ABC Entertainment is a network production company owned by ABC (and in turn by Disney) that was created in 1982.
The company was previously known as ABC Television Network Productions, ABC Circle Films, and ABC Productions. It is separate from ABC Studios, an arms-length sister company previously known as Touchstone Television.
ABC Entertainment is now largely dormant aside from its production of America's Funniest Home Videos. Previously it produced shows such as America's Funniest People and H.E.L.P. Since Disney's acquisition of ABC in 1995, virtually all of Disney's adult entertainment programming, such as Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy, has instead been produced by the larger ABC Studios unit.
Within the entertainment industry, "ABC Entertainment" is more often understood to mean the ABC network division responsible for ordering and scheduling (but not producing) entertainment programming. For example, Stephen McPherson's current position as president of ABC Entertainment refers to his responsibility for the network's primetime schedule, and not the aforementioned production company.
On January 22, 2009, Disney-ABC Television Group said it would merge ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios into a new unit called ABC Entertainment Group. One week later, it was announced that the new group would reduce its workforce by 5%, and in mid-year 2009 ABC Entertainment announced a new corporate organizational structure.