Vicki Dummer to Oversee Current Programming at Warner Bros. TV (original) (raw)
The longtime Disney employee will reunite with Channing Dungey in her new role at the studio.
Vicki Dummer Courtesy of Vicki Dummer
Vicki Dummer has lined up her next role.
The former Disney exec, who was let go last year after nearly a quarter century with the company as part of a larger reorganization, has been named head of current programming at Warner Bros. Television. The role will reunite Dummer, the former ABC head of current series programming, with Channing Dungey after the duo previously worked together at the broadcast network.
Reporting to Dungey, the former ABC entertainment president and Netflix exec turned Warner Bros. TV Group chairman, Dummer will be charged with managing creative affairs for all current scripted series across all platforms, including broadcast, cable and streaming.
Dummer marks Dungey’s first major hire since taking over the studio from longtime topper Peter Roth earlier this year. As part of Dummer’s arrival, Dungey has restructured the studio’s current department, with senior execs Odetta Watkins, Rachel Filippelli and Kelly Goode reporting to Dummer. Watkins previously oversaw current programming for cable and streaming series, while the recently retired Maddy Horne supervised broadcast network series under former studio heads Susan Rovner and Brett Paul. (Rovner has since moved on to oversee NBCUniversal’s entertainment portfolio.)
“I’m thrilled to have Vicki joining us here at Warner Bros. Television to lead our exceptional current programming team,” Dungey said Monday. “In our time together at ABC, I found Vicki to be a truly insightful and collaborative creative executive who works incredibly well with talent. She has played a pivotal role in managing some of the most successful, long-running series of the last two decades. We are excited to have the benefit of her expertise at what is an extremely exciting time at the studio, as we ramp up our series production for HBO Max while continuing to deliver signature series for external streaming and cable partners, and the broadcast networks.”
Dummer was among the more than 100-plus Disney executives who were laid off last year as a result of Disney’s restructuring that came as a result of the pandemic, forcing the need to shift the conglomerate’s senior ranks to better prioritize streaming. Dummer has since sued ABC and the Walt Disney Co. for wrongful termination and breach of contract, claiming she was let go as a result of age and gender discrimination.
Dummer and Dungey have a long work history. Dummer was promoted to serve as head of current at ABC in 2011 and, at the time, worked closely with Dungey when the latter exec was senior vp comedy. Dungey was promoted to take over as ABC entertainment president in 2016 with Dummer remaining as her head of current. Dungey, who became the first Black woman to lead a major U.S. TV network, left ABC for Netflix in late 2018.
During her ABC tenure, Dummer and her team developed American Crime, Black-ish, The Conners, Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, The Middle, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time and Scandal, among several others.
“I’m excited to be reunited with Channing, who is an inspiring and thoughtful leader, and very much looking forward to helping her fulfill her vision for WBTV,” Dummer said. “The opportunity to lead current programming at this iconic studio with such an impressive roster of producers and series is truly a dream come true.”
Dummer brings with her years of experience in daytime, specials, late night and alternative programming, having also worked on series including Shark Tank, Dancing With the Stars, The Bachelor — which is a Warner Horizon production — as well as Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Before joining ABC, she was a senior program specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C.
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