Touchstone TV while retaining his post as president of Walt Disney Network Television. In March 1998, Touchstone TV was placed under Buena Vista Television Productions, a newly formed group under chairman Lloyd Braun, along with Walt Disney Network Television. Also in June 1998, former ABC chief Greer Shephard and NYPD Blue director Michael M. Robin had launched a production company with an exclusive agreement at the studio. In May 1999, J.J. Abrams, who created Felicity at that time signed a film and television deal with the studio. By June 1999, Neuman left for the Digital Entertainment Network. In 1999, after Disney's Smart Guy was cancelled, all Disney shows for primetime would be produced under the Touchstone Television label. Touchstone Television (ABC subsidiary) In late 1999, Walt Disney Television Studios (also called Buena Vista Television Group or Buena Vista Television Productions), were transferred from the Disney Studios to the ABC Television Network to merge with ABC's primetime division, ABC Entertainment, forming the ABC Entertainment Television Group. By then, the Walt Disney Television label was dropped and all primetime programming produced by Disney would use the "Touchstone Television" name. Shortly afterwards, writer Seth Kurland struck a deal with the studio to produce shows. Following Kurland's deal, writer Don Reo, formerly of Lenny and Blossom when Witt-Thomas was producing for Disney also struck a deal with the studio. Around the same time, Touchstone sold the series, Daddio to NBC. The program lasted only nine episodes before NBC cancelled it. In 2000, Touchstone Television created two departments for comedy in September, and a department for drama in December. Touchstone had infamously left the production of the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2000, fearing it was a flop and sold Disney's interest in the series to Alliance Atlantis. By 2001, Steve McPherson signed on as president of the television unit. While two of their pilots were in consideration to be picked up by ABC in April 2003, Tollin/Robbins Productions signed a two-year development deal with Touchstone Television, which included a two-year option, shares in profits and outside sales. In 2004, Alias creator J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot production company had struck a development deal with Touchstone Television to produce television series. Also that year, Marc Cherry inked a development deal at the studio. The following year, the Russo brothers has struck a two-year deal with the studio, with veteran writer and producer