Herb Scannell
Encyclopedia
Early years
Scannell was born in Long Island, New York to an IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
father and Puerto Rican mother as the youngest of four. He received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. His mother taught him Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
at home helping him to become fluent in both English and Spanish. As a child he would spend every summer with his Puerto Rican family in the island becoming very attached to his Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
roots.
Scannell graduated from high school in 1975 and entered Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. As a student he became the manager of WZBC
WZBC
WZBC is a radio station broadcasting an Alternative format. Licensed to Newton, Massachusetts, United States, the station serves Boston and its western suburbs. The station is currently owned by Boston College....
(the campus' radio station). He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelors Degree in English.
Nickelodeon
Scannell was hired by WHNWHN
WHN was a radio station in New York City located at 1050 kHz. Its best known format was country music, which the station played from 1972 to 1987...
Radio (New York) in 1980, before joining the cable television revolution in 1981 at The Movie Channel before it merged with Showtime, and eventually worked his way up to the position of Director of Program Promotion for Showtime/The Movie Channel.
On March 1988, Scannell joined Nickelodeon as Director of Programming, overseeing program scheduling. In 1989
1989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, he was named Vice President for Nickelodeon. He oversaw the development and launch of Nick News. In 1990
1990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, he served as Executive Vice President for Nickelodeon Network and U.S. Television. He oversaw the direction of Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
networks. He was also fundamental in the development of Nick Jr. and Nicktoons
Nicktoons
Nicktoons are animated television shows that are produced by and aired on the children's television channel Nickelodeon. Prior to 1991, Nickelodeon aired mostly foreign made animated series. The idea for Nicktoons was formed in 1989 and on Sunday, August 11, 1991, the first Nicktoon, Doug, was...
.
President of Nickelodeon
On February 1996, he was named President of Nickelodeon and TV LandTV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
. Under his leadership Nicktoons (which included such animated cartoons as SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American-Canadian animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001 on Oh Yeah!...
, Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
, and Doug
Doug
Doug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and co-produced by his studio, Jumbo Pictures . Doug centers on the surreal and imaginative exploits of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending middle school. The series lampoons...
) and TV Land became the highest rated cable networks launched within the past seven years. Nickelodeon also expanded to other areas such as live theatrical shows, magazines and feature films. He was also responsible for launching Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until...
, The Brothers Garcia
The Brothers Garcia
The Brothers García is an American sitcom that premiered in 2000 on Nickelodeon and ended in 2004. It was among the first projects of Sí TV, an effort to produce programming featuring Latino characters, however being aimed at a diverse audience...
(which is based on a Los Garcia, a show he used to watch in Puerto Rico) and Taina
Taina (TV series)
Taina is an American sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon and was one of the last live-action comedy shows taped at Nickelodeon Studios but later moved to the Nickelodeon On Sunset in Hollywood, for its second season. The show aired from January 14, 2001 to May 11, 2002.-Premise:Taina Morales is a...
.
On June 2003, MTV Chairman Tom Freston
Tom Freston
Thomas E. Freston is an American entertainment industry executive. He currently is a principal in Firefly3 LLC, a consulting and investment company. Currently he consults Oprah Winfrey, among others....
named Scannell as president of Nickelodeon Networks and vice chairman of MTV Networks. (On January 5, 2006, he resigned from his position with MTV/Nickelodeon, and was replaced by Cyma Zarghami
Cyma Zarghami
Cyma Zarghami is an Iranian-American cable television executive currently serving as the president of Nickelodeon and MTV Networks' Kids & Family Group.-Early life and career:...
.) He played a lead role in the overall management of the entire company.
Later years
On August 22, 2005, he participated in "The State of Hispanic America National Conference" as a member of the Executive Roundtable. Herb Scannell currently lives in Manhattan, New York with his wife and two daughters. In January 2007, Scannell became the founding CEO of Next New Networks, a new media company of micro-television networks distributed through internet technology; the company had 2010's #1 and #2 YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos in the world. Co-founders include Emil Rensing, Fred Seibert
Fred Seibert
Frederick "Fred" Seibert is a television and film producer and entertainment entrepreneur who owns Frederator Studios, and who has held leading positions with MTV Networks, Hanna-Barbera, and Next New Networks; he owns Frederator Studios...
, Timothy Shey, and Jed Simmons. The company is funded with partner Spark Capital. The company's first group of networks include VOD Cars, Fast Lane Daily
Fast Lane Daily
Fast Lane Daily, sometimes referred to as FLD, is an Internet-based video newscast about the automotive industry. Fast Lane Daily is part of AutoStream, Inc.. Its first episode first aired on February 17, 2007....
, and Channel Frederator. In June 2010, Scannell became the President of BBC Worldwide America.
Awards and recognitions
Among the many awards and recognitions which he received are:- CTAM Awards
- BPME Awards
- NAMIC Vision and Image Award (2001)
- Profile in Latino Leaders Magazine (2004)
- Amnesty International Award (2004)
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Irish immigration to Puerto RicoIrish immigration to Puerto RicoFrom the 16th to the 19th century, there was considerable Irish immigration to Puerto Rico, for a number of reasons. During the 16th century many Irishmen, who were known as "Wild Geese," fled the English Army and joined the Spanish Army. Some of these men were stationed in Puerto Rico and...