ABC Signature President Jonnie Davis to Step Down

Joe Otterson
·2 min read
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ABC Signature president Jonnie Davis is exiting his role at the studio, Variety has learned.

The announcement was made by Davis and Eric Schrier, president of Disney Television Studios and Global Original Television Strategy, in separate notes to the studio’s staff.

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“I’m forever grateful to Dana Walden and Eric Schrier for the wonderful opportunity to lead this world-class studio,” Davis wrote. “And while I will, of course, miss this outstanding team, after doing this job for over 20 years, I’m looking forward to figuring out my next creative challenge.”

No immediate replacement for Davis is being named at this time. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, there are no plans to merge ABC Signature with 20th Television and they will continue to operate as separate entities.

“Not only has Jonnie been an incredibly valued colleague, he has also served as a fantastic creative partner, collaborator and friend to so many,” Schrier wrote. “Jonnie is an exceptional person, and his unwavering support and positive energy will continue to inspire us. I hope you will all join me in expressing our gratitude to Jonnie for all of his contributions to ABC Signature and in wishing him continued success.”

Both notes can be read in their entirety below.

Davis was named president of ABC Signature (then ABC Studios) in July 2019 in the wake of the 21st Century Fox-Disney merger. During his time at the helm of the studio, he oversaw the launch of shows like “Little Fires Everywhere” and “Tiny Beautiful Things” at Hulu, “Godfather of Harlem” at MGM+ (formerly Epix), “A Small Light” at Nat Geo, and “The Muppets Mayhem” at Disney+.

He came from 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television), where he served as president of creative affairs. He first joined the latter studio in 2008 as senior vice president of comedy development before rising to executive vice president of comedy. Before that, he was the vice president of comedy development at Fox Broadcasting. He also worked on Fox’s alternative slate, including hit shows like “The Simple Life,” “Joe Millionaire,” and “American Idol.”

Note from Eric Schrier:

Team,

Jonnie Davis has made the decision to step down from his role as president of ABC Signature. Not only has Jonnie been an incredibly valued colleague, he has also served as a fantastic creative partner, collaborator and friend to so many. Jonnie is an exceptional person, and his unwavering support and positive energy will continue to inspire us. I hope you will all join me in expressing our gratitude to Jonnie for all of his contributions to ABC Signature and in wishing him continued success.

While news like this is never easy, I’m very confident in the leadership team we have in place, and I’m excited to work with them more closely until next steps are determined.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if there is anything you need.

Best,

Eric

—

Note from Jonnie Davis:

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share that I have made the decision to step down from my role as president of ABC Signature. It has been a privilege to work alongside all of you to deliver some of the most acclaimed and celebrated shows, like ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” FX’s “Fleishman is in Trouble” and Hulu’s “This Fool,” to name just a few, that captivate, inspire and reflect the audiences that we so proudly serve every day. I’m forever grateful to Dana Walden and Eric Schrier for the wonderful opportunity to lead this world-class studio. And while I will, of course, miss this outstanding team, after doing this job for over 20 years, I’m looking forward to figuring out my next creative challenge.

As I begin to reflect on my time here, I can’t think about our many successes without picturing people like you, who deliver the passion and dedication that drives our business. Each of you have played a role in making my experience at ABC Signature truly memorable and I will be cheering on the entire Disney Television Studios organization as you charge forward.

With thanks and gratitude,

Jonnie

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