Channing Dungey

Channing Dungey
Born
Channing Nicole Dungey

(1969-03-14) March 14, 1969 (age 55)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Occupations
  • Television executive
  • producer
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Scott Power
​
(m. 2003)​
Children2
RelativesMerrin Dungey (sister)

Channing Nicole Dungey (born March 14, 1969) is an American television executive and the first black American president of a major broadcast television network.[1] In 2020, she was announced as the new chairwoman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Studios.[2]

Early life

Dungey was born in Sacramento, California, to Don and Judith Dungey. She is the older of two daughters; her younger sister is actress Merrin Dungey.[3] Dungey graduated from Rio Americano High School in 1986.[4][5] In 1991, Dungey graduated from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.[6]

Career

Dungey began her career in entertainment as a development assistant for producers J. Todd Harris and Joseph M. Singer. She later joined Warner Bros. as a production assistant, where she helped develop and supervise a number of commercially successful films including The Bridges of Madison County (1995), Heat (1995), The Matrix (1999), and The Devil's Advocate (1997).[7] Dungey joined ABC Studios in the summer of 2004[8] and worked as head of drama. Dungey was hired as president of ABC Entertainment on February 17, 2016, replacing Paul Lee.[9] This appointment made her the first Black executive to run a major network's entertainment division.[10] Dungey oversaw the development of ABC Studios shows such as Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Nashville, Quantico, Army Wives, and Once Upon a Time.[11] She was president of the division during the second cancellation of Roseanne on May 29, 2018. Dungey previously defended Roseanne over racially controversial jokes made on the show.[12] She was ABC Entertainment's president when a Black-ish episode was pulled from the schedule. Dungey noted ABC executives disagreed with the creative direction of the episode, wherein the writers touched on NFL players kneeling during the American national anthem to protest police brutality and show support for Black human rights.[13]

On November 16, 2018, Dungey left her role as President of the ABC Entertainment Group in advance of management changes triggered by Disney's takeover of 21st Century Fox.[14] Karey Burke, head of original programming for Disney's Freeform cable channel, took Dungey's position as head of ABC Entertainment.[14] On December 17, 2018, it was reported that Netflix had hired Dungey as their new vice president of original content.[15] While at Netflix Dungey reported to Cindy Holland, Netflix's vice president of original content. She worked with fellow ABC alums Shonda Rhimes and Kenya Barris at Netflix.[16] She left Netflix in October 2020.[17]

On October 19, 2020, it was announced that Dungey would succeed Peter Roth in the position of chairwoman of Warner Bros. Television Group, reporting to Ann Sarnoff.[18] This role makes her one of few Black executives in a Hollywood television studio.[10]

On May 4, 2021, the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League announced that Dungey and her spouse Scott Power had joined the women's soccer team's ownership group.[19][20][21][22]

On August 16, 2024, it was announced that Dungey will succeed Kathleen Finch as chairwoman of Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks, after Finch's retirement on year's end. This makes her the chairwoman of both the Television and U.S. Networks divisions within Warner Bros. Discovery.[23][24]

Personal life

Married to Scott Power since 2003,[citation needed] Dungey serves on the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) Board of Governors.[25] She became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority in 2023.[26]

References

  1. ^ Tambay A. Obenson (February 17, 2016). "Names its First African American President". Shadow and Act. Archived from the original on February 18, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  2. ^ White, Peter (October 19, 2020). "Channing Dungey Confirmed As Chairman Of Warner Bros. Television Group, Will Succeed Peter Roth". Deadline. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Sister, Sister". Television Academy. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  4. ^ 1986 Rio Americano High School (Sacramento, California) Yearbook
  5. ^ The Sacramento Bee - She was a Rio Americano cheerleader in the 1980s. On Tuesday, she canceled 'Roseanne' - May 29, 2018
  6. ^ "Channing Dungey". UCLA School of TFT. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  7. ^ "ABC Executives". Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  8. ^ "Company Overview of ABC Primetime Entertainment". Bloomberg. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  9. ^ Joe Otterson (February 17, 2016). "Channing Dungey Replaces Paul Lee as Head of ABC Entertainment". TheWrap. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Koblin, John. "After big jobs at ABC and Netflix, the executive Channing Dungey takes charge of Warner Bros". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  11. ^ Nellie Andreeva (February 17, 2016). "ABC Shakeup: Paul Lee Out As President, Channing Dungey To Succeed Him - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  12. ^ John Kolblin (May 29, 2018). "Roseanne Barr Offensive Tweets". New York Times.
  13. ^ Emily Yahr (May 18, 2018). "Channing Dungey Replaces Paul Lee as Head of ABC Entertainment". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ a b Holloway, Daniel and Littleton, Cynthia. "How ABC Pulled Off a Stealth Transition for Channing Dungey and Karey Burke" Variety, November 16, 2018
  15. ^ Flint, Joe. "Netflix Hires Former ABC Entertainment Boss, Stepping Up Rivalry" Wall Street Journal, December 17, 2018
  16. ^ Bradley, Laura (December 17, 2018). "Channing Dungey Is Heading to Netflix, in New Blow to ABC". HWD. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  17. ^ Ago, 1 Day (October 12, 2020). "Netflix's VP of originals Channing Dungey steps down". TBI Vision. Retrieved October 13, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Turner, Nick (October 19, 2020). "Warner Bros. Enlists Netflix's Channing Dungey for Top TV Job". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  19. ^ "Chicago Red Stars Announce Expanded Ownership Group" (Press release). Chicago Red Stars. May 4, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  20. ^ "Ownership Group". Chicago Red Stars. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  21. ^ Watkins, Claire (May 4, 2021). "Red Stars see new investment as opportunity to change pro sports lexicon". The Equalizer. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  22. ^ "Luminaries buy into Red Stars". Chicago Sun-Times. May 5, 2021. p. 44. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  23. ^ Maas, Jennifer (August 16, 2024). "Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Chairman Kathleen Finch to Retire, Channing Dungey Tapped as Successor". Variety. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  24. ^ "Warner Bros. Discovery Announces Retirement of Chairman and CEO of US Networks Kathleen Finch". Warner Bros. Discovery. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  25. ^ "About Us". mptf.com. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  26. ^ "Celebrating the Newest Honorary Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc". Houston Style Magazine. March 24, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2023.