Brown Johnson, formerly evp of Nick Jr., has been promoted to the newly created position of exec creative director of preschool television, Nickelodeon Television. Johnson will oversee development and production for all preschool programming across Nickelodeon networks, including Nick Jr. and NOGGIN.
Brown Johnsons vision of preschool programming has changed the way kids watch TV, said Cyma Zarghami, president, Nickelodeon Television. For 10 years she has brought her great thinking and play to learn philosophy to Nick Jr. and made it the brand it is today a destination where kids actively participate and help solve BLUES CLUES, learn Spanish with DORA, and jump up and down in LAZYTOWN with Sportacus and Stephanie. With her added responsibilities at NOGGIN, she will be able to expand her creative energy and deep understanding of the developmental stages of preschoolers even further.
Johnsons creative leadership and brand strategy have made Nick Jr. the number-one brand for preschoolers, said a company release, spawning multiple businesses for Nickelodeon including an extensive consumer products line, NICK JR. FAMILY MAGAZINE and nickjr.com.
Led by Johnson, Nicks block dedicated to preschoolers added a fresh new programming slate in 2004 with series premieres, including LAZYTOWN and THE BACKYARDIGANS, a new on-air look, interstitials from around the world and on-air host Piper OPossum. Johnson also developed and produced Baby Nick Jr.s CURIOUS BUDDIES, a new line of baby videos that inspire babies through playful entertainment.
Johnson joined Nickelodeon in 1987 as exec in charge of production and in 1989 was promoted in two years to vp, production for Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, where she oversaw all Nickelodeon production, production management, talent and Nickelodeon Studios' production staff in Florida. Under her auspices, series such as CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL, ROUNDHOUSE, HEY DUDE and WILD & CRAZY KIDS were produced. Johnson assembled a Nick Jr. advisory board of child development experts, with whom Nickelodeon has been working to develop Nick Jr. programming and ancillary businesses.
In 1993, she became vp/exec producer of Nick Jr. production and development. Nickelodeon invested more than $30 million in original pre-school television and Johnson was responsible for launching daily original series in the block, including GULLAH GULLAH ISLAND, BLUES CLUES, LITTLE BILL and DORA THE EXPLORER. Promoted to evp, Nick Jr. in 2001, she led the development and production of new series LAZYTOWN, THE BACKYARDIGANS and the upcoming DORA spinoff, GO, DIEGO, GO.
Nick Jr. is a specially designed programming block airing on Nickelodeon weekdays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (ET/PT) and weekends on CBS (check local listings). Completely dedicated to preschoolers, 2-5, Nick Jr.s Emmy, Peabody and Parents Choice Award-winning programs are curriculum-based, fun and commercial free.
NOGGIN is the commercial-free, educational network for preschoolers owned by Nickelodeon, reaching 43 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite TYV. NOGGIN, which airs from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (ET), is like preschool on TV, with educational programming both on-air and online at www.noggin.com.
