Word: ovitz
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Eisner told a meeting of ABC affiliates that the poor February showing was "unacceptable" and vowed it "would never happen again." To insiders, that was code language for "Heads are going to roll." Eisner and Ovitz are "evaluating the team that's in place every day," says a well-placed ABC executive, who adds that the current development season, which will determine next fall's schedule, is key. Eisner has been reading some pilot scripts himself (his favorite: Spin, a DreamWorks sitcom starring Michael J. Fox as a big-city deputy mayor). Thought to be most vulnerable among the existing...
Chairman Eisner and his No. 2 executive, former Creative Artists Agency chief and legendary dealmaker Michael Ovitz, have so far kept a low public profile and declined all interviews. But their hands have been evident in a number of major moves since the merger. One of Ovitz's former colleagues at CAA, Michael Rosenfeld, has been hired as an entertainment-division senior vice president, and more personnel shake-ups are expected, particularly after a disappointing season in which ABC fell to a weak No. 2 in the ratings--and third in the important February sweeps, the same month the merger...
Ohlmeyer, in an interview with TIME, heatedly denied the sexual-harassment charge and placed the blame squarely on Ovitz, whom he accused of fomenting "rumors and innuendo that have no basis in fact." Said Ohlmeyer: "Michael Ovitz is the Antichrist, and you can quote me on that." Ovitz would not comment. Sources close to McDermott confirm she was upset at Ohlmeyer's behavior (though she never threatened to bring formal charges) and say ABC approached her only after Ovitz learned she was unhappy and seeking to leave...
...been small but symbolic. A new E-mail system on ABC computers is decorated with Mickey and Minnie icons, and Disney's annual report prompted snickers by referring to Capital Cities/ABC employees, in traditional Disneyese, as "new cast members." At a corporate retreat in Phoenix, Arizona, Eisner and Ovitz joined in the wholesome fun as a group of ABC execs was dragged off to a bowling alley...
Behind the scenes, Eisner has been a visible and involved boss, paying visits to Capital Cities/ABC newspapers and radio stations and playing host (along with Ovitz) to a breakfast meeting with 50 top ABC News executives, producers and correspondents in New York City to reassure them that Disney will not interfere in the network's journalism. While Eisner has focused on programming, ABC sources say, Ovitz has concentrated more on dealmaking and strategic matters like international business and new technology...