HBO Max kids programming changes hands

Tom Ascheim's global kids, young adults and classics division is taking charge of the streamer's kids programming, and expanding into preschool in a big way.
October 29, 2020

WarnerMedia is restructuring its TV and streaming units, and giving management of HBO Max’s kids and family programming over to the Tom Ascheim-led global kids, young adults and classics division, Kidscreen has confirmed.

The responsibility for developing kids and family-friendly programming previously sat with a content unit helmed by HBO and HBO Max content chief Casey Bloys. The HBO Max team did not return a request for comment on how the execs who were handling kids content for the SVOD would be affected by this change. Cartoon Network, however, confirmed this restructuring would not affect any of its execs or their duties.

Preschool will also be a big priority for Ascheim’s (pictured) unit, building on the existing Sesame Street/HBO partnership first inked in 2015.

“We are going to be an animated enterprise, but we will not always be cartoons. We’re trying to serve the kids and family audience as widely as possible so we can be a better provider to HBO Max,” Ascheim told Variety, which first reported the news.

WarnerMedia unveiled the shift as it lined up a number of additions to the Cartoon Network and HBO Max kids slates yesterday. New shows greenlit include Warner Bros. Animation’s Tiny Toons Looniversity, Cartoon Network Studios’ action-adventure Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, and a trio of new projects from children’s author Mo Willems.

Ascheim—a former Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop and Freeform exec—joined Warner Bros. as president of the global kids, young adults and classics division in June. His remit also includes oversight of Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. Ascheim has shuffled around some responsibility within his team, adding president of Cartoon Network Studios to Sam Register’s remit. Former head of CN Studios Rob Sorcher moved into an overall production deal with Warner Bros. TV group, and Amy Friedman took over Sorcher’s programming responsibilities.

With files from Alexandra Whyte

 

About The Author
News editor for Kidscreen. Ryan covers tech, talent and general kids entertainment news, with a passion for kids rap content and video games. Have a story that's of interest to Kidscreen readers? Contact Ryan at rtuchow@brunico.com

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