Courteney Monroe: Last News

The Walt Disney Company revealed its Earth Month programming plans with a campaign led by National Geographic to spotlight global conservation efforts.

Clouds of gloom have settled over much of the documentary field, brought on by multiple factors: a sluggish acquisition market, cutbacks in the executive ranks at Netflix and Showtime, uncertainty around Hulu’s future, CNN Films taking doc production in house, sharper scrutiny of budgets and content needs, and… well, the list goes on. 

Dana Walden is setting out her stall and it includes more responsibilities for John Landgraf and Simran Sethi.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor FX chief John Landgraf and ABC programming head Simran Sethi will expand their duties under an executive shuffle at Disney’s TV operations, one of the first big moves under Dana Walden, who was assigned responsibility for the company’s TV networks after Bob Iger returned as Disney’s CEO. Landgraf will take oversight of National Geographic as well as Onyx Collective, the production unit devoted to projects from communities of color and underrepresented groups. Sethi, meanwhile, will oversee programming and development for both ABC and Freeform. She will continue to report to Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. The moves comes as Tara Duncan, who had been supervising programming for both Onyx Collective and Freeform, will devote her attention solely to Onyx, freeing up the programming duties for Sethi, who had a previous tenure at the cable network.

Carson Burton Elita Fielder Adjei has been named vice president of corporate communications for National Geographic Content. The newly-created role will find Adjei responsible for the overall communications strategy of the company in order to raise its profile and build upon its reputation in the industry.Adjei, who previously worked as director of communications and publicity at Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution, will be responsible for leading internal and external communications for National Geographic Content.Adjei will report to Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Content, and Charissa Gilmore, senior vice president of corporate communications for Disney General Entertainment.

Elita Adjei has been promoted to the newly created role of Vice President of Corporate Communications for National Geographic Content.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNational Geographic Content has promoted Karen Greenfield to the newly created position of senior vice president of content, diversity and inclusion.Most recently Nat Geo’s SVP of business operations while also serving as diversity and inclusion council chair, in her new role, Greenfield will “develop and execute programs and initiatives to produce diverse and inclusive content and contribute to a culture of belonging across all Nat Geo Content teams,” per the Disney-owned brand.Greenfield will lead the Nat Geo Content creative teams in producing inclusive programs “for a multicultural and multigenerational audience,” and collaborate closely with marketing and communications leaders to tap into “a broader array of fans.” She will also work with fellow Disney execs to ensure Nat Geo talent and programming are integrated into companywide DEI initiatives. She will report directly to Nat Geo Content president Courteney Monroe and will continue to be based at Nat Geo headquarters in Washington, D.C.Along with the news of Greenfield’s promotion to the new role, Nat Geo announced a second year for its Nat Geo Media Scholarship program for students who attend historically Black colleges or universities (HBCU), an initiative led by Greenfield.

National Geographic Content has appointed Karen Greenfield to the newly created position of senior vice president of content, diversity and inclusion.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterFormer HBO chief marketing officer Pamela Levine has been tapped as the new head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content.Levine, who is replacing the recently exited Jayanta Jenkins, will lead an integrated internal agency across brand and creative marketing, strategy, publicity, media planning, digital/social, events, talent relations and awards, supporting content created for Disney+, as well as the Disney and National Geographic-branded linear networks, per Disney General Entertainment.In her new role, which she will begin June 27, Levine will jointly report to Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis and National Geographic Content President Courteney Monroe. Levine’s direct reports include Chris Albert, executive vice president, Marketing and Publicity; Chris Spencer, executive vice president, Creative Marketing; Kristin Corrigan, senior vice president, Marketing Strategy; Jessica Bodaken, vice president, Marketing Production; Abby Ho, vice president, Social Media & Engagement Strategy; and Katie Morrow, vice president, Media Planning.

Former 20th Century Fox and HBO marketing chief Pamela Levine is joining Disney General Entertainment as head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content. She replaces Jayanta Jenkins, who exited the post earlier this month after a year and a half.

Jayanta Jenkins is leaving his post as head of Content Marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content after a year and a half. His last day is June 10.

Ahead of its Disney’s Upfront presentation Tuesday in NYC, National Geographic has announced greenlights for six new nonfiction series as part of its latest programming slate.

National Geographic has signed up BBC Studios’ Factual boss Tom McDonald, the exec and commissioner behind some of the UK’s biggest natural history series including Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II.

Naman Ramachandran BBC head of factual Tom McDonald is joining National Geographic in the newly created role of executive VP, global factual and unscripted content, reporting into Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Content.In the New York-based position, which he will take up in June, McDonald will work alongside Carolyn Bernstein, executive VP, scripted and feature documentaries. Reporting into McDonald will be Alan Eyres, senior VP, development and production, unscripted; Janet Vissering, senior VP, development and production, wildlife/natural history; and Michelle “Meesh” Upton, senior VP, production management.McDonald will be responsible for leading the development and production of all global unscripted series and specials across all programming categories and formats, which feed Disney Plus and National Geographic’s linear channels.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNational Geographic announced a slate of more than a dozen upcoming original programs Monday, all of which are produced by the brand but will debut exclusively on Disney Plus — not on the Nat Geo cable channel. But despite the shift, Nat Geo content president Courteney Monroe promised that it’s not a sign that the Disney-owned brand has completely moved away from linear content.“I realize that all of my announcements today were for Disney Plus originals, but that in no way diminishes our focus and investment in National Geographic programming for the linear channel,” Monroe told reporters Monday during Nat Geo’s virtual presentation at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.

J. Kim Murphy National Geographic is sending Will Smith to both ends of the Earth.

Will Smith is heading to the extreme ends of the earth in a new series filmed by Darren Aronofky.