LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Streaming giant Netflix announced the hiring of television veteran Channing Dungey as Vice President of Original Content.
At Netflix, when she starts in February, Dungey will report to Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content. Channing’s portfolio at Netflix includes collaborating with Holland to setting the strategic direction for the division, as well as oversight of the unit, including some of the company’s overall deals with producers including Shonda Rhimes, Jenji Kohan, Kenya Barris, Steven DeKnight, Marti Noxon, and Higher Ground Productions, among others.
“Channing is a creative force whose taste and talent have earned her the admiration of her peers across the industry. She’s a risk taker and ground-breaker and talent love working with her. I couldn’t be happier to welcome her to Netflix,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer in a press statement.
Dungey joins from ABC Entertainment Group, where she spent the past three years as network president, the first African-American to head programming at a major network. During her tenure, she oversaw in a wide variety of programming, including the hit drama The Good Doctor, and the successful return of American Idol.
ABC was the most social network on air under her leadership, raising platforms for series such as black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder and The Goldbergs, and helping revive long-running series such as Grey’s Anatomy.
Previously, Dungey was with ABC’s drama department, where she and launched such hit series as Scandal, Quantico, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., American Crime and Once Upon a Time. Prior to that, she oversaw the development and acquisition of drama programming for ABC Studios, where her slate included Shondaland’s Private Practice for ABC, and CBS’s long-running drama Criminal Minds, among many others.
As well, her creative team was behind both the relaunch of Roseanne in 2018, which draw high ratings, as well as the subsequent firing of star Roseanne Barr in the wake of her controversial comments on social media.
“I’m drawn to the forward-thinking, risk-taking and creative culture at Netflix, and the deeply talented people there, especially Ted and Cindy, with whom I’m excited to partner on setting the strategy for original content,” said Dungey.
Netflix has become one of the most prolific producers of content, and last year, they revealed plans to spend as much as $8 billion on television shows and movies in 2018 and announced they intended to spend as much as $13 billion in 2019.
