ABC officially just announced that ABC Family chief Paul Lee has been named president, ABC Entertainment Group.
Like former ABC entertainment chief Steve McPherson, Lee will have oversight of both the network and studio.
“Paul was hired six years ago because of his great creative instincts and his ability to identify an audience and develop programming that resonates with them, and those same strengths are why he was tapped for this new responsibility,” said Disney-ABC TV Group president Anne Sweeney. “Paul’s success at ABC Family is as amazing as it is indisputable, and I’m looking forward to his continued success on ABC.”
Said Lee: “I’m proud of everything we achieved at ABC Family, and I’m looking forward to working with another great team at ABC Entertainment Group to bring even more compelling stories to viewers. ABC is a great network defined by creativity and known for delivering some of the best shows on television. I’m excited to be part of it, and deeply honored to be chosen for the unique opportunity to lead the network and the brand into the future.”
The official announcement came days after McPherson resigned amid controversy and days before ABC’s TCA presentation on Sunday.
Sources say Lee will take the Television Critics Association press tour stage solo for the network’s executive sessions, and it’s safe to assume he will not take questions about McPherson.
