AWN Headline News

Los Angeles-based DNA Studio has named David Badagliacca as its Head ofSales, Marketing & New Business Development, and Jane Greenstein, as afull-time producer. Previously, Badagliacca supervised the launch ofMaverick Records' Clio Award-winning Web site while at the label. He alsooversaw efforts for other popular, unconventional sites, including a newsite for recording artist Alanis Morissette and a music video madeexclusively for the Web. Jane Greenstein will produce original content for

Walt Disney-owned companies Touchstone Television Productions and ABCTelevision Group are merging to form ABC Entertainment Television Group.According to ABC Television Group president Pat Fili-Krushel, "The goal inconsolidation is to produce creative results that result in more Disneyproduct on ABC and also allow us to achieve economies of scale." In otherwords, this consolidation will likely result in more Disney-producedtelevision programming appearing on ABC (Touchstone currently has only two

"Shorties" is a series of two-minute animated shorts that re-interpret someof Hanna-Barbera's lesser known, but fondly-remembered characters such asAtom Ant, Jabberjaw, and Wally Gator. The shorts began to air in Junethroughout the day on Cartoon Network during breaks from regularlyscheduled programming. They feature original plots and different animationtechniques for each short, and aim to update these characters with anironic, post-modern twist. Techniques include cel animation, cut-outs,

The CBS Television Network's 1999-2000 Saturday Morning schedule, whichbegins on October 2, includes three returning shows and three new ones, allproduced by Toronto-based Nelvana. The new series are RESCUE HEROES,BLASTER'S UNIVERSE, and NEW TALES FROM THE CRYPT. RESCUES HEROES is about ateam of international emergency response professionals, and is designed tointroduce young viewers to preparedness and safety techniques. BLASTER'SUNIVERSE is based on a series of CD-ROMs from Knowledge Adventure. Set in

Given the fact that TARZAN OF THE APES, Edgar Rice Burroughs' first Tarzannovel, has already spawned innumerable sequels in both print and movieform, it should be no surprise that Disney already has plans for a sequelto its very successful TARZAN. Decisions regarding whether the sequel willbe theatrical or direct-to-video, as well as who will direct it, have yetto be announced.

Sirius Thinking, Ltd. has hired Sharon Lerner as senior vice-president ofcreative development and animation producer for the new series BETWEEN THELINES, a series for children that is scheduled to premiere on PBS in April2000. Lerner was one of the first ten people hired by Children's TelevisionWorkshop to create SESAME STREET, and was, until recently, thevice-president and publisher of the Random House Children's Media Division.