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ABC Appoints the First Ever Black Network President

ABC Appoints the First Ever Black Network President

ABC Chief of Entertainment, Paul Lee, is stepping down. Taking his place is Channing Dungey, who has been instrumental in bringing about hits like Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, Quantico and Once Upon a Time. Previously ABC’s drama chief, Dungey will take over prime-time as the head of ABC entertainment, making her the first black network president. “Channing is a gifted leader and a proven magnet for top creative talent, with an impressive record of developing compelling, breakthrough programming that resonates with viewers,” ABC chairman Ben Sherwood said in a release.

Her elevation is also a breakthrough in the network television industry that has long struggled with diversity, especially in the senior executive ranks. Amid the conversation surrounding the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, many people believe the issue with diversity comes from the top. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is the president Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and a black woman, has struggled to enforce a change in diversity in film. But, to have a successful black woman at the helm of one of the big four networks is a welcome sign.

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