Disney castaway ABC's McPherson quit before he got the ax
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/disney_castaway_XfrgkUAuD5LL3WAZRdTgdL #ixzz0v4yjK7HU ABC entertainment chief Steve McPherson decided to extend his vacation -- permanently -- when he learned that parent Walt Disney Co. was quietly searching for his replacement. McPherson, who was reportedly on vacation in Maine when he got wind of the plan, decided not to return to the office and tendered his resignation late Tuesday instead. According to a source, Disney and ABC were desperate to avoid the indignity of the slumping network coming in last in the ratings race behind NBC, now ranked No. 4, and were seeking fresh inspiration. Disney had in mind several executives to replace McPherson, including: David Nevins, who recently joined CBS Corp.'s Showtime as entertainment president; Bob Greenblatt, who just stepped down from Showtime; and ABC Family President Paul Lee, who is widely expected to get the position. Ultimately, McPherson was felled by his volatile behavior and his lack of respect for his boss, Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney/ABC Television Group, who wanted him out, sources said. McPherson was known by his detractors as "Purple Stephen," because of his temperamental outbursts. "He and Anne [Sweeney] don't speak to each other," said a source close to the company. "This is not one event, but a series of events over time." In a press release issued by power publicist Stan Rosenfield, who also reps Robert DeNiro, McPherson said he would focus on a new "spirits business" -- he is already a partner in the "Promise" wine label -- and an unnamed media venture. McPherson oversaw not only the network but also the production arm of the company, where he sidelined production head Mark Pedowitz after the two operations merged. Pedowitz later joined Warner Bros. Industry insiders said Disney executives, fed up with McPherson's antics, were deeply disappointed with his failure to develop big hits in-house. McPherson is credited, though, with nurturing "Modern Family," the breakout comedy originated from 20th Century Fox Television. (News Corp. owns Fox and The Post.) And while McPherson shepherded shows such as "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Dancing With the Stars," he's had a tougher time coming up with fresh hits to replace those aging or ended shows. McPherson ordered more pilots than any other network chief last season, pinning his biggest hopes on "Flash Forward," which quickly flopped. That McPherson lasted six years in the position -- he still had a year to go on his current contract -- is one sign that he had the backing of Disney CEO Bob Iger until recently. Sources said Iger's interest in the broadcast network business has waned. Disney has in the past considered a possible sale of ABC, along with its owned-and-operated stations, while also making serious cutbacks, the most significant at ABC News. [email protected] Regards, KGB ----- Kevin G. Barkes Email: [email protected] KGB Report: http://www.kgbreport.com Commentwear by KGB: http://www.commentwear.com National Temperature Index: http://nationaltemperatureindex.com DCL Dialogue on line: http://www.dcldialogue.com Random Quotations Generator: http://www.goodquotations.com Over 13,000 searchable quotations. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World News Now Discussion List" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wnndl?hl=en.
