Iger

LOS ANGELES -- As if the show's cancellation in May wasn't enough, there was more bad news yesterday for "thirtysomething" fans.Contrary to previous announcements, ABC will not tie up loose ends from the series with one or more made-for-TV movies involving the characters, said Robert A. Iger, president of ABC Entertainment."

LOS ANGELES -- The Walt Disney Co. formally announced yesterday an agreement to buy industry pioneer Pixar Animation Studios, sending a clear signal it intends to fix its ailing animation unit while aggressively pursuing a strategy to be at the forefront of Hollywood's digital future. The $7.4 billion all-stock deal aims to re-establish a tradition of creative and technological innovation that began with founder Walt Disney 80 years ago. It allies Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger with Pixar Chairman Steven P. Jobs, the co-founder and head of Apple Computer Co., whose iTunes technology and other innovations changed the way people consume entertainment.

BURBANK, Calif. - Walt Disney Co. directors tapped President Robert A. Iger yesterday to succeed Chief Executive Michael D. Eisner, writing the final chapter for an often stormy 21-year reign during which the company mushroomed from a moribund studio into a global entertainment giant. The selection ended a high-profile search for a new leader for the fabled company, which has been under siege by critics who wanted to hasten Eis- ner's departure. He will remain until Sept. 30, and then Iger will take the helm of a conglomerate that has more than 100,000 employees, a global theme park empire, a library of such classic films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the ESPN sports broadcasting juggernaut, the ABC network and the cartoon character Mickey Mouse.

HOLLYWOOD -- During his five years as No. 2 to Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Eisner, Robert A. Iger has earned a reputation as a hard worker, a quick study and, well, a pretty buttoned-down guy. Steven Bochco came to know another, looser Iger in the early 1990s, when the prolific television producer sat down with the then-head of ABC to map out NYPD Blue, the gritty cop show that would feature, among other things, its stars' naked...

Soon after being named president and chief operating officer of the Walt Disney Co. in January 2000, Robert A. Iger was treated to a celebratory dinner by a friend, Hollywood producer Brian Grazer. Sitting in Toscana, a restaurant in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, Iger spoke of how thrilled and grateful he was to be picked for a job that had proved treacherous before, in the Eisner era, according to Grazer. Given the fate that befell the last president, Michael S. Ovitz, whose messy departure in 1996 after just 14 months is still generating bad publicity for Disney, Iger said he was not taking anything for granted.

HOLLYWOOD -- During his five years as No. 2 to Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Eisner, Robert A. Iger has earned a reputation as a hard worker, a quick study and, well, a pretty buttoned-down guy. Steven Bochco came to know another, looser Iger in the early 1990s, when the prolific television producer sat down with the then-head of ABC to map out NYPD Blue, the gritty cop show that would feature, among other things, its stars' naked...

Bob Iger has a message for Steve Jobs: Let's talk. Yesterday, the day after he was named the next chief executive of Walt Disney Co., Iger said a top priority was to reach out to the Pixar Animation Studios chief in hopes of repairing a fractured partnership that over the years produced such blockbusters as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and the Toy Story films. "I will certainly make an attempt and look forward to some dialogue provided he's willing," Iger, now Disney's president, said.

ABC pulled the plug yesterday on "Cop Rock," one of the most critically acclaimed new shows of the season.The last episode of the Steven Bochco show, which coupled police drama with music, will air Dec. 26, ABC Entertainment President Robert Iger said."

Can a TV show be a ratings hit and still lose money?That's what's happening with "NYPD Blue," according to Robert Iger, the president of ABC.Iger told critics yesterday that "NYPD Blue," one of the few new shows to score a hit in the ratings, is losing money for ABC because major advertisers don't want to be associated with its controversial subject matter."

LOS ANGELES -- While NBC wades deeper into the muddy waters of "reality" programming with its commitment to shows like the controversial "I Witness Video" this fall, ABC is getting out of the reality business altogether for a while."

Q. I have owned shares of the Walt Disney Co. the past dozen years. This company gives me a headache. What are future prospects? C.G., via the Internet A. The 50th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland has been a time of healing. Besides President Robert Iger succeeding Michael Eisner as chief executive officer in September, a truce has been reached with dissident former board members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold. The two dropped a lawsuit filed this year that challenged the naming of Iger as CEO, and they promised to back his leadership.

Bob Iger has a message for Steve Jobs: Let's talk. Yesterday, the day after he was named the next chief executive of Walt Disney Co., Iger said a top priority was to reach out to the Pixar Animation Studios chief in hopes of repairing a fractured partnership that over the years produced such blockbusters as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and the Toy Story films. "I will certainly make an attempt and look forward to some dialogue provided he's willing," Iger, now Disney's president, said.

BURBANK, Calif. - Walt Disney Co. directors tapped President Robert A. Iger yesterday to succeed Chief Executive Michael D. Eisner, writing the final chapter for an often stormy 21-year reign during which the company mushroomed from a moribund studio into a global entertainment giant. The selection ended a high-profile search for a new leader for the fabled company, which has been under siege by critics who wanted to hasten Eis- ner's departure. He will remain until Sept. 30, and then Iger will take the helm of a conglomerate that has more than 100,000 employees, a global theme park empire, a library of such classic films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the ESPN sports broadcasting juggernaut, the ABC network and the cartoon character Mickey Mouse.

Soon after being named president and chief operating officer of the Walt Disney Co. in January 2000, Robert A. Iger was treated to a celebratory dinner by a friend, Hollywood producer Brian Grazer. Sitting in Toscana, a restaurant in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, Iger spoke of how thrilled and grateful he was to be picked for a job that had proved treacherous before, in the Eisner era, according to Grazer. Given the fate that befell the last president, Michael S. Ovitz, whose messy departure in 1996 after just 14 months is still generating bad publicity for Disney, Iger said he was not taking anything for granted.

Los Angeles -- The battle between Hollywood and Washington over violence on television has taken a surprising turn.After months of promises by the networks to do better, Hollywood is suddenly telling Washington to back off. As a result, viewers are going to see more violence in coming months.The message from the networks, played out during the just-completed press tour in Los Angeles, could not be clearer. We are not the problem, they said.What a difference from six months ago, when ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox all acknowledged that media violence probably plays some role in real-life violence, and they vowed to clean up their acts.

Can a TV show be a ratings hit and still lose money?That's what's happening with "NYPD Blue," according to Robert Iger, the president of ABC.Iger told critics yesterday that "NYPD Blue," one of the few new shows to score a hit in the ratings, is losing money for ABC because major advertisers don't want to be associated with its controversial subject matter."

ABC Monday named Ted Harbert the new president of its entertainment division, replacing Bob Iger, who becomes president of ABC Television at the beginning of the year.Mr. Harbert, currently executive vice president of prime-time programming for ABC, will be charged with running the network's prime-time operations; news, sports, daytime, late night and morning programming each have their own divisional heads who will also report to Mr. Iger.By selecting Mr. Harbert, who has spent virtually his entire career at the network, ABC has sent a clear signal to the entertainment community that there will be no unexpected strategic changes, at least in the immediate future.

LOS ANGELES -- Robert Iger, ABC's entertainment president, can't take a vacation from his job.He said that he was on a bus in Hawaii when a woman spotted ABC tag on the bag holding his snorkeling gear and immediately launched into a tirade about the cancellation of "thirtysomething.""She wanted to know who she could write to and who the idiot was who had made this decision,:" Iger said. "I think she was from Washington and had a whole group together that were incensed.""I told her 'lady this is your lucky day.'"Iger said that when she learned that she was talking to the man who cancelled "thirtysomething," she backed down a bit and the two had a nice discussion about the show.

ABC Monday named Ted Harbert the new president of its entertainment division, replacing Bob Iger, who becomes president of ABC Television at the beginning of the year.Mr. Harbert, currently executive vice president of prime-time programming for ABC, will be charged with running the network's prime-time operations; news, sports, daytime, late night and morning programming each have their own divisional heads who will also report to Mr. Iger.By selecting Mr. Harbert, who has spent virtually his entire career at the network, ABC has sent a clear signal to the entertainment community that there will be no unexpected strategic changes, at least in the immediate future.

Los Angeles -- Some called it the May Massacre when ABC slashed "China Beach," "thirtysomething," "Twin Peaks" and "Equal Justice" -- all dramas that, though not highly rated, had a certain cachet of quality about them.Since May 1991, ABC Entertainment president Robert Iger continually has been asked to justify his decision to cancel those dramas.In July, during a gathering of national television writers, the question was again posed to Mr. Iger.Mr. Iger grimaced, then said, "I wanted to enjoy this session a little bit more than I did last July."