| ABC Under Disney: Kingdom, Yes. Magic, No
"The Apprentice" has saved NBC's Thursday night lineup, turned around its season and added millions of dollars in profit...it's also a show that could have belonged to ABC, a network that needs a big hit more desperately than any other. Mark Burnett, who after his success with "Survivor'' and now "The Apprentice'' is the most sought after producer of reality shows, first offered his new series to ABC. But negotiations there quickly turned into an effort to force down the price, and he turned to NBC. The story of how ABC missed out on "The Apprentice" is being pointed to by television industry executives and producers like Mr. Burnett as an example of how the network has been hamstrung creatively and financially by the top-down management style of ABC's parent, the Walt Disney Company, and its chief executive, Michael D. Eisner.
|
Posted By: Ray @ 7:56 AM | 
