Shannon Ryan: Last News

Disney Branded Television and National Geographic head of marketing Pam Levine is exiting her role at the company as it restructures to move her responsibilities under Disney Entertainment Television president of marketing Shannon Ryan‘s team. Levine reported directly to Ryan.

The cast of the new Hulu television series Paradise is making their first appearance together after a secretive press tour.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers from the series premiere of Hulu’s “Paradise.” In an overly saturated media market, it’s hard for any show to break through. And it becomes even harder when a network or streamer can’t truthfully answer this simple question regarding new TV series: “What’s it about?” So in the case of “Paradise,” Hulu’s new political thriller drama starring Sterling K.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor From “Glee” to “The Golden Bachelor,” “Empire” to “The Dropout,” “Arrested Development” to “Abbott Elementary” and “24” to “9-1-1,” Shannon Ryan has played a critical role in the launch of countless TVseries over the past three decades. Now president of marketing for Disney Entertainment Television, Ryan oversees marketing, publicity and communications for an unprecedented portfolio of more than 200 active series at any given time across Disney+, Hulu, ABC, Disney Channel, Onyx Collective, Freeform and other platforms. In recognition of Ryan’s track record at Fox and Mouse House, as well as her commitment to mentorship programs for girls and young women, the executive received Variety’s inaugural Entertainment Marketing Icon Award, which was presented April 24 as part of Variety’s annual Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte at the Beverly Hilton.

Karen Idelson With the pandemic in media executives’ rearview mirrors, media trends are still emerging at the speed of sound, and this year’s Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte, will spotlight the strategies of top industry marketers. The event will take place April 24 in Los Angeles.

William Earl Disney Entertainment Television marketing president Shannon Ryan has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Variety Entertainment Marketing Icon Award, to be presented April 24 as part of Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte, in Los Angeles. Ryan is being recognized for her long track record of innovative marketing and promotional campaigns during her long tenure at Fox and Disney.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Hulu is launching a new sub-brand focused on adult animation and anime called Animayhem, Variety has learned exclusively. The new hub is meant to capitalize on Hulu’s already popular lineup of adult animation and anime shows. Series like “American Dad,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Family Guy,” “Futurama” and “King of the Hill” consistently rank among the service’s top 10 shows based on hours streamed, per Hulu. So far this year, over one billion hours of adult animation content has been streamed on Hulu, along with over 288 million hours of anime content, the streamer claims. “When you have the number one offering in adult animation and anime of any major streaming service, creating this destination is obvious. We know exactly where we can meet these fans, because they’re already here,” said Barrie Gruner, Hulu’s executive vice president of marketing and publicity, in an interview with Variety.

Disney Entertainment, the new division run by Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, will oversee the company’s main streaming services including Disney+ as details of the company strategic restructuring emerge.

Dana Walden, chairman, Disney General Entertainment Content, has restructured another area of the division she took over last summer, bringing back together publicity and communications years after they had been split. She laid out the changes in the company memo, which you can read at the bottom of the story.

In Dana Walden’s first personnel move since being upped to Chairman of Disney General Entertainment three months ago, Walden has promoted three executives: Eric Schrier, who is taking on a new, larger role, as well as Craig Erwich and Shannon Ryan who are expanding their current responsibilities.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich and president of content marketing for Hulu and Disney General Entertainment Shannon Ryan have both been promoted to expanded roles. Erwich has been upped to president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. With this new title, Erwich will continue to oversee ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, while adding unscripted and alternative entertainment to his purview, as well as Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. Erwich, who has overseen the Hulu Originals brand since 2014, is expected to “help bolster DBT’s content strategy for fueling Disney+ with broad, family-appealing original programming.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter FX Entertainment president Eric Schrier has been promoted to the newly created role of president of Disney Television Studios and Business Operations for Disney General Entertainment. With the promotion, it was also announced that Bryan Noon would be exiting his role as president of entertainment for Walt Disney Television, but will stay onboard through a transition period. Noon came over to Disney from Netflix in November 2021. Schrier’s promotion was one of three announced by Dana Walden, the chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content. It was also announced that Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment and Hulu, has added Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals to his purview. In addition, Shannon Ryan has been named president of marketing for Disney General Entertainment. All three will report to Walden.

Michaela Zee editorChris Alexander, exec VP of publicity and corporate communications for Disney Television Studios, is stepping down from his role, after a combined 30 years at Disney and Fox. He will be departing on Aug.

EXCLUSIVE: The Great Resignation has claimed another top TV studio PR executive, Chris Alexander, who is stepping down as EVP of Publicity and Corporate Communications for Disney Television Studios. He is departing after combined three decades at Disney and Fox, including 13 years as head of publicity for 20th Century Fox Television and Disney TV Studios. Alexander’s last day will be Aug. 5, and he plans to take some time off before contemplating his next move.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAshley Kline-Shapiro has been upped to VP of unscripted and slate publicity for ABC Entertainment and Walt Disney Television Alternative. As part of the announcement, ABC revealed that it had launched a new slate publicity and special projects division, overseen by Kline-Shapiro, “responsible for identifying collaborative opportunities across the ABC and General Entertainment programming slate, streamlining the approach to publicity events, festivals and junkets.”Kline-Shapiro, who has oversee unscripted publicity for ABC Entertainment, will add “Live with Kelly and Ryan” and the new slate publicity and special projects team to her oversight.

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.

Industry Corporate Communications vet Brandon Shaw is heading to Hulu Originals as their VP, Publicity.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has hired Brandon Shaw to serve as vice president of originals publicity, Variety has learned.In his new role, Shaw will report to Candice Ashton, who was recently promoted to senior vice president of originals publicity and events. Barrie Gruner is executive vice president of marketing and publicity for Hulu Originals, with Shannon Ryan overseeing the group in her role as president of content marketing for Hulu and General Entertainment.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeABC is dusting off its classic 1981 slogan and jingle, at least for one night.