Listen Live
Rickey Smiley Morning Show Featured Video
CLOSE

Shonda Rhimes is on her way to become the most powerful woman in TV, if she’s not already, although a woman named Oprah might have her beat a little. Rhimes, the woman behind the ABC hit shows Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder has just left her longtime deal with ABC Studios and signed on to Netflix in what is another sign of the increasingly fragility of broadcast network television.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Via The Hollywood Reporter: 

In a testament to the competition for talent, prolific showrunner Shonda Rhimes — the hit maker behind ABC’s Grey’s AnatomyScandal and more — has jumped ship from ABC Studios to Netflix.

Under the multiple-year deal, Rhimes and her Shondaland banner will create and produce new projects for the streaming giant. Rhimes’ longtime producing partner Betsy Beers will continue to head Shondaland in the move to Netflix. Under what is said to be a rich four-year pact, Rhimes is expected to score a percentage of the back-end on programming she creates for Netflix.

 “Shonda Rhimes is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of television,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said. “Her work is gripping, inventive, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, taboo-breaking television at its best. I’ve gotten the chance to know Shonda and she’s a true Netflixer at heart — she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience. We’re so excited to welcome her to Netflix.”
The move further aligns Rhimes with Netflix, which has featured the Grey’s Anatomy library that has helped elevate the veteran ABC medical soap to become the network’s most-watched drama — a rare feat for a show in its 13th season. The series heads into season 14 in the fall as it sets its sights on being the longest-running medical drama on television alongside ER.

“Shondaland’s move to Netflix is the result of a shared plan Ted Sarandos and I built based on my vision for myself as a storyteller and for the evolution of my company,” Rhimes said. “Ted provides a clear, fearless space for creators at Netflix. He understood what I was looking for — the opportunity to build a vibrant new storytelling home for writers with the unique creative freedom and instantaneous global reach provided by Netflix’s singular sense of innovation. The future of Shondaland at Netflix has limitless possibilities.”ABC will continue to remain home to Grey’s Anatomy and its upcoming spinoff as well as Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder as well as the forthcoming drama For the People. Rhimes had been with ABC Studios for 15 years.

11 Motivating Shonda Rhimes Quotes To Get You Through Life
11 photos

PHOTO: PR Photos

Shonda Rhimes Leaves ABC To Sign New Deal With Netflix  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com