Hailing from Warner Bros. Discovery, the exec comes onboard June 13, tasked with driving expansion of the kids’ multi-platform content strategy while developing new approaches to production for emerging platforms and overseeing the PBS Kid’s content team.
PBS has named Adriano Schmid Vice President of PBS KIDS Content. Taking over responsibility for overseeing the PBS KIDS Content team and the network’s full content library, he will also helm the expansion of PBS KIDS’ multi-platform content strategy. This includes identifying new industry talent, fostering relationships with current producers and partners, and developing new approaches to content production on emerging platforms. He joins the team on June 13 and will report to Sara DeWitt, SVP and General Manager of PBS KIDS.
A media veteran with 20+ years of industry experience, Schmid was most recently at Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., focusing on multi-lingual programming in both Latin American and U.S. Hispanic markets. There, he developed and produced curriculum-based projects for preschool-age audiences in the non-fiction, live-action, and animation long-form genres. He also supervised the creation of short and digital kids' content, such as e-books, games, and webisodes.
One of Schmid’s most recent projects includes the children's comedy series, Ba Da Bean, which explores the sometimes-invisible connection between art and STEM. Other projects include the popular Latin American series Mini Beat Power Rockers, a CG-animated show with a strong music appreciation curriculum. He also led the network’s editorial supervision on popular co-productions Agent Binky and Earth to Luna. Schmid has been recognized with awards such as the Pulcinella Papernauts (2018) and the Cine Golden Eagle Award (2014) for Doki. He is also a four-time International Emmy Award nominee (2015-2018).
"We’re thrilled to welcome Adriano to PBS,” said DeWitt. “His extensive background, focus on educational, diverse, and accessible kids’ content, and deep respect for the PBS KIDS legacy and mission make him a strong addition to our team. Adriano will bring a great new perspective to the team as we continue to build and expand on the ways in which we serve children, families, and communities across the country.”
"PBS KIDS brings such a unique proposition: combining the directive to embrace different styles, formats, points of view and voices, together with an unwavering commitment to creating content with a purpose,” added Schmid. “It’s an honor to join this amazing team and work on this growing family of beloved characters. I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue my work empowering children to connect, learn and have fun.”
Before joining Discovery Inc., Schmid worked on factual and lifestyle programming, oversaw on-air promotion, and worked in production for HBO Brazil. He received an MFA in screenwriting from the University of Miami and a bachelor's degree in Business from Fundação Getúlio Vargas.
Source: PBS Kids
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
