| |
|---|---|
| Tom Ascheim | |
| Age: | 56 |
| Occupation: | President and General Manager of Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Studios, Boomerang, Turner Classic Movies, Warner Bros. Animation, and Cartoonito (July 1, 2020-May 11, 2022) |
| Preceded by: | Christina Miller (official predecessor) Michael Ouweleen (as interim president) |
| Succeeded by: | Michael Ouweleen (return to network presidency) |
Tom Ascheim is an American television producer and executive. He was the general manager of Noggin, where he produced Oobi and numerous interstitial series. He also acted as an executive for Nickelodeon Television, Noggin's parent company. Since leaving Noggin, Ascheim has worked as the president of multiple entertainment brands: as the manager of Sesame Workshop from 2007 to 2013, and as the president of the cable channel Freeform (2013-20); he became the president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults And Classics starting on July 1, 2020 until May 11, 2022 and initially succeeded Christina Miller before Michael Ouweleen returned to presidency with Ouweleen initially served as interim president after Miller left. The CN eras under him were Dimensional (2020–21), Mashup (2020–21), and Redraw Your World (2021–22)
Early life and education[]
In 1985, Ascheim earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Yale University. In 1990, he received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Yale School of Management.
Career[]
Ascheim started out as a producer's assistant in New York and at Silver Screen Partners, which funded movies including The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, before getting an MBA. After a stint as a financial analyst, he joined Viacom in 1990 as VP of Nickelodeon Business Development and Media Products, where he was responsible for strategic and long-range planning, market analysis and the annual budget.
After a series of internal promotions, he served as EVP and general manager of Nickelodeon Digital Television Networks and ultimately as EVP and general manager of Nickelodeon Television, where he managed the complete portfolio including Nickelodeon, Nick@Nite, Nick Jr. and Nick's three digital networks. He led the negotiation between Nick and Sesame Workshop, which resulted in the creation of Noggin, on which he worked closely with Sarnoff, and oversaw The N, a channel dedicated to serving millennials.
Ascheim left Noggin in 2007, but continued a relationship with Sesame Workshop, eventually becoming its executive vice president in 2011. He remained at Sesame Workshop until 2013, when he became the president of Freeform (formerly ABC Family). Ascheim joined Freeform when it was still ABC Family in December 2013 and oversaw its rebrand into Freeform. Original series on Freeform which he green-lit was the hit comedy Grown-ish; dramas The Bold Type, Siren, Good Trouble, Party of Five, Motherland: Fort Salem and the upcoming Last Summer produced by Jessica Biel.
He acted as the president of Freeform until April 2020, when he stepped down to take the position of president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults And Classics, a division which has oversight over Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Studios, Warner Bros. Animation and Turner Classic Movies; his first day at the position was July 1. During his regime he tried to expand the channel to new demographics with the Launch of Cartoonito and the greenlight of new Live Action series.
He left the position of president on May 11, 2022 and Michael Ouweleen returned to presidency after one year and ten months.
The first to be greenlighted during Ascheim's presidency as Miller's initial official successor is the fourth to sixth seasons of Craig of the Creek from October 25, 2021 to January 25, 2025 during his tenure from October 2021 to May 11, 2022 and the return of Michael Ouweleen to presidency from May 2022 to January 25, 2025, while the last is Jessica's Big Little World from October 2, 2023 to May 31, 2024 also aired during Ouweleen's return as the network's president.
Cartoon Network Shows greenlighted by Ascheim[]
- Craig of the Creek (seasons 4-6, aired from October 25, 2021 to Janaury 25, 2025)
- Summer Camp Island (seasons 3-6, aired December 10, 2020 to August 11, 2023)
- Victor and Valentino (season 3, aired September 4, 2021 to August 26, 2022)
- Infinity Train (season 4, aired April 15, 2021)
- Tig n' Seek (seasons 2-4, aired March 11, 2021 to May 26, 2022)
- The Fungies (seasons 2-3, aired June 3, 2021 to December 16, 2021)
- We Baby Bears (season 2, aired from June 17, 2023)
- Jessica's Big Little World (aired from October 2, 2023 to May 31, 2024)