The industry veteran who came to Disney after years at Fox and Warner Horizon Television discusses the demands of managing content at an unprecedented scale across multiple platforms. The executive who oversees Hulu Originals, Disney Branded Television, ABC Entertainment and Freeform talks about the rebirth of procedural dramas, the surprise that was ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and why Hulu is elbowing its way into the standup comedy special arena.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with
industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm
Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My
guest is Craig Erwick, President of Disney Television Group. Craig
has been a buyer and a seller and a big
presence in the creative community for several decades. He worked
(00:29):
in programming at Fox, he helped craft shows at Warner
Horizon Television, and ten years ago he joined Hulu as
Head of Content. Today at the top of Disney Television Group,
he oversees Hulu Originals, Disney Branded Television, Preform, and ABC Entertainment,
from Kidbid to documentaries to The Golden Bachelor. Erwick's group
(00:52):
commissions and produces television at a scale that wouldn't have
seemed possible at the time he joined Hulu. I enjoyed
this candid city down with Craig as he talked about
managing the quote pot luck dinner of content that his
group needs to serve up to Hulu, Disney Plus, ABC,
Freeform and other hungry mouths. We get into the nitty
(01:13):
gritty of what it takes to open a show these days,
how the TV marketplace has rebounded after the strike, and
what the industry learned from the strike. He gives insights
into Hulu's push into stand up comedy and what its
priorities are for other genres. A deep dive with a
TV veteran is coming up right after this break, and
(01:50):
we're back with industry insights from Disney Television Group President
Craig Erwick. Craig Erwick, President Disney Television Group, thank you
so much for inviting me over today.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
And thank you for coming over Synthing. It's good to
see you.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Last year, twenty twenty three was by all accounts, a
tough year for the business. There was sort of a
call it a man made natural. I'm sorry, I'm going
to call it a person made natural reset in the
strike for a business that we'll talk about that had
been kind of you know, I think everybody would agree
it was going a little bit overheated. We had that moment.
We've now come back. Things are in full swing Hulu.
(02:26):
I cannot believe you know your brands have big new priorities,
big new shows premiering every week. How do you now
that things are back and running. How would you sort
of assess the reset content marketplace of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Sure, well, you know, it's certainly not optimal to have
any kind of disruption of work. I mean, it has
an impact on people's personal lives or professional lives, and
it's certainly disrupted the pipeline, you know. That said, and
I would say this kind of across the company. It's
certainly the areas that I oversee. You know, our strategy
(03:04):
has never been about volume. It's always been about curation
and doing things well and focused. And that's not just
in the kind of development and production, but also in
the launching and the marketing of these shows. You know,
we really believe in marketing. So having a few things
to focus on is kind of our mantra. So to
(03:26):
the extent that fewer things were getting made, it didn't
have an overall impact to our strategy. Yes, the pipeline
was disrupted, for sure, and well it was difficult. We
tried to make the best of it, and I think
we did find certain opportunities. In particular at ABC. You know,
we had anticipated last year that there could be a
(03:49):
disruption in work, and you know, we kind of got
ahead of it and planned for a year of as
much or unscripted programming as possible. We ended up the
year number one in eighteen to forty nine for I
think the third or fourth consecutive year.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
A measure that may have not as much influence as
it did years ago, but it is still an important
metric to me.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It's an important metric, and it's also a real point
of pride for us. You know, everybody who works at
ABC takes tremendous pride in what they do. You know,
Dana Walden really cherishes and celebrates the work that goes
on here. And one of the things that was a
(04:37):
real point of pride that was celebrated kind of from
the top of the company down last year was Golden Bachelor,
which is a show that was had been a long
time in the making, but I think the strike presented
the perfect opportunity for us to launch it, and that
became not just something that was celebrated here because it
(04:57):
was certainly successful, but I think became one of the
bigger cultural phenomenons of at least the television world last year,
and I think came along at the right time. It
was a show that I think, like many of the
best ABC shows had heart and humor at its core,
and it was aspirational and fun, and I think gave
everybody something to watch together, and it came together in
(05:21):
kind of a surprising way. Nobody was really sure what
to expect of it. So there were certainly moments last
year that we were able to pick ourselves up from
what could have been distracting and have things to have
things be successful and have things to celebrate, which is important.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
How did you find it?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
It's well with Golden Bachelor is a good example in
that in that moment of the necessity being the sort
of mother of that invention, were there moments of where
you found innovations or you found efficiencies because of because
things were so strained.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes, and I would We really tried to look at
everything through the lens of opportunity, which is generally how
I like to look at things. I just think it's
a more productive way to look at even the biggest challenges.
And so again, one of the opportunities last year was
for us to take season one of only murders in
(06:20):
the building because we did have a gap in programming.
As robust as our unscripted lineup was and we had
a perfect place and time to bring season one of
Only Murders to the building to ABC. It is Only
Murders is one of our most cherished and beloved shows,
sort of our successful shows. So it wasn't something that
(06:43):
we wanted to kind of just slap dash and kind
of just throw on the network. We wanted to treat
it like we were launching a new series because quite frankly,
for many people on ABC, it was a new series.
As popular as the show was, many people hadn't seen it,
and we're so proud of it. We wanted as many
people to see this well as well as to continue
to service our broadcast viewers with with original programming and
(07:05):
high quality programming.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
And as I think about it, there's not that there's
very very little if anything, and Only Murders that could
not air on ABC exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I mean the show is it's that tonally joyful, quirky
you know, it's it's accessible but incredibly specific and unique,
and it's.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Very recognizable faces with some.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Very recognizable faces. And I think there's I think Steve
and Marty and Selena portray their characters in a very
celebratory way because I think at the heart of it,
even behind the camera. They all really love each other
and cherish the opportunity to do great work. So and
that joy bleeds through. So Yes, ABC is an aspirational
(07:48):
brand in it's a place where hey, people come to
watch shows that make them feel good. So perfect Only
Murders was really a perfect show for that.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Did you see a correlation? Can you see a bright
line between it aired on ABC and a big uptick
in previous episodes and seasons on Hulu?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Absolutely, that's got to warm your heart.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It does.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
It warms your heart because it warms your heart anytime
good work is seen and recognized by the audience, and
when your strategy pays off, it's very validating. And so
for sure it was. It was one of the things
we were really happy with last year. People, you know,
(08:27):
actors want their work to be seen. Absolutely, and I'm
just thinking as we're talking, you know, only Murders in
the building, Golden Bachelor, these are nowhere on paper? These
do these things scream hit even only Murders with Steve
Martin and Martin short like making that tone work, I
don't have to tell you, getting threading that needle and
making it work, not just for a great six episodes,
(08:48):
but an ongoing you know, this is a renewable resource
for you, I know, incredibly valuable. But none of them,
none of them.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Are like cookie cutter, you know, let's you know, going
for this demo or you know, this hot trend. And
I think that's that says a lot about what stands
out in this market.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I agree, And they're all highly execution dependent, and the
only way you can execute is if you run class
in business with best in class talent. And in the
case of Only Murders, with Dan Fogelman, who we are
very fortunate to have a deal with. He's busy, he's
busy and very talented and a joy to work with.
(09:26):
But exactly, you know, we have Paradise coming up with him,
which is a show we're really really excited about. But
Dan and John Hoffman and Steve had a vision and
I think in the case of that show, it's it's
a good example of one of the things that makes
a hit show, which was everybody was making the same show.
They all, all of the parties involved, had a real
(09:48):
strong vision of what they wanted it to be. It
was very clear, and our job was just to support them.
And in the case of The Golden Bachelor, just as
with any form of programming, you know, it's these things
are you make or break these shows by casting, and
we found we had an incredible cast for that show
and producers who were really dedicated to finding the romance
(10:12):
of that show, which is at the heart of that franchise,
as well as kind of celebrating people of a certain age,
which in a very non cynical way, which hadn't really
hasn't not done enough.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Oh I think exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I won't. I't want to give anything away, but I was.
Over the weekend I watched the first episode of The
Golden Bachelorette, and what was so great about it was
because obviously, this time it's the men competing for the
woman's hand, and the men are at an age and
the show where they all know who they are, they're
there to have fun, they've all accomplished what they need
(10:46):
to accomplish, that they're all rooting for each other and
they're also rooting for her, So it does not have
the insecurities that while they make for good television in
a lot of unscripted programming, you know, it gives it's
really the whole show is gives you something to root for.
It's just something that puts a smile on your face
from start to finish. I'm very excited about the launch
(11:08):
of that.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
And you talked about marketing. Obviously marketing, and you know,
Disney is renowned for its marketing and in this environment,
how much my sense is that it's like almost like
a military operation of tacticalness. Okay, we dropped this teaser,
we dropped this photo. Is it that really involved? I
know it's certainly not the We're going to buy this
(11:31):
many billboards in this many spots, and.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Yeah, not that it ever was easy, but you know,
Shannon Ryan and her team are the best in the
business I think that we have. And the tone starts
at the top with Dana Walden, which is, you know,
there's just always an emphasis on execution here and quality
and that's not just the shows, but the marketing has
to be as creative as possible. And I think again,
(11:55):
I'm going to use the Golden Bachelor. That was one
of the best marketing campaigns I've ever seen. You know,
we just started with the Golden Roses and the teasers
and we have the premiere party at you know, a diner,
which is where Gary Intresa had their first d aids.
So it requires tremendous precision, a tremendous eye to innovation.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
And do you coordinate on the programming side, like are
you in touch with them about this will be a
good beat?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah? I mean we You know, Shannon Ryan has her
office next to mine here at this building.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Reason.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You know, the marketing and programming have to work. They
inform each other, they have to work hand in hand,
have to be incredibly coordinated a for the marketing to
work and the ship launches of the shows to be successful.
But also because one of the ways that we try
and stand out in a crowded marketplace when it comes
(12:52):
to top talent is by saying this is something that
we're good at and that we believe in. Because these
creators work on these shows tirelessly and it's not just
a product to them, it's very personal. So you are
handling their baby and it needs to be handled with
care because we want repeat business from the creative community.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
You're overseeing so much programming strategy for different brands, whether
it's you know, aiming at younger kids or free form
audience or entertaining adults of all ages on Hulu. How
stepping back once again sort of from the big picture,
how post strike people, I'm hearing a lot of you know,
producers and talent have even kind of downscaled the ambition.
(13:33):
Maybe this doesn't have to be one hundred million dollar
sci fi series. But what would you say are sort
of the cross currents in the market in terms of
what's coming in the door, what you guys are looking
for you is there a sense that there's a bit
more cost consciousness in the community right now?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Well, all our brands have separate lanes and strategies and
reasons for being. Disney Junior, for instance, which is run
by Iode Davis has a critical mission in the company,
which is it's her io and her team's job to
introduce the next generation of Disney fans to our beloved
(14:11):
characters and stories. That's where we're creating lifelong characters there.
And it goes, you know, by attitude and demographic all
the way up to ABC and the Golden Batcher, which
we just meant a lot of time talking about. So
we're set up and this is something Dane Wilder and
I talk a lot about, and to be very efficient
(14:32):
with our resources so that everybody knows their role, and
their role is to serve the consumer. The consumers have
our director to consumer. Customers have a very wide array
of tastes, and it's not it's it's easy to talk
about in terms of demographics because that you know our
(14:54):
sean because in a way that's the clearest, but it's
often based on mood, and we have to have something
for everybody, not just a type of person, but the
mood they're in. So somebody might be in the mood
for their Kardashians and then they might want to tackle
something more challenging and perhaps the handmad'stal So by not
(15:15):
by making sure that every brand is a little bit
in its own lane, make sure that we can spend
our money and spread that across Again, the kind of
the pot luck that we're a dinner that we're throwing
for our customers on a daily and tastes, it's just
as much as demographic.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Do you see I'm curious, just from that top level,
do you see viewing you know, sort of basically mirroring
what you would see, say, if you looked at the day,
you know, a day long for w NBC or WNYW
in in New York and looked kind of you know,
you see a burst around the morning when people are
watching news, and then the daytimes a little. Do you
see those kinds of patterns in like on your online platforms,
(15:56):
like yes, you in your Disney Plus.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yes, you see certain periods throughout the day spike obviously
at nighttime people go home, and there are certain hours
that are the more viewing, as well as certain days
of the week or times of the year, and we
try and program accordingly, although at the end of the
day we have to have something for everybody twenty four
hours a day if you were to sixty five days
(16:18):
a year. Anecdotally, I always thought it was interesting that
you would see for certain kids shows like when we
had Adventure Time and Gumball on the service, like you
would see like a lot of watching at like eleven
o'clock at night. And I think our theories those are
always like college kids who were maybe relaxing, so adult
(16:38):
swim relaxing we euphemistically at the end of a hard
day of study.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
That's funny. Yeah, I'm I'm always interested in the patterns
and how they replicate and how they how they differ.
And you said that Obviously volume for volume sake is
not the goal. But with so many brands and much go,
so many mouths to feed in terms of your own networks,
how do you track it? How do you make sure Okay,
we have at least you know, a couple of good
(17:07):
things coming this quarter for do you do you look
at it by quarter? By month?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
We look at it. I mean, we're organized by quarter,
but that's really just that's as much a financial toll,
and it's an easy system to understand, you know, it's
just four quarters. We look year round. We know there
are certain types of year, type times of year that
provide opportunity. We try and schedule some shows closely together
(17:33):
because we think that audience will benefit from having a
lot of things to watch it once. And there are
certain shows we try and space out from each other.
But we between the brands that I oversee, as well
as John Langraf and the brands he oversees and Deuble
Connell on ABC News again, and as well as acquired content,
which you know plays a big role in engagement. We
(17:58):
try and have something on all the time time, but
each show tries to get its own We want to
make sure it gets its own Spotlight. And I think
one of the things that our creators and our shows
and our executives are very lucky working at Disney is
you know, we have this Disney Spotlight and there's a
couple of times a year for a couple of shows
that when we turn that on, you feel the difference.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Shogun definitely you could tell I was watching ESPN, but
watching Jeopardy, Like every Shogun was definitely a corporate priority.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
You could feel it deservedly. So I think the results
speak speak for themselves.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more from
Disney Television Group President Craig Erwick. And we're back with
more from Disney Television Group President Craig Erwick.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Obviously, in this election year, we can all use some laughs,
and depending on what happens, we're really going to need
some laughs next year, regardless of what happens. Tell me,
I know who losing investing Hulu in particular, is investing
more in stand up comedy. Tell me about like, you
know what drives that and what that brings to you
that with all the other genres of content, that what
(19:11):
that connect kinecticness of stand up comedy brings.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
To you sure well, I mean, who just feels like
a very fertile place for it. We have, between our
original programming and acquired content, a world class offering of comedy,
whether it's literally stand up specials, because we actually have
a fairly healthy library of acquired stand up specials or
adult animation or original original programming. So it felt like
(19:36):
it was time to put another piece into that puzzle,
which was stand up comedy, and we kind of went
back to the playbook that we followed with our other
original programming endeavors, which is about being in best in class,
being business with best in class talent and curation, and
creating an event for each of these. So we'll have
one a month, and we have a mix of medians
(20:00):
from Jim Gaffigan and Bill Burr to some more undiscovered
voices that we're excited to launch. So it just feels
like a natural progression of our comedy efforts. It's called hilarious,
and I think that's just a good way to distinguish it.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Let me ask you, though we've all seen pretty eye
popping paychecks as attached to these stand up comedy specials,
Can you do it? Can you be in this business
being best in class and still make it make sense financially.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I think so. I mean it's with any endeavor, it's
always about, uh, you're managing a portfolio. Some are going
to be more expensive than others, but overall, I think
as we kind of round it out, I think you
can absolutely have discipline, and we've had discipline. You have
to be able to walk away. And there's some some
(20:53):
you may pay a little more for, but that'll be
worth it. I think it's it's we're doing it on
behalf of our customers, and if we're going to do it,
you have to do it well. Otherwise it kind of
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of an experiment that didn't work,
and that's not where we're all in. And I think
the market was a little ripe for disruption because if
(21:13):
it had been dominated by one player. And I think
it's good for the creative ecosystem and again for our viewers.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
This is an age old question, but how you know,
I mean, television obviously can be very quick turnaround, and
things like Shogun can take you know, a decade or
the better part of a decade to come to How
do you balance the kind of in terms of what
you're interested in, what you're buying that. You know, the
challenge of writing about something that may be a trend
right now, but by the time you get on the
(21:40):
air might feel dated.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Yeah, how do you balance that? Well, Look, I think
these shows are only successful at to the extent that
they're timeless, and I think that's more than ever. And
I think timeless is often not just a subject matter
of theme, but about a character. So for instance, Gray's Anatomy,
which at this point, you know, the first episode premiered
(22:02):
somewhat twenty some years ago. The story, that pilot story
of Meredith Gray in her first day of work is
still resonating with audiences because it wasn't about what was
going on that day or that month of that year,
but it was a story about a young woman in
a very relatable situation that was highly entertaining and aspirational
and deeply romantic. That still is capturing people's imaginations twenty
(22:27):
some years later. See the same thing with The Rookie.
You know, the Rookie has generated hundreds of millions of
hours of engagement. Half of those have been in the
last year because there's just because of Hulu and our
ability to drive audiences to new episodes on both the
ABC and Hulu and then and drive people to catch
(22:49):
up that show and that character. Nathan Fillion is a
TV star who will be on television probably for the
rest of our lives. Hopefully he's our Andy Griffiths.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Just not to equate the two personalities, but that it
just in terms of he will be on TV until.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yes, he's a guy that who's not just talented, but
everybody wants him in their living room, particularly maybe after
a hard day of work. And I hear this all
the time from people whose kids are starting to watch
The Rookie. So I think these shows have to be timeless.
If you're just trying to kind of catch a wave
of something. We have a news division that does that
very well, right than anything unscripted now, and we do
(23:29):
a lot of unscripted and our unscripted shows while we
are hoping to either catch or create a cultural wave. Ultimately,
these have to be subjects that people have an insatiable
curiosity about. So, for instance, we just did We had
two wildly successful documentaries last year. One was Freaknick, which
(23:50):
is about the Freaknik Festival of the nineties in Atlanta,
and that was a show that even though those events
were many years ago, people just brought had such a
joy and visiting them. And now with all these years later,
have the opportunity to not just say, God, that was fun,
but to now let's start to understand, Wow, what did
that actually mean? Which I think is a very good
formula for a Hulu documentary. And we just had our
(24:15):
Massive Crime true crime documentary and The Perfect Wife, which
is about Sherry Peppini and this woman who was supposedly kidnapped,
who had the perfect life, the perfect kids, but engineered it.
And I think people had a insatiable curiosity about what
kind of person would do that? Would you do that?
And hopefully what is what we bring to those stories
(24:38):
that can stand the test of time is one level
of filmmaking and innovative storytelling, but also exclusive access and
exclusive footage so that you can kind of get to
the place where you start to understand how and.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Why they did this, And I think things like you
there's a certainly there's no shortage of true crime, but
the best of it, like the Sarah Lawrence series that
absolutely just you know, as a mother of a college student,
thank god, one that's more grounded. But the more you
show that that it's that this can happen even to
seem you know, very intelligent kids.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Let's talk about something more pleasant, the return of procedurals.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
My sense coming off of the strike that there was
so much talk on picket lines of kind of older,
more seasoned members talking about the days of working thirty
five weeks a year and that, you know, so that
there might be that there would be interest in that
younger generation took to develop those skills.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
One thing I don't think that these shows get enough
credit for is just how well executed they are. I mean,
and I'll take Will Trent and nine to one one
is two examples. I mean, there's been you know, thousands,
thousands of cop shows and thousands of medical shows on
the air since the you know, the dawn of the
(25:53):
programming grid Ragnet literally on radio. These two are two
of the best, and that's why they work. I mean,
my career itself is littered with you know, attempts and
failures of ones that we didn't get it right. So
they're deceptively simple and speaking of timelessness, you know, these
(26:15):
are shows that actually are really are reflecting the world
that we're in. You know, it was only the broadcast
shows when you think about it, that we're dealing with
the effects of the pandemic and the frontline workers. Those
were broadcast shows. We're doing that. That was you know,
Gray's Anatomy nine one shows a Good Doctor. We're dealing
with those and showing in real time telling the stories
(26:37):
of the heroes. The streaming shows kind of existed in
a vacuum and weren't really doing that. I don't think
those shows got enough credit or continue to get enough
credit for that. They play a very important role in
the lives of people, not just for entertainment sake, but
for people being able to turn on the TV and
see themselves. So procedurals continue to be a priority here
(26:59):
and and everything is a balance. It's not about running
to the right side of the ship and saying we're
doing all this and we're not doing this. It's just
a balance and ultimately about excellence.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
We can sometimes be kind of doom and gloom about TV.
Oh my god, this is a melting you know, linear
is a melting ice. Cuban direct to consumer of the numbers.
We see the numbers every quarter, and we know what
we know. But in it you sound extremely hopeful about
the future, and extremely hopeful about with ABC's future. And
who lose future? I mean when in the thick of
(27:32):
it you see a path forward?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Absolutely. I mean, first of all, I'm passionate, as is
everybody at ABC about the quality of the shows that
we're making. We're passionate about the enthusiasm that those shows
generate on behalf of their audience. There are remarkable creative
achievements Abbot Elementary for instance, you know, which is a
(27:54):
show that you know has ushered in a generational voice
and has been recognized as such thank you by the
press as well as the awards, and is destined to
be one of the classic shows of all times. So
the excellence is there. And our advantage here is that
(28:15):
we can probably in these days serve broadcast shows better
than we ever have, because we can put these shows
where people want to watch them, when they want to
watch them. There are people who still want to watch
a show live when they come home from work that day,
and we're there for them. But there are people who
want to watch a show a day later, a week later,
two weeks later, and they can watch that on Hulu
(28:36):
or on Hulu through Disney Plus. So there are certain
types of shows that are also just best advantage by
being born and launched on broadcast television because we can
make an event out of them, and those are the
kinds of shows people expect, and it all aggregates audience
to one bigger pie. And that's really where I think,
(28:58):
that's the really kind of the pulse of our operation
and our strategy, and the creators recognize that and they
have given us the shows to promote. I mean, one
of the really fun things for me last year was,
you know, we brought nine to one one over from
Fox ABC. It was obviously a privilege for us, it's
the number one drama on television. But what Ryan Murphy
(29:20):
and Tim Meneir did, and again you talk about a
lost art, you know, you and I have known each
other a long time, was we kicked it off with
a good old fashioned three episode event of you know,
a cruise ship, you know, emergency on a cruise ship,
and we were just able to create a big television
event cliffhangers or cliffhangers work. This year, you know, Ryan
(29:41):
and Tim have risen to the challenge once again. It's
ben Ato this year. You know, you know, good old
fashioned significant events in the lives of our characters. Give
us something to promote, and we'll promote it. So I
when I see those spots when I'm at home watching
you know, you know, Bachelor are to me. Broadcast TV
(30:02):
is alive and well, and you know the same for
you know, limiteds in movies. You know, at the at
the at Io Davis's group on the Disney Brander TV,
we just had a huge success with Descendants. There was
a global phenomenon and set us up really well for
(30:22):
next summer when we have Zombies. So I think there
is a there is something in these kind of one
time events that the whole company can rally around that
we've had a lot of success with.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Is that thinking about all of these kind of considerations,
as you said about the importance of of AO Davis's division,
because it is that it enters people into that the
larger Disney ecosystem. Is that for you a challenge that's
a different muscle than being a programming executive in the
past you have in the past.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I mean, it requires for sure a certain expertise with
a young audience, for sure, but at the same time,
you're dealing with a lot of the same opportunities and
challenges as you would if you were working in any
other platform, Which is this is the right show for
our platform? Do we have the right people executing the show,
(31:12):
do they have a vision? Is this a show that
we can and will support? And do we think our
audience is going to love this? And is it the
best version of what we're setting out to be? That
part goes across everything that we do here. But for sure,
you know, young people, although there's many similarities between generations
from generation to generation, they were watching TV differently this
(31:34):
year and we have to kind of meet them where
they are. And we've also been really aggressive about or
you know, programming on YouTube because we know that a
lot of our audience is.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
There putting clips and seed clips its.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Past episodes, and we have a whole team that's dedicated
to that. And you know, I think the Disney Channel
YouTube channels, you know, probably one of the biggest ones
on all of YouTube. So it's a place that we
we think about and talk about a lot.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Here's my real last question for you, great what because
I know you again you warn't a lot of hats
and had so much experience. What would you say, what
what experiences early in your career, whether whether it was
your first job or you're an early early entertainment job,
what experiences early in your career have really helped you
in the job you have now?
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Well? I think early in my career there were things
I had to do not well to learn how to
do them well. You know, learn more from mistakes sometimes,
you know, So even when you talk about giving notes
to writers and communicating with talent, you know you have
to step in it a few times to learn how
(32:47):
to not do that. But I think ultimately, you know
you want to first and foremost just try and treat
people with respect and dignity, your employees as well as
the partner you have creatively. I think you know, early
on I realized it's always going to be about quality,
not quantity. And I'm still learning lessons and how to
(33:11):
do this job better. It's it is I don't know somebody.
I think somebody you can be very good at. I
don't know you can ever master and say, you know,
check don moving on to now being a brain surgeon
or something. So it continues to be a learning experience
it which is what keeps it exciting and interesting.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Well, we're glad that you are wielding the scalpel here
at Disney Television Group. Greg.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Thank you so much, Thanks to much appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review
at Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. We love to hear
from listeners. Please go to Variety dot com and sign
up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't
forget to tune in next week for another episode of
Strictly Business
Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with
industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm
Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My
guest is Craig Erwick, President of Disney Television Group. Craig
has been a buyer and a seller and a big
presence in the creative community for several decades. He worked
(00:29):
in programming at Fox, he helped craft shows at Warner
Horizon Television, and ten years ago he joined Hulu as
Head of Content. Today at the top of Disney Television Group,
he oversees Hulu Originals, Disney Branded Television, Preform, and ABC Entertainment,
from Kidbid to documentaries to The Golden Bachelor. Erwick's group
(00:52):
commissions and produces television at a scale that wouldn't have
seemed possible at the time he joined Hulu. I enjoyed
this candid city down with Craig as he talked about
managing the quote pot luck dinner of content that his
group needs to serve up to Hulu, Disney Plus, ABC,
Freeform and other hungry mouths. We get into the nitty
(01:13):
gritty of what it takes to open a show these days,
how the TV marketplace has rebounded after the strike, and
what the industry learned from the strike. He gives insights
into Hulu's push into stand up comedy and what its
priorities are for other genres. A deep dive with a
TV veteran is coming up right after this break, and
(01:50):
we're back with industry insights from Disney Television Group President
Craig Erwick. Craig Erwick, President Disney Television Group, thank you
so much for inviting me over today.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
And thank you for coming over Synthing. It's good to
see you.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Last year, twenty twenty three was by all accounts, a
tough year for the business. There was sort of a
call it a man made natural. I'm sorry, I'm going
to call it a person made natural reset in the
strike for a business that we'll talk about that had
been kind of you know, I think everybody would agree
it was going a little bit overheated. We had that moment.
We've now come back. Things are in full swing Hulu.
(02:26):
I cannot believe you know your brands have big new priorities,
big new shows premiering every week. How do you now
that things are back and running. How would you sort
of assess the reset content marketplace of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Sure, well, you know, it's certainly not optimal to have
any kind of disruption of work. I mean, it has
an impact on people's personal lives or professional lives, and
it's certainly disrupted the pipeline, you know. That said, and
I would say this kind of across the company. It's
certainly the areas that I oversee. You know, our strategy
(03:04):
has never been about volume. It's always been about curation
and doing things well and focused. And that's not just
in the kind of development and production, but also in
the launching and the marketing of these shows. You know,
we really believe in marketing. So having a few things
to focus on is kind of our mantra. So to
(03:26):
the extent that fewer things were getting made, it didn't
have an overall impact to our strategy. Yes, the pipeline
was disrupted, for sure, and well it was difficult. We
tried to make the best of it, and I think
we did find certain opportunities. In particular at ABC. You know,
we had anticipated last year that there could be a
(03:49):
disruption in work, and you know, we kind of got
ahead of it and planned for a year of as
much or unscripted programming as possible. We ended up the
year number one in eighteen to forty nine for I
think the third or fourth consecutive year.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
A measure that may have not as much influence as
it did years ago, but it is still an important
metric to me.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
It's an important metric, and it's also a real point
of pride for us. You know, everybody who works at
ABC takes tremendous pride in what they do. You know,
Dana Walden really cherishes and celebrates the work that goes
on here. And one of the things that was a
(04:37):
real point of pride that was celebrated kind of from
the top of the company down last year was Golden Bachelor,
which is a show that was had been a long
time in the making, but I think the strike presented
the perfect opportunity for us to launch it, and that
became not just something that was celebrated here because it
(04:57):
was certainly successful, but I think became one of the
bigger cultural phenomenons of at least the television world last year,
and I think came along at the right time. It
was a show that I think, like many of the
best ABC shows had heart and humor at its core,
and it was aspirational and fun, and I think gave
everybody something to watch together, and it came together in
(05:21):
kind of a surprising way. Nobody was really sure what
to expect of it. So there were certainly moments last
year that we were able to pick ourselves up from
what could have been distracting and have things to have
things be successful and have things to celebrate, which is important.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
How did you find it?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
It's well with Golden Bachelor is a good example in
that in that moment of the necessity being the sort
of mother of that invention, were there moments of where
you found innovations or you found efficiencies because of because
things were so strained.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes, and I would We really tried to look at
everything through the lens of opportunity, which is generally how
I like to look at things. I just think it's
a more productive way to look at even the biggest challenges.
And so again, one of the opportunities last year was
for us to take season one of only murders in
(06:20):
the building because we did have a gap in programming.
As robust as our unscripted lineup was and we had
a perfect place and time to bring season one of
Only Murders to the building to ABC. It is Only
Murders is one of our most cherished and beloved shows,
sort of our successful shows. So it wasn't something that
(06:43):
we wanted to kind of just slap dash and kind
of just throw on the network. We wanted to treat
it like we were launching a new series because quite frankly,
for many people on ABC, it was a new series.
As popular as the show was, many people hadn't seen it,
and we're so proud of it. We wanted as many
people to see this well as well as to continue
to service our broadcast viewers with with original programming and
(07:05):
high quality programming.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
And as I think about it, there's not that there's
very very little if anything, and Only Murders that could
not air on ABC exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I mean the show is it's that tonally joyful, quirky
you know, it's it's accessible but incredibly specific and unique,
and it's.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Very recognizable faces with some.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Very recognizable faces. And I think there's I think Steve
and Marty and Selena portray their characters in a very
celebratory way because I think at the heart of it,
even behind the camera. They all really love each other
and cherish the opportunity to do great work. So and
that joy bleeds through. So Yes, ABC is an aspirational
(07:48):
brand in it's a place where hey, people come to
watch shows that make them feel good. So perfect Only
Murders was really a perfect show for that.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Did you see a correlation? Can you see a bright
line between it aired on ABC and a big uptick
in previous episodes and seasons on Hulu?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Absolutely, that's got to warm your heart.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It does.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
It warms your heart because it warms your heart anytime
good work is seen and recognized by the audience, and
when your strategy pays off, it's very validating. And so
for sure it was. It was one of the things
we were really happy with last year. People, you know,
(08:27):
actors want their work to be seen. Absolutely, and I'm
just thinking as we're talking, you know, only Murders in
the building, Golden Bachelor, these are nowhere on paper? These
do these things scream hit even only Murders with Steve
Martin and Martin short like making that tone work, I
don't have to tell you, getting threading that needle and
making it work, not just for a great six episodes,
(08:48):
but an ongoing you know, this is a renewable resource
for you, I know, incredibly valuable. But none of them,
none of them.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Are like cookie cutter, you know, let's you know, going
for this demo or you know, this hot trend. And
I think that's that says a lot about what stands
out in this market.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I agree, And they're all highly execution dependent, and the
only way you can execute is if you run class
in business with best in class talent. And in the
case of Only Murders, with Dan Fogelman, who we are
very fortunate to have a deal with. He's busy, he's
busy and very talented and a joy to work with.
(09:26):
But exactly, you know, we have Paradise coming up with him,
which is a show we're really really excited about. But
Dan and John Hoffman and Steve had a vision and
I think in the case of that show, it's it's
a good example of one of the things that makes
a hit show, which was everybody was making the same show.
They all, all of the parties involved, had a real
(09:48):
strong vision of what they wanted it to be. It
was very clear, and our job was just to support them.
And in the case of The Golden Bachelor, just as
with any form of programming, you know, it's these things
are you make or break these shows by casting, and
we found we had an incredible cast for that show
and producers who were really dedicated to finding the romance
(10:12):
of that show, which is at the heart of that franchise,
as well as kind of celebrating people of a certain age,
which in a very non cynical way, which hadn't really
hasn't not done enough.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Oh I think exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I won't. I't want to give anything away, but I was.
Over the weekend I watched the first episode of The
Golden Bachelorette, and what was so great about it was
because obviously, this time it's the men competing for the
woman's hand, and the men are at an age and
the show where they all know who they are, they're
there to have fun, they've all accomplished what they need
(10:46):
to accomplish, that they're all rooting for each other and
they're also rooting for her, So it does not have
the insecurities that while they make for good television in
a lot of unscripted programming, you know, it gives it's
really the whole show is gives you something to root for.
It's just something that puts a smile on your face
from start to finish. I'm very excited about the launch
(11:08):
of that.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
And you talked about marketing. Obviously marketing, and you know,
Disney is renowned for its marketing and in this environment,
how much my sense is that it's like almost like
a military operation of tacticalness. Okay, we dropped this teaser,
we dropped this photo. Is it that really involved? I
know it's certainly not the We're going to buy this
(11:31):
many billboards in this many spots, and.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Yeah, not that it ever was easy, but you know,
Shannon Ryan and her team are the best in the
business I think that we have. And the tone starts
at the top with Dana Walden, which is, you know,
there's just always an emphasis on execution here and quality
and that's not just the shows, but the marketing has
to be as creative as possible. And I think again,
(11:55):
I'm going to use the Golden Bachelor. That was one
of the best marketing campaigns I've ever seen. You know,
we just started with the Golden Roses and the teasers
and we have the premiere party at you know, a diner,
which is where Gary Intresa had their first d aids.
So it requires tremendous precision, a tremendous eye to innovation.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
And do you coordinate on the programming side, like are
you in touch with them about this will be a
good beat?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah? I mean we You know, Shannon Ryan has her
office next to mine here at this building.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Reason.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You know, the marketing and programming have to work. They
inform each other, they have to work hand in hand,
have to be incredibly coordinated a for the marketing to
work and the ship launches of the shows to be successful.
But also because one of the ways that we try
and stand out in a crowded marketplace when it comes
(12:52):
to top talent is by saying this is something that
we're good at and that we believe in. Because these
creators work on these shows tirelessly and it's not just
a product to them, it's very personal. So you are
handling their baby and it needs to be handled with
care because we want repeat business from the creative community.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
You're overseeing so much programming strategy for different brands, whether
it's you know, aiming at younger kids or free form
audience or entertaining adults of all ages on Hulu. How
stepping back once again sort of from the big picture,
how post strike people, I'm hearing a lot of you know,
producers and talent have even kind of downscaled the ambition.
(13:33):
Maybe this doesn't have to be one hundred million dollar
sci fi series. But what would you say are sort
of the cross currents in the market in terms of
what's coming in the door, what you guys are looking
for you is there a sense that there's a bit
more cost consciousness in the community right now?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Well, all our brands have separate lanes and strategies and
reasons for being. Disney Junior, for instance, which is run
by Iode Davis has a critical mission in the company,
which is it's her io and her team's job to
introduce the next generation of Disney fans to our beloved
(14:11):
characters and stories. That's where we're creating lifelong characters there.
And it goes, you know, by attitude and demographic all
the way up to ABC and the Golden Batcher, which
we just meant a lot of time talking about. So
we're set up and this is something Dane Wilder and
I talk a lot about, and to be very efficient
(14:32):
with our resources so that everybody knows their role, and
their role is to serve the consumer. The consumers have
our director to consumer. Customers have a very wide array
of tastes, and it's not it's it's easy to talk
about in terms of demographics because that you know our
(14:54):
sean because in a way that's the clearest, but it's
often based on mood, and we have to have something
for everybody, not just a type of person, but the
mood they're in. So somebody might be in the mood
for their Kardashians and then they might want to tackle
something more challenging and perhaps the handmad'stal So by not
(15:15):
by making sure that every brand is a little bit
in its own lane, make sure that we can spend
our money and spread that across Again, the kind of
the pot luck that we're a dinner that we're throwing
for our customers on a daily and tastes, it's just
as much as demographic.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Do you see I'm curious, just from that top level,
do you see viewing you know, sort of basically mirroring
what you would see, say, if you looked at the day,
you know, a day long for w NBC or WNYW
in in New York and looked kind of you know,
you see a burst around the morning when people are
watching news, and then the daytimes a little. Do you
see those kinds of patterns in like on your online platforms,
(15:56):
like yes, you in your Disney Plus.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yes, you see certain periods throughout the day spike obviously
at nighttime people go home, and there are certain hours
that are the more viewing, as well as certain days
of the week or times of the year, and we
try and program accordingly, although at the end of the
day we have to have something for everybody twenty four
hours a day if you were to sixty five days
(16:18):
a year. Anecdotally, I always thought it was interesting that
you would see for certain kids shows like when we
had Adventure Time and Gumball on the service, like you
would see like a lot of watching at like eleven
o'clock at night. And I think our theories those are
always like college kids who were maybe relaxing, so adult
(16:38):
swim relaxing we euphemistically at the end of a hard
day of study.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
That's funny. Yeah, I'm I'm always interested in the patterns
and how they replicate and how they how they differ.
And you said that Obviously volume for volume sake is
not the goal. But with so many brands and much go,
so many mouths to feed in terms of your own networks,
how do you track it? How do you make sure Okay,
we have at least you know, a couple of good
(17:07):
things coming this quarter for do you do you look
at it by quarter? By month?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
We look at it. I mean, we're organized by quarter,
but that's really just that's as much a financial toll,
and it's an easy system to understand, you know, it's
just four quarters. We look year round. We know there
are certain types of year, type times of year that
provide opportunity. We try and schedule some shows closely together
(17:33):
because we think that audience will benefit from having a
lot of things to watch it once. And there are
certain shows we try and space out from each other.
But we between the brands that I oversee, as well
as John Langraf and the brands he oversees and Deuble
Connell on ABC News again, and as well as acquired content,
which you know plays a big role in engagement. We
(17:58):
try and have something on all the time time, but
each show tries to get its own We want to
make sure it gets its own Spotlight. And I think
one of the things that our creators and our shows
and our executives are very lucky working at Disney is
you know, we have this Disney Spotlight and there's a
couple of times a year for a couple of shows
that when we turn that on, you feel the difference.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Shogun definitely you could tell I was watching ESPN, but
watching Jeopardy, Like every Shogun was definitely a corporate priority.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
You could feel it deservedly. So I think the results
speak speak for themselves.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more from
Disney Television Group President Craig Erwick. And we're back with
more from Disney Television Group President Craig Erwick.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Obviously, in this election year, we can all use some laughs,
and depending on what happens, we're really going to need
some laughs next year, regardless of what happens. Tell me,
I know who losing investing Hulu in particular, is investing
more in stand up comedy. Tell me about like, you
know what drives that and what that brings to you
that with all the other genres of content, that what
(19:11):
that connect kinecticness of stand up comedy brings.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
To you sure well, I mean, who just feels like
a very fertile place for it. We have, between our
original programming and acquired content, a world class offering of comedy,
whether it's literally stand up specials, because we actually have
a fairly healthy library of acquired stand up specials or
adult animation or original original programming. So it felt like
(19:36):
it was time to put another piece into that puzzle,
which was stand up comedy, and we kind of went
back to the playbook that we followed with our other
original programming endeavors, which is about being in best in class,
being business with best in class talent and curation, and
creating an event for each of these. So we'll have
one a month, and we have a mix of medians
(20:00):
from Jim Gaffigan and Bill Burr to some more undiscovered
voices that we're excited to launch. So it just feels
like a natural progression of our comedy efforts. It's called hilarious,
and I think that's just a good way to distinguish it.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Let me ask you, though we've all seen pretty eye
popping paychecks as attached to these stand up comedy specials,
Can you do it? Can you be in this business
being best in class and still make it make sense financially.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I think so. I mean it's with any endeavor, it's
always about, uh, you're managing a portfolio. Some are going
to be more expensive than others, but overall, I think
as we kind of round it out, I think you
can absolutely have discipline, and we've had discipline. You have
to be able to walk away. And there's some some
(20:53):
you may pay a little more for, but that'll be
worth it. I think it's it's we're doing it on
behalf of our customers, and if we're going to do it,
you have to do it well. Otherwise it kind of
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of an experiment that didn't work,
and that's not where we're all in. And I think
the market was a little ripe for disruption because if
(21:13):
it had been dominated by one player. And I think
it's good for the creative ecosystem and again for our viewers.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
This is an age old question, but how you know,
I mean, television obviously can be very quick turnaround, and
things like Shogun can take you know, a decade or
the better part of a decade to come to How
do you balance the kind of in terms of what
you're interested in, what you're buying that. You know, the
challenge of writing about something that may be a trend
right now, but by the time you get on the
(21:40):
air might feel dated.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Yeah, how do you balance that? Well, Look, I think
these shows are only successful at to the extent that
they're timeless, and I think that's more than ever. And
I think timeless is often not just a subject matter
of theme, but about a character. So for instance, Gray's Anatomy,
which at this point, you know, the first episode premiered
(22:02):
somewhat twenty some years ago. The story, that pilot story
of Meredith Gray in her first day of work is
still resonating with audiences because it wasn't about what was
going on that day or that month of that year,
but it was a story about a young woman in
a very relatable situation that was highly entertaining and aspirational
and deeply romantic. That still is capturing people's imaginations twenty
(22:27):
some years later. See the same thing with The Rookie.
You know, the Rookie has generated hundreds of millions of
hours of engagement. Half of those have been in the
last year because there's just because of Hulu and our
ability to drive audiences to new episodes on both the
ABC and Hulu and then and drive people to catch
(22:49):
up that show and that character. Nathan Fillion is a
TV star who will be on television probably for the
rest of our lives. Hopefully he's our Andy Griffiths.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Just not to equate the two personalities, but that it
just in terms of he will be on TV until.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yes, he's a guy that who's not just talented, but
everybody wants him in their living room, particularly maybe after
a hard day of work. And I hear this all
the time from people whose kids are starting to watch
The Rookie. So I think these shows have to be timeless.
If you're just trying to kind of catch a wave
of something. We have a news division that does that
very well, right than anything unscripted now, and we do
(23:29):
a lot of unscripted and our unscripted shows while we
are hoping to either catch or create a cultural wave. Ultimately,
these have to be subjects that people have an insatiable
curiosity about. So, for instance, we just did We had
two wildly successful documentaries last year. One was Freaknick, which
(23:50):
is about the Freaknik Festival of the nineties in Atlanta,
and that was a show that even though those events
were many years ago, people just brought had such a
joy and visiting them. And now with all these years later,
have the opportunity to not just say, God, that was fun,
but to now let's start to understand, Wow, what did
that actually mean? Which I think is a very good
formula for a Hulu documentary. And we just had our
(24:15):
Massive Crime true crime documentary and The Perfect Wife, which
is about Sherry Peppini and this woman who was supposedly kidnapped,
who had the perfect life, the perfect kids, but engineered it.
And I think people had a insatiable curiosity about what
kind of person would do that? Would you do that?
And hopefully what is what we bring to those stories
(24:38):
that can stand the test of time is one level
of filmmaking and innovative storytelling, but also exclusive access and
exclusive footage so that you can kind of get to
the place where you start to understand how and.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Why they did this, And I think things like you
there's a certainly there's no shortage of true crime, but
the best of it, like the Sarah Lawrence series that
absolutely just you know, as a mother of a college student,
thank god, one that's more grounded. But the more you
show that that it's that this can happen even to
seem you know, very intelligent kids.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Let's talk about something more pleasant, the return of procedurals.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
My sense coming off of the strike that there was
so much talk on picket lines of kind of older,
more seasoned members talking about the days of working thirty
five weeks a year and that, you know, so that
there might be that there would be interest in that
younger generation took to develop those skills.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
One thing I don't think that these shows get enough
credit for is just how well executed they are. I mean,
and I'll take Will Trent and nine to one one
is two examples. I mean, there's been you know, thousands,
thousands of cop shows and thousands of medical shows on
the air since the you know, the dawn of the
(25:53):
programming grid Ragnet literally on radio. These two are two
of the best, and that's why they work. I mean,
my career itself is littered with you know, attempts and
failures of ones that we didn't get it right. So
they're deceptively simple and speaking of timelessness, you know, these
(26:15):
are shows that actually are really are reflecting the world
that we're in. You know, it was only the broadcast
shows when you think about it, that we're dealing with
the effects of the pandemic and the frontline workers. Those
were broadcast shows. We're doing that. That was you know,
Gray's Anatomy nine one shows a Good Doctor. We're dealing
with those and showing in real time telling the stories
(26:37):
of the heroes. The streaming shows kind of existed in
a vacuum and weren't really doing that. I don't think
those shows got enough credit or continue to get enough
credit for that. They play a very important role in
the lives of people, not just for entertainment sake, but
for people being able to turn on the TV and
see themselves. So procedurals continue to be a priority here
(26:59):
and and everything is a balance. It's not about running
to the right side of the ship and saying we're
doing all this and we're not doing this. It's just
a balance and ultimately about excellence.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
We can sometimes be kind of doom and gloom about TV.
Oh my god, this is a melting you know, linear
is a melting ice. Cuban direct to consumer of the numbers.
We see the numbers every quarter, and we know what
we know. But in it you sound extremely hopeful about
the future, and extremely hopeful about with ABC's future. And
who lose future? I mean when in the thick of
(27:32):
it you see a path forward?
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Absolutely. I mean, first of all, I'm passionate, as is
everybody at ABC about the quality of the shows that
we're making. We're passionate about the enthusiasm that those shows
generate on behalf of their audience. There are remarkable creative
achievements Abbot Elementary for instance, you know, which is a
(27:54):
show that you know has ushered in a generational voice
and has been recognized as such thank you by the
press as well as the awards, and is destined to
be one of the classic shows of all times. So
the excellence is there. And our advantage here is that
(28:15):
we can probably in these days serve broadcast shows better
than we ever have, because we can put these shows
where people want to watch them, when they want to
watch them. There are people who still want to watch
a show live when they come home from work that day,
and we're there for them. But there are people who
want to watch a show a day later, a week later,
two weeks later, and they can watch that on Hulu
(28:36):
or on Hulu through Disney Plus. So there are certain
types of shows that are also just best advantage by
being born and launched on broadcast television because we can
make an event out of them, and those are the
kinds of shows people expect, and it all aggregates audience
to one bigger pie. And that's really where I think,
(28:58):
that's the really kind of the pulse of our operation
and our strategy, and the creators recognize that and they
have given us the shows to promote. I mean, one
of the really fun things for me last year was,
you know, we brought nine to one one over from
Fox ABC. It was obviously a privilege for us, it's
the number one drama on television. But what Ryan Murphy
(29:20):
and Tim Meneir did, and again you talk about a
lost art, you know, you and I have known each
other a long time, was we kicked it off with
a good old fashioned three episode event of you know,
a cruise ship, you know, emergency on a cruise ship,
and we were just able to create a big television
event cliffhangers or cliffhangers work. This year, you know, Ryan
(29:41):
and Tim have risen to the challenge once again. It's
ben Ato this year. You know, you know, good old
fashioned significant events in the lives of our characters. Give
us something to promote, and we'll promote it. So I
when I see those spots when I'm at home watching
you know, you know, Bachelor are to me. Broadcast TV
(30:02):
is alive and well, and you know the same for
you know, limiteds in movies. You know, at the at
the at Io Davis's group on the Disney Brander TV,
we just had a huge success with Descendants. There was
a global phenomenon and set us up really well for
(30:22):
next summer when we have Zombies. So I think there
is a there is something in these kind of one
time events that the whole company can rally around that
we've had a lot of success with.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Is that thinking about all of these kind of considerations,
as you said about the importance of of AO Davis's division,
because it is that it enters people into that the
larger Disney ecosystem. Is that for you a challenge that's
a different muscle than being a programming executive in the
past you have in the past.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I mean, it requires for sure a certain expertise with
a young audience, for sure, but at the same time,
you're dealing with a lot of the same opportunities and
challenges as you would if you were working in any
other platform, Which is this is the right show for
our platform? Do we have the right people executing the show,
(31:12):
do they have a vision? Is this a show that
we can and will support? And do we think our
audience is going to love this? And is it the
best version of what we're setting out to be? That
part goes across everything that we do here. But for sure,
you know, young people, although there's many similarities between generations
from generation to generation, they were watching TV differently this
(31:34):
year and we have to kind of meet them where
they are. And we've also been really aggressive about or
you know, programming on YouTube because we know that a
lot of our audience is.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
There putting clips and seed clips its.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Past episodes, and we have a whole team that's dedicated
to that. And you know, I think the Disney Channel
YouTube channels, you know, probably one of the biggest ones
on all of YouTube. So it's a place that we
we think about and talk about a lot.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Here's my real last question for you, great what because
I know you again you warn't a lot of hats
and had so much experience. What would you say, what
what experiences early in your career, whether whether it was
your first job or you're an early early entertainment job,
what experiences early in your career have really helped you
in the job you have now?
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Well? I think early in my career there were things
I had to do not well to learn how to
do them well. You know, learn more from mistakes sometimes,
you know, So even when you talk about giving notes
to writers and communicating with talent, you know you have
to step in it a few times to learn how
(32:47):
to not do that. But I think ultimately, you know
you want to first and foremost just try and treat
people with respect and dignity, your employees as well as
the partner you have creatively. I think you know, early
on I realized it's always going to be about quality,
not quantity. And I'm still learning lessons and how to
(33:11):
do this job better. It's it is I don't know somebody.
I think somebody you can be very good at. I
don't know you can ever master and say, you know,
check don moving on to now being a brain surgeon
or something. So it continues to be a learning experience
it which is what keeps it exciting and interesting.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Well, we're glad that you are wielding the scalpel here
at Disney Television Group. Greg.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Thank you so much, Thanks to much appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review
at Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. We love to hear
from listeners. Please go to Variety dot com and sign
up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't
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