cartoonnetwork

James Donald "Jim" Samples Jr.[1] (born February 12, 1963) is an American businessman and media executive. He is best known as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of TNT Latin America and Cartoon Network Latin America from 2000 to 2001, the General Manager and Executive Vice President of Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2007, the President of HGTV from 2007 to 2011, the President of Scripps Networks International since 2011,[2] and the President of the Management Board at TVN Group from 2016 to 2018. The CN eras under him were Powerhouse (2001–04), CN City (2004–07), and Yes! (2006–07). He is the first CN president to be a male.

Life and Career

Samples was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree from Presbyterian College, he received a Master's degree in International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina.[3]

Samples spent nearly fourteen years with Turner Broadcasting System in various leadership capacities spanning affiliate sales, marketing, programming and digital media. He started his career at Turner in international business development in 1993 and then became the President of Turner International Argentina, based in Buenos Aires, the following year.[4] In 2000, Samples became Senior Vice President and General Manager of TNT Latin America and Cartoon Network Latin America, serving as such until 2001.[4] He also served as the General Manager of CartoonNetwork.com around this time.[4]

On August 22, 2001, Samples was promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager of Cartoon Network Worldwide, replacing founder and original president Betty Cohen. He is also credited with the rollout and launch of Adult Swim,[5] the leading late-night network for young men in the United States, and joined forces with 20th Century Fox to put Family Guy back into production as the anchor for the Adult Swim line-up.[3]

Under Samples's leadership, Cartoon Network also somewhat controversially began airing live-action "cartoon-inspired" movies in 2005, such as The Goonies and Who Framed Roger Rabbit; this move was made in response to CN's slumping ratings due to competing live-action shows on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. In 2006, the network produced their first live-action original movie, Re-Animated, a combination of live-action and animation. When asked about the project, Samples stated "We think when it's done the 'Cartoon Network' way, kids will enjoy seeing animation and the real world collide."[6] While Cartoon Network intended to produce future shows that blend live action with animation as well as "cartoony" live-action shows, Samples maintained "we're predominately an animated network and that's not changing anytime soon."[7]

Samples resigned from Cartoon Network on February 9, 2007, following a bomb scare in Boston caused by packages left around the city that were part of an outdoor marketing campaign promoting the Adult Swim series Aqua Teen Hunger Force.[8][9] Samples made the decision "in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch", and with the "hope that my decision allows us to put this chapter behind us and get back to our mission of delivering unrivaled original animated entertainment for consumers of all ages".[10] Following Samples's resignation, Stuart Snyder was named his successor on May 2, 2007.[11]

After his resignation from CN, Samples transferred to Scripps Networks Interactive.

References

  1. ↑ "Powołanie członków Rady Nadzorczej na nową kadencję".
  2. ↑ Gaines, Jim (May 4, 2018). "More changes follow merger of Discovery Communications, Scripps Networks Interactive". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved on October 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Jim Samples, President, International". Scripps Networks Interactive. Retrieved on July 3, 2021.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LinkedIn
  5. ↑ "HGTV taps Samples as president". The Hollywood Reporter (13 September 2007).
  6. ↑ https://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2006/03/09/cartoon-network-goes-live-with-re-animated-20773/20060309cartoon01/#zKbbZxHq3x87oAoX.99
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". www.multichannel.com.
  8. ↑ "Two held after ad campaign triggers Boston bomb scare". CNN. February 1, 2007. https://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/31/boston.bombscare/. 
  9. ↑ "Cartoon Network Boss Quits Over Bomb Scare". CNN (February 9, 2007).
  10. ↑ Weber, Harry R. (February 10, 2007). "Cartoon Network Head Resigns After Scare". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070403040220/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2863647. Retrieved on August 24, 2011. 
  11. ↑ "Cartoon Network hires new GM". Variety (May 2, 2007). Retrieved on July 3, 2021.