LOS ANGELES (AP) – ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson is taking charge of ABC Studios in a corporate reorganisation intended to meet industry changes and a bleak economy, the Disney-owned TV division announced last week.

Besides his current programming duties for ABC, McPherson will oversee ABC Studios' production of shows.

ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios will operate as ABC Entertainment Group, a newly formed business unit of Disney-ABC Television Group headed by McPherson, said Anne Sweeney, co-chairwoman of Disney-Media Networks and president of the Disney-ABC TV group.

She said the move is intended to "streamline the creative process" in an entertainment industry that's being reshaped by digital technology and facing the worst economy in decades.

ABC's parent, Walt Disney Co., always has been known for "continuing to evolve our business," she said.

"We really do believe it's going to present a cohesive and unified structure" that will efficiently create the best programming for ABC, she said. The changes are effective immediately.

Although some operational details remain to be worked out, Sweeney said the goal was to put the reorganisation into place as the network decides on its shows for the 2009-10 season.

She lauded McPherson's passion for creating programmes as well as his business acumen.

Named ABC entertainment president in 2004, McPherson previously headed the studio when it was called Touchstone Television. He developed series including the ABC hits "Desperate Housewives", "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost".