Albert Cheng is Chief Operating Officer of Amazon Studios. He was the executive vice president and chief product officer of digital media for Walt Disney Television.[1][2][3][4][5] Albert Cheng is an alumnus from Punahou School, in Honolulu, HI.[6] Cheng graduated with a Bachelor of Science from MIT and a M.B.A from Harvard Business School.[1][2] He serves on the Board of Directors of BMI.[7]
Albert Cheng | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970 (age 54) |
| Occupation(s) | Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Digital Media of Walt Disney Television |
Early career
editCheng started his career as an engineer at Boeing after graduating from MIT.[1] Following his stint at Boeing, Cheng obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School.[1][2][8] During his time at graduate school, he interned at Disney and BMG.[1][8] He spent four years as an associate and business strategy consultant for the Boston Consulting Group before he landed a job with Fox Cable Networks Group.[1][2] He served at Fox as director of distribution strategy and later as director of business development at Fox/Liberty Networks before moving to Disney in 2000.[1][2][8]
Walt Disney Television
editCheng became intrigued by the potential of digital media and video over the Internet as he gained experience in distribution business strategies at Disney.[1] He has served as the EVP and chief product officer of digital media since 2005.[1][2][3] Cheng and his digital media team oversee the development and operations of digital media content platforms and interactive television technologies.[9][10] In addition, Cheng is responsible for new business ventures in digital planning to improve the company's digital distribution strategy.[1][10][11]
Work with the ABC Player app
editIn 2006, Cheng and his team made ABC the first network with its own online branded player to provide full ad-supported episodes online for free.[1][5] Their work also led ABC to become the first network to stream full episodes on demand on a mobile platform with Sprint in 2007.[1][2][5][12] In April 2010, Cheng's team made the ABC Player app the first iOS app to offer full episodes on the Apple iPad.[1] In 2013, Cheng led his team to make the Watch ABC app the first broadcast network to offer live streaming of local TV stations.[3]
Other works
editAnother contribution he and his team produced was the multiplatform application Oscar Digital Experience in February 2011, which used two dozen HD cameras to show live and behind-the-scenes Oscar footage.[8][13]
In 2012, Cheng announced the launch of the WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior apps.[14] These applications targeted toward younger audiences providing content through a live linear digital network and on demand episodes.[14] He was elected to the Board of Directors of BMI in October 2013.[7]
Awards
editCheng received the 2006 Visionary Marketer Award at the Variety/iMedia Summit in April 2006.[9] Cheng and his team's contributions have also won numerous awards and patents.[1] In 2006, he and his team won the Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Interactive Television (New Delivery Platforms) at the 58th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards for their ABC.com Full Episode Player.[15] In 2011, Cheng and his team received a Primetime Emmy for their ABC.com Oscar Digital Experience.[16] In 2013, Cheng received a Digital Leadership Award from Broadcasting & Cable.[17]
Personal life
editCheng was born in Honolulu, HI.[8] His parents are immigrants from Taiwan[18] Cheng is married to Dori Chang.[1][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o George Winslow (2012-03-12). "Albert Cheng's group has produced a string of technical firsts". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Media Guru: Albert Cheng, HBS '97, EVP & Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, Disney/ABC TV Group". The Harvard Business School Club of New York. Archived from the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b c Brian Stelter (2013-05-12). "ABC to Live-Stream Its Shows via App". NY Times. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ Louis Hau (2007-08-24). "ABC Digital Chief: The Network Still Matters". Forbes. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b c David Kaplan (2008-07-19). "Interview:Albert Cheng, EVP digital media, Disney-ABC TV: Getting paid over getting syndicated". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b Karen Elizaga. "Albert Cheng". Punahou Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b "Albert Cheng, Dave Lougee & Michael O'Neill Elected to Board of Directors of Broadcast Music, Inc" (Press release). Broadcast Music, Inc. October 7, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "How did Albert Cheng discover the Disney magic?". China Personified. 2013-01-06. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b Rebecca Weeks (2006-03-14). "Q&A with DIsney-ABC TV's Albert Cheng". iMedia Connection. Archived from the original on 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b Roger Park (2006-03-06). "Disney's Cheng Wins Integrate '06 Award". iMedia Connection. Archived from the original on 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ James, Meg; Chmielewski, Dawn (2007-05-14). "ABC blazes own trail online". LA Times. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ Scott Kirsner (2008-01-04). "Albert Cheng". Variety. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ "INTERVIEW: ALBERT CHENG, EVP OF DIGITAL MEDIA, DISNEY/ABC TELEVISION GROUP, AND LORI SCHWARTZ, CO-GOVERNOR OF THE ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES INTERACTIVE MEDIA PEER GROUP, DISCUSS THE EMMY-WINNING ABC.COM OSCAR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE". InteractiveTV Today. 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ a b Kara Swisher (2013-06-13). "Disney's Cheng Talks About New App that Let's You Watch "Phineas and Ferb" Live (Video)". All Things D. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ "Abc.com Full Episode Streaming Player". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ "CableFAX Digital Hot List 2012: Albert Cheng--Disney/ABC Television Group". CableFAX. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- ^ K.C. Neel (September 9, 2013). "Digital Leadership Awards: Disney's Albert Cheng". Retrieved September 12, 2013.
- ^ "The Apple-ization of Disney".