UPDATE: Paul Lee won't have to wait very long to conduct his first TCA executive session as ABC Entertainment president.
According to the network, the former ABC Family Channel chief will fly solo during Alphabet Channel's morning exec session Sunday at the Beverly Hilton.
The session was originally scheduled for 11:30 a.m., but that, of course, was four days ago, when Steve McPherson -- who resigned abruptly on Tuesday as ABC entertainment chief -- was still on the docket.
AS REPORTED EARLIER:
Though it's taken a back seat to reports of sexual harassment by his predecessor, ABC finally announced Friday what has been common knowledge for almost a week: Paul Lee, president of the ABC Family Channel, will replace Steve McPherson as president of ABC Entertainment Group
McPherson resigned suddenly late Tuesday afternoon, after a mostly successful but contentious six-year run.
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In his new role, Lee has oversight of all creative and business operations for ABC Studios, as well as all development, programming, marketing and scheduling operations for ABC Entertainment.
“Paul was hired six years ago because of his great creative instincts and his ability to identify an audience and develop programming that resonates with them, and those same strengths are why he was tapped for this new responsibility," Anne Sweeney, co-chairman of Disney/ABC Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group, said in a statement.
"Paul’s success at ABC Family is as amazing as it is indisputable, and I’m looking forward to his continued success on ABC,” Sweeney added.
McPherson's resignation was not unexpected, though the timing was. It came on the eve of the summer Television Critics Association press tour, which kicked off on Wednesday morning.
But also on Wednesday, reports surfaced that the resignation came as the network was investigating sexual harassment claims against him by several female executives.
Citing a source it did not name, the Hollywood Reporter claimed multiple harassment complaints were leveled against the six-year entertainment chief, and that the network was three weeks into an investigation.
On Thursday, McPherson attorney Marty Singer sent a letter to the Reporter, demanding a retraction and an apology, implying legal action.
(For more on this, see accompanying story: "McPherson Attorney Wants Retraction, Apology From THR."
In his resignation statement, McPherson said he was leaving for "a new entrepreneurial venture in the spirits business," along with involvement in "a new media company."
Lee will replace McPherson in the dual roles overseeing both ABC Entertainment and Studios.
“I’m proud of everything we achieved at ABC Family, and I’m looking forward to working with another great team at ABC Entertainment Group to bring even more compelling stories to viewers," he said in a statement. "ABC is a great network defined by creativity and known for delivering some of the best shows on television. I’m excited to be part of it, and deeply honored to be chosen for the unique opportunity to lead the network and the brand into the future.”
