Lisa Berger Exits as ABC’s Alternative Programming Head, Berger left the Alphabet as a result of insurmountable creative differences with ABC Entertainment Group chief Paul Lee over the type of unscripted shows the network should pursue. Berger’s departure was first reported by Deadline.
With barely a 12-month tenure, Berger didn’t have time to get much going for the Alphabet. She drove ABC’s pursuit of the singing competition show “Rising Star,” based on the hit Israeli format, which didn’t do much business for ABC this past summer and was not renewed. Rumors that Berger was on the way out at ABC due to creative differences with top brass began to circulate only a few months after she took the job.
Berger joined ABC as exec VP alternative series, specials and latenight in September 2013 after a 10-year run at E! where she rose through the programming ranks to become entertainment president. She was a key player in the dawn of the Kardashian age at E! as well as with “Fashion Police,” “The Girls Next Door” and latenight talker “Chelsea Lately.”
