Story perspectives

Disney names Adam Smith chairman of Disney+ and Hulu

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 3:09 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Disney Entertainment appoints former YouTube executive Adam Smith as chairman of direct-to-consumer, overseeing Disney+ and Hulu.
Smith now controls product, engineering, advertising technology, programming, and data for Disney’s streaming services.
Joe Earley becomes president of Disney Entertainment Television franchise and content strategy.
These changes support CEO Josh D’Amaro’s plan to make Disney+ the company’s digital centerpiece.

History

Historical Context

In 2007, Netflix launched its streaming platform, pioneering subscription video-on-demand and eventually surpassing 20 million households in the United States by 2015. Co-founder Reed Hastings secured a $1 billion content-licensing budget in 2012, enabling original series that reshaped global viewer expectations. Disney’s 2024 appointment of former YouTube executive Adam Smith mirrors Netflix’s early strategy, consolidating product, engineering, advertising, programming, and data under one leader. This alignment suggests that Disney aims to replicate Netflix’s rapid massive subscriber growth, positioning Disney+ as the next dominant global streaming hub.

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Story summary

Disney Entertainment appoints former YouTube executive Adam Smith as chairman of direct-to-consumer, overseeing Disney+ and Hulu.
Smith now controls product, engineering, advertising technology, programming, and data for Disney’s streaming services.
Joe Earley becomes president of Disney Entertainment Television franchise and content strategy.
These changes support CEO Josh D’Amaro’s plan to make Disney+ the company’s digital centerpiece.

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