Deirdre Brennan Tapped as Sprout’s New GM

NEW YORK: Deirdre Brennan, a former ABC TV exec who joined Corus Entertainment early last year, has been appointed general manager of Sprout and will relocate from Toronto to New York next month.

In her new position, Brennan will manage all aspects of programming, marketing, business strategy and performance for the 24-hour preschool channel. She will also work across all NBCU businesses, including Universal Brand Development, Universal Cable Productions and DreamWorks, to optimize projects and resources that expand the company’s overall kids’ strategy. She will report directly to Frances Berwick, the president of lifestyle networks at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment.

Brennan previously served as VP of content at Canada’s Corus Entertainment, where she oversaw the development, management and execution of the Corus Kids slate of programming. Before that, she was the head of children’s television for ABC TV in Australia. Earlier in her career, she was the director of content for Australia and New Zealand at BBC Worldwide and director of programming for Nickelodeon Australia.

“Deirdre is one of the most well-respected children’s media executives in the world—she is smart, strategic and collaborative—with a proven track record of success,” said Berwick. “Sprout is evolving and growing rapidly as we reinvent our business model to an originals-driven brand, and I’m thrilled to have a leader with Deirdre’s unparalleled experience drive this growth phase.”