Putting her stamp on MTV Networks’ new Kids and Family Group, Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami has revamped the executive suite, upping veteran Tom Ascheim to run day-to-day operations and placing greater emphasis on digital content.
Zarghami, named to head Kids and Family following the exit of Herb Scannell, the MTVN vice chairman and Nickelodeon Networks president, also promoted Steve Youngwood and Sarah Kirshbaum Levy.
Jeff Dunn, the Nickelodeon Networks Group chief operating officer and president of Nickelodeon Film and Enterprises, is leaving.
As executive vice president and general manager of Nickelodeon Television, Ascheim will oversee day-to-day operations for all of Nick’s television businesses, including top-rated kids’ network Nick. He reports to Zarghami. The 16-year veteran had been executive vice president of Nick Digital Television, overseeing Noggin, The N, Nickelodeon Games and Sports and Nicktoons Television.
Nine-year Nick veteran Youngwood takes the new post of executive vice president of Nickelodeon Digital Media. Reporting to Zarghami and MTVN chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn, he’s tasked with expanding Nick’s properties across multiple platforms.
Youngwood will manage Web sites plus wireless, gaming, interactive TV and digital video endeavors.
Kirshbaum Levy, previously senior vice president of strategy and business development, becomes executive vice president of strategy and business operations at Nickelodeon.
“I see myself as a brand manager and leader,” Zarghami explained. “With Tom [Ascheim], who has done a wonderful job over the years in a number of roles, taking the reins of Nick, I can spend more time looking to connect the dots between our different businesses.”
In addition to the listed networks and Nick at Nite, the Kids and Family Group encompasses Nick Online, Nick Movies, Nickelodeon’s magazine and recreation divisions and digital businesses, including recently purchased Neopets.com.
With TV “still an enormous driver,” Zarghami said Ascheim would “create, nurture and manage” that core business.
She added: “This move tries to ensure that we are developing and producing more content in the digital world and that it is able to move from platform to platform seamlessly.”
