Dana Walden selects FX’s Eric Schrier to direct Disney TV Studios, promotes Craig Erwich and Shannon Ryan as Disney’s general entertainment team takes shape

In Dana Walden’s first move as president of Disney General Entertainment three months ago, Walden promoted three executives: Eric Schreier, who will take on a new, larger role, and Craig Erwich and Shannon Ryan, who will expand their roles. current responsibilities.

The biggest surprise is the move by Schrier, a 20-year-old FX veteran who recently served as number two of FX president John Landgraf, to become president of Disney Television Studios & Business Operations, Disney General Entertainment.

Erwich was promoted to President of Streaming Originals for ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney-branded television. Ryan moved on to Disney’s president, marketing and general entertainment.

Brian Noone, who joined the company from Netflix in November 2021 as President of Entertainment, replacing Craig Hunegs, will be leaving as part of the merger.

In the first GED position, Walden replaced Peter Rice after his surprise dismissal. The move raised doubts that he would resume his old job. Observers noted that there was an overlap between Rice and Walden’s duties and that Walden is known for his ability to perform multiple tasks. However, Disney’s structure relies on top executives who have few relationships. Schrier, Erwich and Ryan’s promotions, which they will bring back to Walden, help reduce the number of his underlings without being a direct replacement for his former position.

Most recently president of FX Entertainment, a position to which he was promoted in May 2019, Schrier will oversee the operations of Disney Television Studios, including 20th Television, 20th Television Animation and ABC Signature.

Kari Burke, president of 20th Television, and Johnny Davis, president of ABC Signature, who previously reported to Walden, as well as Marky Proietto, executive vice president of 20th Television Animation, and Trisha Hewson, executive vice president of strategy and finance, will now be report to Shrier. . . The new position will absorb the responsibilities previously held by Noon, which led to his departure.

It’s a rare departure from Landgraf’s close-knit executive team for two decades. But it presents an opportunity for Schrier, who was a rising star at FX, to move up to a bigger job during his time at Disney. The move mirrors another former senior lieutenant, Chuck Saftler, who is now a senior executive on Disney’s distribution team. Landgraf, once seen as Walden’s rival, offered him tepid praise and mixed support after his rise to the first GED position, calling him a “born leader”.

FX has not yet shared a succession plan after Shrier’s departure, but it is expected to include two senior executives under him, original programming presidents Nick Grady and Gina Balian. As in Walden’s old job, Schrier’s position will likely not be filled directly, but additional responsibilities will be assigned to the remaining senior officials.

Shrier, who started at FX as an assistant to former entertainment president Kevin Reilly more than two decades ago, has become a rare television executive who excelled in both creativity and business; He led the launch of FX Prods., He developed the business model It’s always sunny in Philadelphia It has also played a pivotal role in shows such as pinching / pinching the Americans also a rash for themin which Grad was also heavily involved and An old man.

In addition to overseeing the ABC linear network and streamer Hulu, Erwich joins his own series of original Disney-branded television broadcasts. The executive behind the recent series likes it Only murders in the building, Dopesik Y Elementary Abbot He will now also oversee Disney-branded family TV originals for Disney +.

Io Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, will now report to Erwich for content and broadcast strategy and will continue to report to Walden for programming on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior cable networks.

Additionally, Erwich also oversees unscripted programming with Rob Mills, EVP of Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment reporting to him, as well as Sharon Klein, EVP of Casting.

Ryan, a longtime Walden close associate, has been managing marketing and advertising for ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Freeform, Hulu Originals, Onyx Collective, and Disney Television Studios from 2020 and will now expand its in-house marketing agency to include the Disney brand. television and national. Geographic content.

The promotion means that DBT and Nat Geo, head of marketing and advertising, Pam Levin, who spoke with Davis and Nat Geo Global TV Networks president Courtney Monroe, will now report to Ryan. There isn’t a change in FX marketing that Ryan isn’t aware of. He will remain under the leadership of Stephanie Gibbons, president of marketing at FX, who has overseen the brand for the past 18 years.

Ryan recently oversaw trailer marketing campaigns like ABC Elementary Abbot and Hulu pam and tom Y the kardashians.

In addition to Erwich, Ryan and Schreier, Walden’s direct employees include Landgraf, Davis (Disney Channel / Disney Jr.), Monroe, Tara Duncan, president of Freeform and Onyx Collective, and Kim Godwin, president of ABC News.

“I am very fortunate to work with some of the best executives in our industry and Craig, Shannon and Eric are just that: the best. These are proven leaders with incredible creative sensitivity and great business acumen, “Walden said. Plus, they have a long and impressive history of supporting their teams and our amazing creative partners to do their best.