Amy Friedman Named Warner Bros.’ Head of Kids & Family

Amy Friedman has been appointed head of kids and family programming at Warner Bros., to oversee the creative and strategic guidance for Cartoon Network and Boomerang, as well as develop and produce content for HBO Max.

This newly created role reports to Tom Ascheim, president of global kids, young adults and classics at Warner Bros. Previously appointed as senior advisor by Ascheim to assume programming and creative responsibilities for Cartoon Network, Friedman will add content portfolio plans to her role. This includes strategy for new and current series, acquisitions and co-productions globally for kids and family across the WarnerMedia portfolio of kids brands while working in close collaboration with the animation studios, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.

Her executive content team is led by Vishnu Athreya, leading program planning and current series, and Adina Pitt, who has a newly expanded role leading content acquisitions, partnerships and co-productions for the Americas. Both will report directly to Friedman, who will also be building a small creative team in Los Angeles and New York.

Prior to her appointment, Friedman served in senior creative management roles at Nickelodeon, Noggin, TeenNick, Scratch (Viacom’s in-house millennial innovation lab), Sprout and Universal Kids. Friedman is the founder and president of Redhead Consulting, a brand creation and content development company focused on kids, teens and families.

“For all the years I have known Amy, she has always exemplified what it means to be a successful and respected leader in the kids’ sphere. Her wit and humor rival her sharp creative, business and brand acumen, and she knows what kids of all ages and parents want,” said Ascheim. “In today’s immensely cluttered entertainment space, Amy’s commitment to deeply original, inclusive programming will grow our preschool, kids’ and family offering across our portfolio of brands.”

Friedman added: “It’s a thrill to be reunited with Tom and to join a team of creatives who are rightly respected as the best of the best. It’s unusual to feel immediately at home at a place I’ve never been before, but I do! To be part of WarnerMedia’s next chapter of growth and to connect with families through content with heart, comedy and originality is a dream.”