2. Art of the Nick Fit

Cyma Zarghami
Title: President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group

Tom Ascheim
Title: EVP/GM Nickelodeon Television
Age: 43
Years in industry: 20
 
Why Them? Cyma Zarghami and Tom Ascheim would like to remind everyone that before there was Troy and Gabriella, there was SpongeBob and Patrick. Indeed, Nickelodeon has been riding the Bikini Bottom wave since 1999 and remains the No. 1 children’s network for 11 years and running. No small feat given the competition it’s swimming with these days. Zarghami, who’s been with Nick since 1985 and helped foster additional hits like “The Fairly OddParents” and “Rugrats” spinoff “All Gown Up,” recently added oversight of the newly formed MTVN Kids & Family group that includes Nick At Nite, Nick Online, Nick Movies, Noggin/The N, Nicktoons Television, Nick Games and Sports and Nick’s burgeoning digital businesses, and newly acquired Neopets.com. Ascheim has greenlit new animated series include “Barnyard TV,” based on the movie from Nick’s film division, and “Thugaboo,” developed by the Wayans Brothers. The network also successfully migrated many of its preschool series—including “Blue’s Clues,” “Dora The Explorer” and smash spinoff “Go! Diego Go!”—to its diginet Noggin, now home to some unique programming of its own. And Nick’s vaunted Kids Choice Awards remains a family viewing event adored by kids and celebs alike. Need more evidence of the network’s continued cool factor? None other than David Bowie will voice a character in a new SpongeBob movie planned for next year.  CAO

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Tom Ascheim

Person (other than my current boss) who I’d most like to work for: Joe Torre
My most embarrassing cable moment was: “Imitating the Naked Cowboy in Times Square (in January).”
Favorite city: Rome
Favorite sports team: Yankees
Favorite piece of tech: Blackberry
Least favorite piece of tech: Blackberry

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