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UPDATE: Hollywood is buzzing this morning as Disney made another unexpected in-house management move. It had been assumed that Disney Channels Worldwide entertainment president Gary Marsh would take over from his boss Rich Ross to head the whole she-bang. After all, Marsh has spearheaded Disney’s lucrative franchises including Hannah Montana and High School Musical among other successes and has been considered a golden boy within Disney. But nooooooooooooo. Instead, Latin American VP and chief marketing officer Carolina Lightcap was leapfrogged over him. Heck, she was working out of Buenos Aires, not even Burbank. As a sop, Marsh gets an extra title, Chief Creative Officer, which is relatively meaningless since he still has to report to Lightcap:
Burbank, Tuesday, November 24, 2009 — Carolina Lightcap has been promoted to President, Disney Channels Worldwide, it was announced today by Anne Sweeney, Co-chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC Television Group, to whom she will report. A highly-regarded executive with more than 20 years in the media/entertainment industry, Ms. Lightcap joined The Walt Disney Company in 2000 and most recently served in the dual roles of senior Vice President, Programming and Creative Affairs, Disney Channels Latin America, and Chief Marketing Officer, The Walt Disney Company, Latin America. She will assume her new position within the Disney/ABC Television Group effective immediately and will relocate from Buenos Aires to Burbank.
A versatile and well-regarded executive who, during her career, has been based in Los Angeles, Miami and New York, Ms. Lightcap will be charged with shepherding Disney Channels Worldwide, the global leader in kid-focused, family-inclusive entertainment, through its next period of growth. The Disney Channel global executive team representing Programming and Production, Business Affairs, Business Planning and Development, Marketing, Brand Management, Advertising Sales and Radio Disney, will report to her.
And in recognition of his extraordinary and continuing contribution, Gary Marsh will assume the new title of Chief Creative Officer in addition to his current title of President, Entertainment, Disney Channels Worldwide, remaining in charge of all program development, creative and production, reporting to Ms. Lightcap.
In making the announcement, Ms. Sweeney stated: “Carolina has made enormous contributions to Disney over the past decade, especially in launching and building Disney Channel Latin America into the #1 cable channel in the region. She’s a highly respected member of our global team and her wealth of experience, leadership acumen and programming, marketing and franchise building skills make her the ideal executive to lead Disney Channels Worldwide into the future.”
Ms. Lightcap added: “I’m thrilled and honored that Anne has entrusted me with this incredible opportunity. During the 10 years I’ve worked at The Walt Disney Company, I’ve had the pleasure of leading a team that took Disney Channel Latin America to number one. Now I’m looking forward to working with the unparalleled talent at Disney Channels Worldwide as we create the future of kid-focused, family inclusive entertainment.”
In commenting on Mr. Marsh, Ms. Sweeney said: “Gary is the creative force behind Disney Channel’s tremendous success and some of The Walt Disney Company’s most heralded and popular franchises including ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘High School Musical.’ His unique vision helped define Disney Channel as a global leader in kid and family entertainment while fueling a content bonanza for other areas of our Company.” She continued, “With Gary’s creative vision and Carolina’s leadership, I have no doubt Disney Channel will remain at the forefront of our industry for years to come.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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wow another top earner at Disney pushed out the door. Gary it doesn’t get any better going forward Disney treats its execs like toilet paper. Move on get paid and respected by someone else because disney wont ever respect you.
I understand it was more a factor of Gary having a young child, and already having the job he wanted, and not wanting the extensive overseas travel requirements that the intl position brings with it.
deck chairs. Titanic. discuss
Finally. After years of neurotic meddling with producers all over town, exploiting talent and scapegoating whoever was handy, this guy finally gets exposed for the petty weak mediocrity that he is. Tough break, Gary.
if anyone actually knows gary, you would also know he wasn’t passed over but never wanted the job. he’s in his dream job and wants to stay a creative exec…the worldwide job is not a creative job. but continue speculating on bs….it’s what sells.
ahhhhhh yet again, the studio system shows it operates in a business-world vacuum. no other industry shows such patent disregard for treating its executives equitably or even remotely fairly. now, that being said, she may very well be a superstar, and he may very well be overpaid deadwood, and of course there may very well be a third skew to this story. but it does seem like rich ross is making it a point to promote the non-obvious choice. kudos to him? spit on his name? we’ll see….
A small, but personally satisfying, bit of justice in the world.
This woman will not be known to the general audience of this site. But anyone who has worked at any of the studios’ Lat Am divisions knows her. And she is a star.
When she was a lowly manager of Lat Am Home Video mktg at Fox she was invited to the Fox Lat Am Theatrical retreat in Cancun in 1996. Her presentation blew everyone in the room away, and put her on the Jim G radar. She was capabale well beyond her years then, and I can only imagine how good she’s become in the last 15 years.
She was always too good for Fox’s lowbrow assets…now she has an asset base that will present a real challenge.
To everyone in Burbank and at the agencies – this woman is on her game and can see through your BS. That includes you Ann Sweeney.
Finally! Someone took a real look at Gary’s work at the Channel and said: “WTF??!! This is all just smoke and mirrors!!” Gary Marsh is a genuine Idiot who has built his career on taking credit for others’ talent. NONE of the Channel’s success is due to Gary. Anyone who REALLY knows Gary knows he was just a walking suit, incredibly lucky to have such talented people making shows for him. Well, luck only gets you so far, and his luck just ran out.
Dream Job???? He has his dream job, ha! If you were in this business you would understand that your next job is always your dream job. Get passed over once and you are toast within that organization and everyone knows it.
>>if anyone actually knows gary, you would also know he wasn’t passed over but never wanted the job. he’s in his dream job and wants to stay a creative exec…the worldwide job is not a creative job. but continue speculating on bs….it’s what sells.
Here’s a newsflash for you. There are no creative executive jobs.
Being called ‘creative’ on the corporate side is a backhanded compliment from corporate that slaps you so far back down the ladder that you have no choice but to take out your failures as an executive on the real creative people – who subsequently have to suffer the wrath of even more shite ‘creative’ notes.
See “hmmmm” below. I don’t think this is a shocker to anyone who knows Mr. Marsh. Young family, LA guy, dedicated husband, happy to work with creative = not all that excited about living on a plane.
Gary Marsh is one of the true weasels in a town of greasy weasels. Amen to whoever said he took satisfaction in this small bit of justice. To list the number of excellent, hard working, decent people Marsh has shafted, and the talent he’s lowballed, betrayed, micromanaged and sabotaged — and this is just for kiddie programming — would take hours…
Some of these comments are so patently wrong and unfair that I am speaking for the first time on this site — I have know Gary personally and professionally for over 20 years, and have always found him to be honest, creative, supportive and a gentleman. Posters who speak of his young family and love for his current job are closer to the truth than those who suggest he was “passed over” for any of the other reasons cited here.
Wow, what a bunch of bitches you guys are. Couldn’t one of the reasons be that Latin America is the last growth market, in the US and South of the border? Or that she’s good?
MNL-you are soooooooooooo right–i worked for GM and what a dipshit…talk about being lucky to have even the job you HAVE…just annoying to actual people who can think on their own two feet (vs. Gary–who is carried)
This is a SHOCKER for the people that might not known Carolina. She is only on her way to be one of the most important executives at Disney and in the entertainment industry. It is in her blood. I really congratulate her.
She was my direct boss when she was at Fox Video Latin America and taught me a lot; she was an amazing executive, I can tell… Even though we finished really bad when she left for another job. But I really remember her as a role model to follow, for anyone that works in this business.
One small rebuttal to Gary’s mom, or wife or whoever tried to spin it that Gary is just a creative fella who loves his ‘dream job.’ Let’s remember that this dream job is basically packaging teen stars and debating series arcs for the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana and whether Billy Ray Cyrus should keep his lady tickler for the upcoming season. This embarrassing Disney Channel dreck that spews into the culture is not exactly Fox Searchlight.
Having supplied programming for Disney Channel for many years and personally knowing Gary Marsh, my guess is that he doesn’t want the big job even if Rich wasn’t interested in handing it to him. He’s always been nothing but decent to me and my company, even if we disagreed with notes on our projects or the way they handled our shows. And outside the office, he’s been even better.
That organization is full of political backstabbers and corporate androids, to be sure. I’ve always surmised that it must be truly miserable to be a “cast member.”
But the speculation (even from me!) here is all just that — pure speculation!
GM is a great executive and RR knows his skills very well. This division has generated millions for the company. Shows the bench strength of Disney to cross-promote other divisions. Much like P&G This is a good team. Disney is back to pushing the brand.
Is this Sweeney’s idea or Diego’s? Even worse if it was RR. Sounds like Sweeney should watch her back. I think the last couple of Disney moves make her look bad.
I worked with Gary Marsh for nine years at The Disney Channel, back when it was called that. He was always a first rate executive…smart, responsive, fair, kind, funny, and compassionate. I don’t understand all this negativism toward him. His critics in here are describing a Gary Marsh I do not know nor never met.
I consider Gary Marsh a mentor. I know for a fact that the job was his if he wanted it, but he turned it down, b/c of the lack of creativity the position entails. He has a great relationship with RR and AS and I think it’s refreshing that an exec would turn down a higher profile opportunity, because it’s not what they feel passionate about. He’s also very well respected among TWDC, I’m surprised there’s so much negativity towards him in some of these comments.
Sounds like everyone’s being petty because of a headline that isn’t so accurate to the situation. A woman is getting a job based on merit and a man enjoys the job he already has. No one is fired, demoted or anything else. Media is creating drama for media sake. Disney wants a global brand and Lightcap sounds like a true asset in that market already. Marsh is doing what he does and has things to focus on in Cali. with job and family. Why does it have to be headline drama when the roles are reversed? Congrats to both of them for doing their parts and having their lives the way they want.