ABC Family Adds Unscripted Series

ABC Family will add three new unscripted series to its lineup, the network announced Wednesday.

The series are Startup U, which follows a group of entrepreneurial millennials as they embark on a semester at Draper University in Silicon Valley; Next Step Realty: NYC, a business based docu-series following employees of Next Step Realty; and Monica the Medium, which follows a junior at Penn State navigating friends, family, relationships while serving as a medium that can talk to  dead people.

“ABC Family will become a brand known as much for character driven docu-dramas as we are for our character driven scripted dramas and comedies,” said Tom Ascheim, President ABC Family in a statement. “This summer will be chock-full of unscripted fare on the network as we build momentum with these three new series.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.