Anthony
02-21-2003, 04:14 PM
From Daily Variety, 2/20:
NEW YORK --- As fewer kids watch the Cartoon Network, more young adults are tuning in, so the channel has created the title senior VP of its Adult Swim programming franchise and awarded it to Mike Lazzo.
Lazzo is a Cartoon Network lifer who helped to launch the channel in October 1992 and has worked on both its acquisitions (like the off-network "Futurama") and the development on all of its original series. "Mike is one of our key players, and he wants to devote all of his time to Adult Swim," said Cartoon Network exec VP-G.M. Jim Samples.
Adult Swim is a block of half-hour shows scheduled Thursday through Sunday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., ranging from "Futurama" to original series such as "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."
These shows appeal to adults 18-34, the one demo for which Cartoon hasn't seen a decline in the ratings in the last year. Net is down by double digits in primetime and total day in its two key demos: kids 2-11 and kids 6-11.
Samples said Cartoon is addressing this problem by ramping up development of original series to at least four per year. Some projects will be inhouse, others commissioned from outside animation companies. Cartoon is shifting another of its veteran execs, Linda Simenski , senior VP of original animation, from Atlanta to Burbank, where she'll work with Sam Register, senior VP of content development.
In addition to supervising the content of the programs in Adult Swim, Lazzo will also work with Cartoon's marketing staff.
NEW YORK --- As fewer kids watch the Cartoon Network, more young adults are tuning in, so the channel has created the title senior VP of its Adult Swim programming franchise and awarded it to Mike Lazzo.
Lazzo is a Cartoon Network lifer who helped to launch the channel in October 1992 and has worked on both its acquisitions (like the off-network "Futurama") and the development on all of its original series. "Mike is one of our key players, and he wants to devote all of his time to Adult Swim," said Cartoon Network exec VP-G.M. Jim Samples.
Adult Swim is a block of half-hour shows scheduled Thursday through Sunday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., ranging from "Futurama" to original series such as "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force."
These shows appeal to adults 18-34, the one demo for which Cartoon hasn't seen a decline in the ratings in the last year. Net is down by double digits in primetime and total day in its two key demos: kids 2-11 and kids 6-11.
Samples said Cartoon is addressing this problem by ramping up development of original series to at least four per year. Some projects will be inhouse, others commissioned from outside animation companies. Cartoon is shifting another of its veteran execs, Linda Simenski , senior VP of original animation, from Atlanta to Burbank, where she'll work with Sam Register, senior VP of content development.
In addition to supervising the content of the programs in Adult Swim, Lazzo will also work with Cartoon's marketing staff.