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Bob Tourtellotte
Los Angeles, Feb 26: Walt Disney Co on Thursday handed TV chief Robert Iger the new title of ABC Group chairman and put him in charge of Disney's overseas operations, strengthening his position among the company's top management.
Iger has served as president of ABC Inc, the parent of the ABC TV network and affiliated companies, since Disney acquired Capital Cities/ABC in February 1996, and recently the company decided to move his office and much of his staff to Disney's base in the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank.
His long-term standing at the network, coupled with the move, have been viewed widely within the industry as a signal of Iger's importance to the company should chairman and chief executive Michael Eisner decide to name a successor.
Thursday's promotion gave added support to Iger, even though several executives like studio chairman Joe Roth and newly named theme parks president Paul Pressler remain among the pool of top Disney executives who could, one day, succeed Eisner.
``Bob will have the responsibility for the performance of the Disney Company country by country,'' Eisner said in a statement. ``By expanding his responsibilities, we will increase our focus on building the Disney brand internationally.''
He said consolidating all Disney international operations under one individual would give Disney a single vision for boosting growth and expanding the many Disney brand names, which include ABC, ESPN and the Go Network on the Internet.
To give the 48-year-old Iger added time for his overseas duties, Disney has promoted Steven Bornstein, chairman of cable TV Sports network ESPN and president of ABC Sports, to Iger's old position of president ABC Inc.
Bornstein, as well as the individual managers of Disney's overseas regions, will report to Iger.
Iger joined Disney with the acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC, where he had been president of ABC Inc for about two years. He had been president of the ABC Television Network from January 1993 to August 1994.
Bornstein rose through the ranks at ESPN, starting in show programming in 1980 and becoming president of the cable network when it was still owned by Capital Cities/ABC. In 1996, he was named president of ABC Sports in addition to his ESPN duties.
Burbank-based Disney is the world's second largest entertainment conglomerate with a host of assets including the TV divisions, Walt Disney film studio, Walt Disney World resorts and Disneyland theme parks.
Other key executives along with Roth, Pressler and chief of operations Sanford Litvack include chairman of Disney Consumer Products Bo Boyd and Buena Vista Internet Group Chairman Jake Winebaum. Each of the business unit heads will continue to oversee development of their respective products.
Speculation over who will succeed the Eisner has been a topic of conversation since Eisner, who underwent coronary bypass surgery in 1994, fired controversial Disney president Michael Ovitz in 1996.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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