Paul Lee Seals New Contract as ABC Entertainment Group Chief

There’s bound to be a lot of movement inside the Disney/ABC Television Group in the coming year as Ben Sherwood takes the reins from outgoing president Anne Sweeney. But one thing that won’t change in the near future is the leadership of ABC Entertainment Group.

Paul Lee has sealed a multiyear deal to remain president of the group, which encompasses the entertainment operations of ABC network, the ABC Studios production division and entertainment fare for Disney syndication and ABC Daytime. His contract renewal talks were under way well before Sweeney’s plan to step down in January was announced last month.

Disney topper Bob Iger has said that he tabbed ABC News prexy Sherwood as Sweeney’s logical successor as soon as Sweeney let her intentions be known to him last summer. But Iger has also voiced his support for Lee despite ABC’s rocky performance with new programs during the past two seasons.

Lee has been at the helm of ABC since July 2010. He came to the Alphabet after a successful six-year run at the ABC Family cabler, and before that he ran the BBC America cabler in its startup phase.

ABC declined comment on Lee’s deal.

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