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Hit exec to lead ABC toon push

Australian pubcaster ABC has hired Hit Entertainment’s development VP as its first dedicated children’s animation commissioner.

Chris Rose, currently UK-based Hit’s VP of development and programming, will be charged primarily with forging new international coproduction partnerships and developing new cartoons at ABC.

He will report to ABC’s controller of children’s TV Tim Brooke-Hunt, who told C21: “What that represents is us putting more emphasis on animation. We’ve been very strong in live-action, with shows like Dance Academy, but I want ABC to become a real leader in animation.”

Rose joins ABC Kids in April, relocating to Australia from Hit’s London base to join a team also including drama commissioner Simon Hopkinson, executive producer Jan Stradling and head of programming and acquisitions Barbara Uecker.

Rose’s previous positions include acquisitions roles at the BBC during nearly a decade at the UK pubcaster. He then joined children’s IP giant Hit in 2008 as director of programming and development before being promoted to VP two years later.

He is credited with leading Hit’s development team through a difficult period in which the company’s owner, Apax Partners, was seeking a buyer and oversaw the launch of new preschool show Mike the Knight.

Toyco Mattel announced it had acquired Hit last year and closed the sale this month.

Brooke-Hunt said: “Chris is an incredibly well qualified person. He worked for the BBC and then ran a big development slate at Hit, where he got Mike the Knight going. He’s a delightful guy and he’s going to be a huge success for us.”

ABC1 discontinued its weekday morning block last year, which Brooke-Hunt said had resulted in “significant migration” to digital network ABC 4 Kids. The latter also extended its daily broadcasting hours from nine to 13. ABC also operates ABC3.

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