TORONTO – An original member of the YTV management team and the founding general manager of TreehouseTV, Susan Ross spent almost two decades in kids TV.
On May 31 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio, Ross will receive the Alliance for Children and Television (ACT) Outstanding Achievement Award for 2007.
Ross "has enjoyed an exceptional career in children’s programming in Canada," says the ACT press release. "ACT’s board of directors is recognizing her for her commitment to excellence in children’s programming, as well as her leadership and guidance in developing Treehouse TV into one of the world’s best preschool channels.
"Susan Ross’s involvement in mentoring new talent and career-long commitment to development and innovation are inspirational examples for the entire children’s entertainment community. Winners of this prestigious prize, sponsored by the Independent Production Fund, are chosen for the quality of their contributions, their leadership, their ability to innovate and inspire, and their commitment throughout their career to young Canadians," adds the release.
Ross (pictured) is currently executive vice-president and general manager, lifestyle, drama and
movies for Corus Entertainment. Prior to this, she spent 19 years in Canadian children’s television and was an original member of YTV’s management team responsible for brand development, audience marketing and distribution in her role as vice-president of Marketing.
In 1997, as General Manager for Treehouse TV, she led the launch of North America’s first dedicated preschool channel as well as the launch of Discovery Kids in 2001. Susan is currently on the boards of Concerned Children’s Advertisers and Women in Film and Television Toronto. She also served on ACT’s board for six years, and was an original board member of Canadian Cable in the Classroom.
ACT will also present its emerging talent award to writers Simon Elliot and Richard Racioppa at the same event. This award is given to promising professionals 30 or younger whose achievements have made them a rising star in children’s programming.
"In their own words, Simon Elliott and Richard Racioppa are writers with bad hair, bad clothes, and bad attitudes. They’ve worked extensively writing and developing television for clients like Disney Television, Warner Brothers, Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, The Jim Henson Company, and Nelvana. Recently they’ve been writing for Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans, story-editing Nickelodeon’s Mr. Meaty, and developing and writing Discovery Channel’s Grossology, as well as Disney’s Get Ed," says the release.
