HBO names Nevins replacements

US premium cablenet HBO has named two execs as executive VPs of HBO documentary and family programming following Sheila Nevins’ decision to leave the company.

Nancy Abraham

Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller are both assuming the newly created role, it was announced by Casey Bloys, president of HBO programming.

This follows yesterday’s news that Nevins, HBO’s longtime president of documentary and family programming, will be leaving the network early next year.

“With Nancy and Lisa leading a stellar team, there will be a continued commitment to the excellence that was a hallmark of Sheila’s tenure,” said Bloys. “Our viewers can look forward to a compelling slate of programming.”

Abraham and Heller, previously senior VPs of HBO documentary and family programming, are responsible for the development, production and acquisition of HBO documentaries and family programmes.

Lisa Heller

Their shows have garnered industry awards including Primetime Emmys, News and Documentary Emmys, George Foster Peabody Awards and Academy Awards.

Abraham joined the documentary division in 1995, was promoted to VP of documentary programming in 1998 and became senior VP in 2009.

She has served as a programming executive on such productions as Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Cries from Syria and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.

Heller came to HBO’s documentary division in 2000 from the PBS documentary series POV, where she was executive producer.

She was promoted to VP of documentary programming in 2001 and became senior VP in 2012. Heller has served as a programming executive on such documentaries as Born into Brothels, Capturing the Friedmans and The Jinx, and family programmes including Sesame Street.

In other news, HBO has set a date for a forthcoming series that will be executive produced by Alan Ball (True Blood). Here and Now will debut on February 11 and has Peter Macdissi and David Knoller also attached as executive producers.

The show follows a multi-racial family made up of a husband, wife and three adopted children from Somalia, Vietnam and Colombia, and one biological child as they find their bonds tested.

The drama stars Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter and is set in Portland, Oregon. Ball is the writer behind movie American Beauty and series Six Feet Under.