Jamie Tarses, who became president of ABC Entertainment at age 32, the first woman to become a network’s top programmer, died Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. She was 56.

According to The New York Times, she “fizzled in epic fashion, brought down by corporate dysfunction, unvarnished sexism, self-sabotage, weaponized industry gossip, and scalding news media scrutiny.”

Ms. Tarses, who had worked at NBC, had a reputation for spotting hit shows, and shepherded “Mad About You,” “Frasier,” and “Friends.” Following various indiscretions and corporate squabbling, she resigned in 1999, leaving ABC with several hit shows, including “Dharma & Greg,” Aaron Sorkin’s “Sports Night,” and “The Practice,” a popular legal drama from David E. Kelley.