Disney Launches New-Media Content Studio

BURBANK, February 28: The
Disney-ABC Television Group has launched Stage 9 Digital Media to create
original new-media content, kicking off with the comedy series Squeegees, which premieres today on ABC.com and YouTube and
is being sponsored by Toyota.

“An integral part of our
overall digital strategy, Stage 9 was created to bridge the gap between
user-generated content and traditional production, and is a perfect example of
how we are continually looking at innovative methods to develop, produce,
market and distribute the high-quality programming that consumers demand,” said
Anne Sweeney, the co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of the
Disney-ABC Television Group. “By partnering with extremely talented creative
individuals and producing in a variety of genres, Stage 9 has the ability and
positioning to put experimental new media content on the map.”

Tapped to oversee Stage 9
as general manager is Barry Jossen, an Academy Award-winning short-form
producer and the executive VP of ABC Studios, a role he will retain. He is
leading the development of more than 20 projects across comedy, drama,
animation and reality, ranging from traditional linear episodic storytelling to
immersive interactive content geared toward the 18-34 demographic. The content
will be distributed via broadband video sites, online social networks, mobiles
and download services. The studio will also collaborate with Disney-ABC
International Television on global digital distribution of the content.

“While the new-media space
is loaded with UGC, we feel the audience is missing the quality experience
found in other forms of exhibition, and we are answering their need,” said
Jossen. “This creative frontier gives us the opportunity to develop new
franchises, discover and develop talent and, most importantly, expand the
standard of excellence set by our parent company in creating superior episodic
programming with great stories and production values.”

“Digital media has leveled
the playing field, opening doors for anyone to have immediate and unlimited
access to an audience,” added Mark Pedowitz, the president of ABC Studios, who
has oversight of the new Stage 9 Digital Media Studio. “But content must evolve
with the platform. Stage 9 gives us the freedom to experiment with creativity
and innovation, while pioneering state-of-the-art business models in this
exciting new market.”

The debut project, Squeegees, comes from the comedy team Handsome Donkey. It is
a character-driven ensemble comedy about entrepreneurial slackers and their
fledging window-washing business. New episodes will debut every Monday and
Friday on both ABC.com and YouTube. The studio’s rollout of new short-form
programming will continue with Voicemail 2, the second season of ABC.com’s first original series inspired by one
man’s decade-long collection of phone messages. Also slated to debut this
spring is the original science-fiction action thriller Trenches, from Shane Felux, the creator of the online hits Pitching
George Lucas and Star Wars
Revelations.

—By Mansha Daswani