Rosenblum joins Disney in ‘major reorganisation’

Veteran executive Bruce Rosenblum has joined The Walt Disney Company as part of a “major reorganisation” of the Disney-ABC Television Group.

The former Warner Bros. Television and Legendary Television and Digital Media chief has been named president, business operations at Disney-ABC.

The role is a new one aimed at bolstering revenues. Rosenblum will have direct responsibility for business operations, including global distribution. Ben Pyne is currently president, global distribution at Disney Media Distribution.

Rosenblum will also oversee affiliate sales and marketing, digital media, strategy and business development, media and operations, engineering and IT, and consumer insights, and all ad sales aspects for the various business units within Disney-ABC.

According to Deadline, the hire cuts the number of executives reporting directly to Ben Sherwood, president of Disney-ABC and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. Continuing to do so are ABC Studios president Patrick Moran, ABC Entertainment’s Channing Dungey, Disney Channels’ Gary Marsh and Freeform chief Tom Ascheim.

Rosenblum was most recently president of Legendary’s television division, which he had founded in 2013 after leaving Warner Bros.

He had joined Warner, which like Disney is based in Burbank, California, in 1989 when Warner Communications acquired Lorimar Telepictures, and remained with the group for 26 years. Between 2005 and 2013, he was president of Warner Bros. Television Group, but left after losing out on the Warner Bros. chairman and CEO job to Kevin Tsujihara.

“Disney-ABC is home to some of the most iconic brands in television. As we build on creative momentum across our portfolio, it has become more important than ever to establish a more efficient and effective operating structure,” said Sherwood.

“With his formidable record as a skilled manager and innovative deal maker, Bruce is a stellar addition to our team. I’m confident he will make a powerful difference as we navigate – and win – the future.”

“While at Warner Bros., I had many successful dealings with the group, and have witnessed first-hand the intelligence and creativity in their business operations,” said Rosenblum, who is currently completing his second stint as chairman and CEO of the TV Academy.

“I’m looking forward to partnering with Ben and the talented leaders, overseeing these areas to help us achieve some already ambitious goals and to set even higher benchmarks for success going forward.”

The news comes soon after Moran was named president of ABC Studios, the production arm of Disney-ABC.