Disney Names Smith Streaming Chairman, Earley TV President

Disney Entertainment has promoted Adam Smith to chairman of its Direct-to-Consumer division and appointed Joe Earley to the newly created role of president of Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy. Smith will oversee the company’s global streaming business, including Disney+ and Hulu, with responsibility for product, engineering, advertising technology, programming, viewer experience, partnerships, data and analytics, and platform innovation. Earley will lead the strategic development of Disney television franchises while overseeing content and production for international originals, labor relations, and creative talent development. Smith joined Disney in 2024 after more than two decades in executive roles at Google and YouTube, while Earley joined Disney in 2019 and previously led Hulu and Disney’s content strategy. The appointments follow a broader Disney Entertainment leadership restructuring led by President and Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden.