Janie Grace has been named ITV's new controller of childrens' entertainment. Starting in September, Grace will head all ITV's kids' output, which will include on-line services and a new digital channel that is under construction. Formerly, she served as Nickelodeon’s U.K. managing director "Janie's achievements as the architect of the most successful children's channel in the United Kingdom give her a valuable perspective of ITV Children's future competitive strategy and digital development," ITV head of programs David Liddiment said.

San Francisco-based DotComix has announced that DOONESBURY creator Garry Trudeau has joined the company’s advisory board. In addition the company has added key executives and finalized a new US$8.5 million round of financing. Besides joining the advisory board, Trudeau will be the exclusive on-line animator of the DotComix series DUKE 2000. DotComix has since begun a campaign to elect the DOONESBURY cartoon character, Duke, for U.S. President, a campaign that has resulted in numerous television and media appearances, including a live one-hour special on the LARRY KING SHOW.

Sony Pictures Digital Studios president, Kenneth Williams, has been named the new CEO and president of Stan Lee Media. Subsequently, Stan Lee’s acting president and CEO, Devendra Mishra, will become the president of Stan Lee International, overseeing partnerships with multimedia companies around the world. Since 1997, Williams has overseen all activities at Sony Pictures Digital. In addition, Williams is one of the founders of Sony Pictures Imageworks, the Academy award-nominated digital effects and animation division of the company.

Coming on the heels of recent executive departures, Fox Family Channel and Fox Kids Network have promoted Brian Casentini to VP current programming at both networks and named Jonathan Rosenthal as VP development at Fox Kids. Casentini will helm current programming in production for Fox Family and Fox Kids and Rosenthal will head day-to-day development management and administration for Fox Kids Network. Previously, Casentini served as director of programming and development at Fox Family, where he helped create the award-winning series ANGELA ANACONDA.

Pulse Entertainment has hired Leo Hourvitz, Pixar’s former technical director and multimedia producer, as their new vice president of creative content technology. Hourvitz will oversee Pulse’s drive to up the use of its proprietary technology in the production of 3D Web animation. He will also be responsible for testing new technology and ensuring its functionality in real-life production environments. During his six-year tenure at Pixar Animation Studios, he worked on Pixar's award-winning films and interactive products.

The opening week failure of TITAN A.E. may have been the final straw that has pushed Fox Filmed Entertainment chairman and CEO, Bill Mechanic, to resign. Mechanic has decided to leave Fox and form his own production company much like former Disney chairman Joe Roth’s Revolution Studios. However, insiders say the abrupt exit was a result of pressure from parent News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch over financial losses and questionable movie greenlights.

Steve Tisch, film and television producing veteran, has joined the board of directors of Film Roman Inc. His film credits include Oscar Award winner FORREST GUMP, AMERICAN HISTORY X, THE POSTMAN and RISKY BUSINESS. For television, Tisch produced the Emmy nominated THE BURNING BED, SILENCE OF THE HEART and PRIME SUSPECT. Tisch is also known for his philanthropic activities, which include AIDS Project Los Angeles serving on the board of directors and the Steve Tisch Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds to benefit many charities like the UCLA Medical Center, The H.E.L.P.

Shockwave.com announced it has appointed former Pixar Animation Studios executive Lawrence Levy as its new president and CEO. Levy will also join the board of directors of the company. This new position will be effective June 19. Rob Burgess will continue as chairman of shockwave.com and chairman and CEO of Macromedia. Levy was the executive vice president and chief financial officer at Pixar where he spearheaded business operations and was responsible for Pixar's 1995 initial public offering.

Five Disney On-line producers, programmers and Flash engineers, and four veterans from Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering, have jumped ship to join Stan Lee Media (SLM). The team includes Jamie Wilkinson and Gary Manfredi, who will lead the company's new in-house research and development studio, focusing on new digital productions and technologies. The new division Squnkwurx was named as a tribute to the once-secret Lockheed division (the Skunk Works) which developed the first experimental production jet aircraft during World War II.

Walt Disney has promoted Leo Chu to the position of vice president, creative affairs for Walt Disney Feature Animation. Chu will now oversee the development of new features at the California, Florida and Paris-based Disney studios. Previously Chu had worked in various development roles on MULAN and DINOSAUR. Prior to joining the animation wing, Chu helped develop projects for Walt Disney Pictures. Currently, Chu is focusing his attention on next year's ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE.