It sounds like Ostroff will still be overseeing development for Fall 2011, and that the decision to step down as the network’s Entertainment President was tied to a desire to be with her family in New York.
Ostroff’s reign started at UPN in 2002 and continued on when The WB and UPN merged to become The CW in 2006.
Under her watch, shows like America’s Next Top Model, Veronica Mars, The Vampire Diaries, and Gossip Girl have premiered – but there have been failures as well, perhaps the most high-profile being the revived Melrose Place. For many, Dawn Ostroff was the “face” of the network’s aim at the teenage girl audience, and there have been fans of some series such as Smallville and Supernatural who have felt neglected from this focus, despite both shows continuing to perform very well.
You can read the full Deadline Ostroff piece here.
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I respect anyone who makes such a decision for their family. Dawn has had her share of ups and downs, but I still believe Moonves is pulling her strings, so she can’t be blamed for everything.
My biggest pet peeve was her continued stance that The CW was a network for young women. That excluded more than one-half of the human population right off the bat. When you’re ratings-challenged, you need to broaden the umbrella, not tighten the noose.
The WB, at its peak, reached out to YOUNG ADULTS, and made sure to include programming that appealed to both men and women, and teens in particular. The CW needs to study that model, and also return some comedy to the network.
I appreciate Dawn’s hard work and desire for the network to succeed; I just can’t agree with the overall direction.