheet is clearly evident. Despite the exodus of cable subscribers, the sports network still commands high affiliate fees and brought in $987 million during Disney’s fiscal fourth quarter in 2023. Plus, the big viewership numbers it has recorded from the NFL, NBA, and the just-concluded NCAA Women’s Tournament continue to cement and validate its position within the Disney empire.
ESPN’s success has also managed to secure the positions of ABC and, by proxy, ABC News within the Disney hierarchy, as ESPN regularly showcases marquee sporting events on the linear channel.
More than any other division within his vast empire, ESPN's success will go far in angling Disney for future success and also enable Iger to hand over the media juggernaut to his successor (maybe the second time is the charm) after a tumultuous period, ready to battle the streaming behemoths in Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.
That would be Iger’s best revenge for Peltz.
(Los Angeles Times, Axios, CNBC)
DISNEY RECAP
Disney: Bob Iger wins support to continue running the media juggernaut. (Front Office Sports)
Disney: Bob Iger wins support to continue running the media juggernaut. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Disney: Bob Iger wins support to continue running the media juggernaut. (Broadcasting+Cable)
Disney Succession: ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro is one of four potential executives in line to succeed Disney’s Bob Iger. (Los Angeles Times)
Disney Succession: Dana Walden could be the first woman to run the media juggernaut. (CNBC)
RECAP
The Aftermath Of The Ronna McDaniel Debacle
What’s next for Ronna McDaniel now that she’s no longer part of NBCUniversal News Group after an internal revolt led to her having only one on-air appearance? For NBC News, there seems to be relief in her departure, as explained by Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who appeared this past week on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, touting the whole episode as “an unpleasant few days.” She said, “I think the instinct to try to have a diversity of opinion and a diversity of perspectives and voices as we cover an election is the right instinct,” adding, “But there’s a line. The line is truth, the line is fact, and you have to be someone upholding our democracy, and that’s to me where the line is.” As for McDaniel, her future as a TV analyst does not seem to have any traction, as demand for her services is currently not high. She is not out of options just yet, as Newsmax and NewsNation have expressed interest in hiring her, and Fox News could also be interested in her. However, with McDaniel still under contract with NBC News, it’s very unlikely she will make an on-air appearance soon. (Forbes, Mediaite)
Norby Williamson Is Out At ESPN
After a nearly four-decade career at ESPN, Norby Williamson was abruptly let go from the network this past Friday. Williamson was ESPN’s executive editor and head of event studio production, a role that saw him in charge of all programming related to football, baseball, NHL, UFC, boxing, tennis, and golf. He also oversaw the network’s flagship news show, SportsCenter, and E60, ESPN Radio, features, investigations, and newsgathering. Williamson, in his position, was known to butt heads with many of ESPN’s signature talent, with his most recent skirmish involving Pat McAfee. No reason was given for the sudden dismissal other than it was a mutual departure, but reports indicate that there was conflict between Williamson and ESPN’s president of content, Burke Magnus, who was Williamson’s boss. In a note to employees announcing Williamson’s departure, Magnus said, “Through his steadfast commitment and attention to detail, Norby has had a lasting impact on the sports fans’ experience. We thank Norby for his many contributions to ESPN and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” Williamson shared a message in the same note, saying, “Due to the exceptional hard work, creativity, and commitment of the people of ESPN, and to a much lesser extent my contributions, I'd like to think we've left our great company in a far better place.” Magnus indicated that a search for Williamson’s replacement will be underway “as soon as possible.” (New York Post, Front Office Sports, Ryan Glasspiegel/X)
ABC News DC Bureau Chief Jonathan Greenberger Joins Politico
ABC News suffered a key departure with the presidential election cycle in full gear on Thursday when its Washington, D.C. bureau chief, Jonathan Greenberger, announced he was leaving the news division to go to the digital political publication Politico, where he will be its executive vice president. Greenberger had been with ABC News for nearly 15 years, starting as an intern, with a brief intermission that saw him finishing his law degree from Stanford Law School. When he returned, he was named executive broadcast producer of This Week with George Stephanopoulos, after which he became the bureau chief in the nation’s capital. At Politico, he will be tasked with short-term and long-term planning regarding the publication’s reporting and operations execution. In a joint statement reflecting on the loss of Greenberger, Debra OConnell, president, News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment, and Kim Godwin, president, ABC News, said, “He has been a great asset to our powerhouse political team and will be greatly missed. We thank him for his contributions and look forward to toasting him in person in D.C. next week to wish him a fond farewell.” In the same statement, they announced that Katie den Daas will be the acting D.C. bureau chief in the interim while they search for a new permanent bureau chief. (TVNewser, Politico)
QUICK RECAP
Breaking News: These are the times when cable and streaming news outlets broke the Northeast earthquake news. (TVNewser)
Al-Jazeera: Israeli Prime Minister threatens to shut down its local bureau after new law passed by the government. (Axios)
Awards: Here are the TV outlets nominated for the Webby Awards. (TVNewser)
CNBC: The panel-centric event, the CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan Summit, returns for a second year. (Boardroom)
CNN: The network’s former home in Atlanta, the CNN Center, has been renamed The Center. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
CBS News: 48 Hours’ popularity grows beyond linear surging in podcast, YouTube, and social media circles. (The Wrap)
MSNBC: What to expect in the second season of Leguizamo Does America. (San Antonio Express-News$$$)
Streaming: Fox News’ Benjamin Hall to host a two-part docuseries on the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel on Fox Nation. (The Wrap)
Out: NFL Network lays off Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark, James Palmer, and Will Selva. (The Athletic)
In: Greg Gutfeld signs multi-year extension with Fox News Media. (Variety)
In: Alex Cooper joins NBC Sports for a series of live interactive watch parties streaming on Peacock during the Paris Olympics. (NBC Olympics/X)
Politics: CNN's Jim Acosta on what would happen to the press during a second Trump term. (Mediaite)
Politics: Fox News refuses to retract stories concerning the annual White House Easter Egg festivities. (Semafor)
Politics: John Avalon on his transition from CNN personality to politician. (Vanity Fair)
Profile: NBC News’ Hallie Jackson on her new role as anchor of Sunday’s NBC Nightly News. (People)
Profile: NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde on how he wants NBC News to be seen. (Fast Company)
Profile: NBC News’ Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker on her work on the Sunday public affairs program. (Modern Luxury DC)
Solar Eclipse: Where you can watch coverage of the total eclipse. (TVNewser)
Solar Eclipse: Fox Weather and The Weather Channel meteorologists tell us what to expect. (TVNewser)
Solar Eclipse: How Fox Weather plans to use tech for the big event. (TV Technology)
NCAA Women's Tournament: An average of 10.8 million viewers watched the two games on ESPN, making them the most-viewed semifinal on record, with the UConn vs. Iowa being watched by 14.2 million viewers. (ESPN Press Room/X)
NCAA Women’s Tournament: ESPN's studio show featuring Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Andraya Carter has been a hit with viewers. (Front Office Sports)
NCAA Women’s Tournament: 12.3 million viewers watched the Iowa vs. LSU match-up. (The Athletic)
Sports: Bob Iger says the upcoming sports bundle offerings will not conflict with what will be available on the soon-to-launch ESPN flagship app. (Next TV)
Sports: Bally Sports’ parent company, Diamond Sports, reaches a multi-year renewal distribution deal with Charter. (Cablefax)
Sports: How is the second year of MLB Local Media going? (Sports Video Group)
Sports: Could NBC Sports trump tech giants in gaining NBA media rights? (Business Insider$$$)
Sports: Are TV sports talk shows obsessed with the Dallas Cowboys? (Awful Announcing)
Paramount Global: Very close to being sold to Skydance Media. (The Wall Street Journal)
Paramount Global: Very close to being sold to Skydance Media. (The New York Times)
Paramount Global: Shari Redstone’s firm National Amusement could receive $ 2 billion in cash in selling to Skydance Media. (The Wall Street Journal)
Paramount Global: A potential sale could put Shari Redstone at odds with some of the company’s shareholders. (New York Times)
Paramount Global: Apollo Global's $27 billion offer rebuffed. (Variety)
Ratings: ESPN's NBA Today sees a big lift from Hispanic viewers. (Awful Announcing)
Ratings: NFL broadcasts claim 20 spots of most-watched telecasts in the first quarter of 2024. (Sports Business Journal/X)
Ratings: How the cable news networks fared in the first quarter. (TVNewser)
Ratings: The early rounds of the NCAA Men’s Tournament have averaged 9.44 million viewers. (Austin Karp/X)
Ratings: NC State vs. Duke was watched by 15 million viewers, making it part of the most-watched Elight Eight Day in five years for CBS Sports and TNT Sports. (March Madness Men’s Basketball TV/X)
Ratings: Dateline NBC is the most-watched newsmagazine during the first quarter of 2024. (NBC News PR/X)
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A MarkHenry Media LLC publication - Issue #148 - 2024