raidermatt
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You be the judge. From the NY Times:
ABC Under Disney: Kingdom, Yes. Magic, No.
By BILL CARTER
Published: March 8, 2004
"The Apprentice," the new NBC reality program celebrating the corporate wisdom of Donald J. Trump, is a "total game changer," in the words of Jeff Zucker, the president of NBC Entertainment. Averaging 20 million viewers a week and pulling in more high-income viewers than any other series, it has saved NBC's once-invincible Thursday night lineup, turned around its season and added millions in profit - with the promise of more millions to come.
But "The Apprentice" is also a show that could have belonged to ABC, the network that needs a big hit more desperately than any other. Mark Burnett, who after his success with "Survivor'' and now "The Apprentice'' is the most sought after producer of reality shows, first offered his new series to ABC. But negotiations there quickly turned into an effort to force down the price, and he turned to NBC.
"It's a little frustrating as a producer,'' Mr. Burnett said of dealing with ABC executives who, he said, seem to have limited powers to close a high-price deal, unlike competitors at other networks. "I honestly get a sick feeling in my stomach going over there," he said, adding, "It's awful to go over there knowing it's going to be so hard for them to make a deal."
The story of how ABC missed out on "The Apprentice" is being pointed to by television industry executives and producers like Mr. Burnett as an example of how the network has been hamstrung creatively and financially by the top-down management style of ABC's parent, the Walt Disney Company, and its chief executive, Michael D. Eisner.
Disney executives dispute that characterization vigorously. Alex Wallau, the president of ABC, said it was "totally unfair" to pin the loss of "The Apprentice" on Disney's management style under Mr. Eisner. "If you want to talk about how dysfunctional ABC is, this is not an example," he said, adding that he disagrees that ABC is dysfunctional at all. Mr. Wallau said ABC did offer to buy the show but not at Mr. Burnett's price.
Robert A. Iger, Disney's president, said he had not had any involvement in the "Apprentice'' decision - that it was left entirely to the network's entertainment executives. "Any suggestion that the process of how we manage the network resulted in NBC getting the show and ABC not getting it is simply not the case," Mr. Iger said.
But by all accounts, ABC had a period of time to get the series, was unable to make a decisive offer, and lost to a network that was able to act decisively.
Disney executives also said that Mr. Eisner's talents as a creative executive give the company an advantage over other media conglomerates, and that his instincts have been responsible for some of its successes, like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.'' But critics argue that his style has veered to the autocratic and has contributed significantly to Disney's struggles in recent years. Even though the company and its stock price have rebounded in the last year, the anger and frustration over Mr. Eisner's managerial methods are still potent and played a significant role in last week's vote of no confidence on his stewardship by 43 percent of shareholders.
Nowhere at Disney is the situation as difficult as at ABC. Losses there in the last four years have ranged from $300 million to $400 million annually - ever since ABC ran the sprockets off "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," its last big hit. Even as the network has put modestly successful shows on its schedule, like the comedies "My Wife and Kids" and "According to Jim," its overall ratings have continued to slide, mainly because other networks have all generated enormous hits, like "American Idol" on Fox and "Survivor" on CBS.
ABC executives have repeatedly said that what they lack is one big hit to change the network's momentum, and have cast the inability to find such a hit as bad luck.
But according to Mr. Burnett, other producers and entertainment industry executives who have dealt with or worked for ABC, the problem lies in the glut of decision makers there and impediments on spending imposed by senior Disney management, specifically its two top executives, Mr. Eisner and Mr. Iger.
Mr. Iger denied that Disney had created any such impediments to spending, saying ABC's entertainment executives had "complete authority to buy this show."
But according to one former senior Disney executive, program decisions, script decisions - even decisions on which writers might be signed to deals - have often had to go through as many as six executives, headed by Mr. Eisner and Mr. Iger. "For six people to like a show is never going to happen," the former Disney executive said. "Michael and Bob make sure their operating executives have no real power."
ABC Under Disney: Kingdom, Yes. Magic, No.
By BILL CARTER
Published: March 8, 2004
"The Apprentice," the new NBC reality program celebrating the corporate wisdom of Donald J. Trump, is a "total game changer," in the words of Jeff Zucker, the president of NBC Entertainment. Averaging 20 million viewers a week and pulling in more high-income viewers than any other series, it has saved NBC's once-invincible Thursday night lineup, turned around its season and added millions in profit - with the promise of more millions to come.
But "The Apprentice" is also a show that could have belonged to ABC, the network that needs a big hit more desperately than any other. Mark Burnett, who after his success with "Survivor'' and now "The Apprentice'' is the most sought after producer of reality shows, first offered his new series to ABC. But negotiations there quickly turned into an effort to force down the price, and he turned to NBC.
"It's a little frustrating as a producer,'' Mr. Burnett said of dealing with ABC executives who, he said, seem to have limited powers to close a high-price deal, unlike competitors at other networks. "I honestly get a sick feeling in my stomach going over there," he said, adding, "It's awful to go over there knowing it's going to be so hard for them to make a deal."
The story of how ABC missed out on "The Apprentice" is being pointed to by television industry executives and producers like Mr. Burnett as an example of how the network has been hamstrung creatively and financially by the top-down management style of ABC's parent, the Walt Disney Company, and its chief executive, Michael D. Eisner.
Disney executives dispute that characterization vigorously. Alex Wallau, the president of ABC, said it was "totally unfair" to pin the loss of "The Apprentice" on Disney's management style under Mr. Eisner. "If you want to talk about how dysfunctional ABC is, this is not an example," he said, adding that he disagrees that ABC is dysfunctional at all. Mr. Wallau said ABC did offer to buy the show but not at Mr. Burnett's price.
Robert A. Iger, Disney's president, said he had not had any involvement in the "Apprentice'' decision - that it was left entirely to the network's entertainment executives. "Any suggestion that the process of how we manage the network resulted in NBC getting the show and ABC not getting it is simply not the case," Mr. Iger said.
But by all accounts, ABC had a period of time to get the series, was unable to make a decisive offer, and lost to a network that was able to act decisively.
Disney executives also said that Mr. Eisner's talents as a creative executive give the company an advantage over other media conglomerates, and that his instincts have been responsible for some of its successes, like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.'' But critics argue that his style has veered to the autocratic and has contributed significantly to Disney's struggles in recent years. Even though the company and its stock price have rebounded in the last year, the anger and frustration over Mr. Eisner's managerial methods are still potent and played a significant role in last week's vote of no confidence on his stewardship by 43 percent of shareholders.
Nowhere at Disney is the situation as difficult as at ABC. Losses there in the last four years have ranged from $300 million to $400 million annually - ever since ABC ran the sprockets off "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," its last big hit. Even as the network has put modestly successful shows on its schedule, like the comedies "My Wife and Kids" and "According to Jim," its overall ratings have continued to slide, mainly because other networks have all generated enormous hits, like "American Idol" on Fox and "Survivor" on CBS.
ABC executives have repeatedly said that what they lack is one big hit to change the network's momentum, and have cast the inability to find such a hit as bad luck.
But according to Mr. Burnett, other producers and entertainment industry executives who have dealt with or worked for ABC, the problem lies in the glut of decision makers there and impediments on spending imposed by senior Disney management, specifically its two top executives, Mr. Eisner and Mr. Iger.
Mr. Iger denied that Disney had created any such impediments to spending, saying ABC's entertainment executives had "complete authority to buy this show."
But according to one former senior Disney executive, program decisions, script decisions - even decisions on which writers might be signed to deals - have often had to go through as many as six executives, headed by Mr. Eisner and Mr. Iger. "For six people to like a show is never going to happen," the former Disney executive said. "Michael and Bob make sure their operating executives have no real power."
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