Touchstone Television (ABC subsidiary)
In late 1999, Walt Disney Television Studios (also called Buena Vista Television Group or Buena Vista Television Productions), were transferred from the Disney Studios to the ABC Television Network to merge with ABC's primetime division, ABC Entertainment, forming the ABC Entertainment Television Group. By then, the Walt Disney Television label was dropped and all primetime programming produced by Disney would use the "Touchstone Television" name.[47][48][49] Shortly afterwards, writer Seth Kurland struck a deal with the studio to produce shows.[50] Following Kurland's deal, writer Don Reo, formerly of Lenny and Blossom when Witt-Thomas was producing for Disney also struck a deal with the studio.[51] Around the same time, Touchstone sold the series, Daddio to NBC. The program lasted only nine episodes before NBC cancelled it.[52]
In 2000, Touchstone Television created two departments for comedy in September, and a department for drama in December.[53] Touchstone had infamously left the production of the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2000, fearing it was a flop and sold Disney's interest in the series to Alliance Atlantis.[54][55] By 2001, Steve McPherson signed on as president of the television unit.[56] While two of their pilots were in consideration to be picked up by ABC in April 2003, Tollin/Robbins Productions signed a two-year development deal with Touchstone Television, which included a two-year option, shares in profits and outside sales.[57]
In 2004, Alias creator J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot production company had struck a development deal with Touchstone Television to produce television series.[58] Also that year, Marc Cherry inked a development deal at the studio.[59] The following year, the Russo brothers has struck a two-year deal with the studio,[60] with veteran writer and producer Steven Bochco, who had produced several shows for ABC, signing a deal with the studio that same year to produce future shows.[61] In 2006, Marti Noxon struck a deal with the studio to produce shows
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