ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee says he wants to give more power to the network's show runners, following the lead of cable networks like HBO and AMC that have thrived with shows guided by one strong voice.
"It's just my experience — we had this on ABC Family, we had it on BBC America — that empowered show runners… they start to give their shows distinctive voices that you've not seen on television," he said at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour Monday.
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"And I think big failures come out of that, you have to be ready to fall on your face. But from my perspective the brand-defining, changing television comes from that sort of risk-taking."
He added: "We don't want cookie-cutter television."
Show runners have the same creative power over TV shows that directors do on a film, which often isn't very much. Networks like HBO and AMC that have given auteur-like show runners the freedom to thrive had yielded critical praise and awards, but risk-averse networks have sometimes preferred more formulaic television by committee.
"It's a balance," Lee said. "You do want to change the world. You do want to do shows… that I would argue you've never seen before."