Bob Iger’s successor; HBO Max returns to Amazon Prime Video Channels; and more

Disney CFO Is Leading Candidate To Be Iger’s Successor

When Bob Iger returned for another shift at the helm of Disney last week, at the top of his "To Do" list -- beyond righting the listing corporate supertanker -- was finding a more sea-worthy successor than the recently decommissioned Bob Chapek. Those in the know say the entertainment giant’s veteran chief financial officer Christine McCarthy has emerged as a leading contender to take over the top job.?

After being a steady hand at the tiller over the past seven years, McCarthy proved her mettle by going directly to Disney's board in November and threatening to quit if Bob No. 2 wasn't thrown overboard.?“In the 35 years I’ve been doing this, I never saw a CFO go around a CEO,” said one longtime Wall Street analyst, with a tinge of amazement in his voice weeks later.

There are some significant caveats, of course. McCarthy, for all of her financial accomplishments, has not had extensive operational experience or developed key talent relationships, two traits generally considered crucial for a Disney CEO. Also, Iger has repeatedly fumbled the succession ball, once reneging on a plan to install Tom Staggs in the corner office. Among Staggs' many executive titles at Disney was CFO.

Read the full story here.

Related: 1 In 4 Disney+ Subscribers Set To Downgrade To Ad-Supported Tier

James Dolan Named Interim Executive Chairman Of AMC Networks

AMC Networks, whose CEO, Christina Spade, abruptly resigned last week, said Monday its board has named Chairman James Dolan “interim executive chairman.” In Dolan’s words, he will “provide high-level strategic direction and guidance as we navigate the business during this period of transformation in the media industry.” The company elaborated in an SEC filing, saying Dolan's new role “will enable him to provide strategic oversight of the company until a new CEO is named.” Spade, who was at her post for about three months, took over from interim CEO Matt Blank.

Read the full story here.

Related: AMC Reverses Course, Cancels ‘Moonhaven’

HBO Max Returns to Amazon Prime Video Channels

In a reversal of the strategy of corporate predecessor WarnerMedia, Warner Bros Discovery has struck a multi-year deal with Amazon to return HBO Max to Prime Video Channels. Under former CEO Jason Kilar, WarnerMedia played hardball with Amazon over the tech giant's control of subscription revenue and valuable consumer data. Within the Channels arena, Amazon controls much of the information flow, but many partners (notably not Netflix or Disney) use it in order to gain scale.

Read the full story here.

MORE NEWS

Hallmark Media Hires Former Disney Exec Kelly Garrett As Vice President Of Development

Sony Pictures TV: Lauren Miller & Craig Kurland Named Heads Of BA As Part Of Several Executive Appointments By President Katherine Pope

Ex-NBC Sports Exec David Preschlack, Who Also Had A 20-Year Run At Disney And ESPN, Is Named CEO Of Financially Challenged Bally Networks Owner Diamond Sports Group

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Edited by Thomas Tapp, Dade Hayes, Nancy Tartaglione, and Scott Shilstone.