Channing Dungey Tapped To Be Next Warner Bros. Television Chairman

Executive maneuvering continues to happen in the American television landscape. Just recently, Warner Bros. Television announced the successor to Peter Roth as chairman of Warner Bros. Television.

Variety reports that Channing Dungey has been named as the successor to Roth, who will be stepping down from the position early in 2021. Before this new position, Dungey was Netflix’s vice president of originals.

According to Ann Sarnoff, the CEO and the studios and networks group chair for WarnerMedia, the hiring of Dungey is a sort of homecoming, as Dungey had earlier served as a production executive for Warner Bros.

Sarnoff also praised Dungey’s taste and experience, as well as her relationships within the creative community. The CEO described Dungey's hiring as a great choice, especially since streaming service HBO Max is growing its production operations.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes Dungey as saying that the Warner Bros. Television Group is an “industry leader.” She said that she was excited to become part of the company at such a pivotal time and that she would be building on the “incredible work” done by Roth before her.

During her time as vice president of originals at Netflix, Dungey ushered in series like Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker, the Hillary Swank-led Away, and Bridgerton by Shonda Rimes. She was also behind Netflix's deals with former U.S. President and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama, Shonda Rimes, Michael Green, Kenya Barris, Bill Prady, Steven DeKnight, Mara Brock Akil, and Regina King.

Before Dungey’s installation as successor, the name being floated around was that of Susan Rovner, who was co-president of Warner Bros. Television Group alongside Brett Paul. However, Rovner instead chose the position of entertainment programming division head at NBCUniversal.

Rovner’s departure from the Warner Bros. Television Group was a bit of a dilemma for the company. Aside from being the expected successor, Rovner was also handling more than 60 current original series for the division.

Dungey and Rovner’s promotions are just part of continuing executive shake-ups happening in media companies today. Aside from Rovner, NBCUniversal had also installed Pearlena Igbokwe as its new television content chief.

Over at Netflix, the streaming giant promoted Bela Bajaria to head of global television. Bozoma Saint John was also recently announced as the streaming service’s new chief marketing officer.

Also notable is that these new hires are expected to shepherd these respective companies into the new streaming normal brought about by the global coronavirus pandemic. Because of the lockdowns brought about by the pandemic, streaming has become the entertainment medium of choice, with Netflix paid subscribers swelling to more than 187 million.