Skip to main content

Amazon pulls Executive VP Albert Cheng from ABC for its own original content studio

Actor Jeffrey Tambor and Writer/Director Jill Soloway on the set of Transparent
Image used with permission by copyright holder
In the war between network and streaming TV, network has taken a hit. Amazon has lured away Albert Cheng, EVP of digital media at ABC. He had spent a decade with the company and was credited with making the network’s shows available online. Now, however, he’ll be a competitor, filling the role of chief operating officer of Amazon Studios — the unit behind the corporation’s original TV and movie content. He’ll be joined by another recent hire, Bob Berney, the former CEO of Picturehouse, who is known for marketing indie films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and The Passion of the Christ.

Over the last few years, Amazon Studios has increasingly created original content. Though they’ve already had success with kids’ shows and their comedy-drama series Transparent, which has garnered critical acclaim, they clearly don’t plan to rest on their laurels. The decisions to hire Cheng and Berney show that Amazon takes being a content creator seriously and won’t be satisfied with their accomplishments to this point. The e-commerce site-slash-streaming service(-slash-everything, really) recently announced that they’d be moving forward with five new series that were part of their “Pilot Season” program. We expect a lot more trial pilots as they ramp up their content creation efforts, and in turn, more original series. On top of that, Amazon Studios announced earlier this year that they’d be aiming to produce a dozen movies each year.

It’s a big deal to see a streaming service pull a national network executive away from his successful and presumably very lucrative career. Not only is it a coup for Amazon, it shows that viewers aren’t the only ones interested in what streaming services are doing. They’re revolutionizing the way we watch TV, and it looks like even network execs want to be a part of it.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
7 best Al Pacino movies, ranked
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone looking serious in "The Godfather Part II."

With the recent announcement that Oscar winner Al Pacino will star in Bernard Rose’s Lear Rex as King Lear, a classic valedictory role for a performer at the end of a storied career, now seems a worthwhile time to examine the filmography of an actor whose emergence onto the scene in the 1970s was as seismic an event in the film industry as that of any who came along before or since.

Over a half-century, Pacino has starred in in almost every kind of movie imaginable. Along the way, he's given us wealth of great performances that will stand the test of time. The following is a highly subjective list of the greatest films starring Al Pacino.
7. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Read more
10 best 2010s sci-fi movies, ranked
Leonardo Di Caprio in Inception

The 2010s was a fantastic decade for sci-fi, as it gave fans and critics numerous modern classics that redefined and pushed the boundaries of the genre. The diverse selection of science fiction movies from that era underscores the boundless creativity and innovation that went into creating these films, with each one inviting viewers to explore the unknown through groundbreaking storytelling and artistic execution.

From mind-bending depictions of the cosmos as seen in Interstellar to chilling examinations of AI like Ex Machina, the top sci-fi movies from the 2010s are often counted among the greatest from the genre overall. With stunning visuals, compelling performances, and an array of thought-provoking stories that reflect the best aspects of science fiction today, these films will undoubtedly continue to enjoy their enduring legacies as contemporary masterpieces.
10. Gravity (2013)

Read more
Everything you need to know about Fallout season 2
everything you need to know about fallout season 2 cast

Fallout is officially coming back for a second season. Amazon Prime Video didn't waste any time before renewing the adaptation of the hit video game franchise. It only took eight days after the premiere for fans to get the confirmation that Fallout season 2 is happening. But even with the lightning-fast renewal, it could still be quite a long time before Prime Video sends us back to the wasteland.

Thankfully, there are some things we can share about what's coming to the show. That's why we've put together this roundup of everything you need to know about Fallout season 2. And as we learn more, we'll be updating this post accordingly!
Who's coming back for Fallout season 2?

Read more