Shine co-founder Albie Hecht to head HLN
Shine Global co-founder Albie Hecht has been named EVP and GM of Headline News Network. HLN is the national television network that focuses on the “must-see, must-share” stories of the day. As HLN’s new leader, Albie will oversee all aspects of HLN’s programming, management, day-to-day operations, as well as HLNtv.com.
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker made the announcement saying “Albie is one of the most creative executives in our industry. His diverse experiences at Viacom gave him a keen understanding of cable television, where he created some of media’s most well known brands and franchises. All of that, coupled with his lifelong passion for news and information, makes him the perfect fit for HLN,” said Zucker. “I wanted someone who could build off the strength that currently exists at HLN, which is enjoying one of its highest rated years ever, and evolve the network and its fast-growing digital properties even more.”
“Three key factors made the decision to join HLN easy: the opportunity to further evolve a noted brand, reinvent news in a digital age and work for Jeff, an industry giant,” said Hecht. ”Creating engaging and buzzed about content across multiple platforms is in my DNA, and I am excited to make magic with the talented team at HLN.”
Albie’s extensive career includes a wide range of successful documentary and nonfiction projects through Shine Global, which he co-founded with his wife Susan MacLaury, including producing this year’s Academy Award® winning short documentary Inocente, and War/Dance (2007) which was nominated for an Academy Award® and won an Emmy® for Best Documentary. He most recently served as chief executive officer of Worldwide Biggies, a digital entertainment studio creating original IP for young adults and the digital family and was named to “Hollywood Reporter’s” Top 50 Digital Power Innovators in 2008. Before that Albie created and was president of Spike TV and was president of Nickelodeon Entertainment and oversaw the development of the network’s hit series and films including SpongeBob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, the live action show All That, The Rugrats Movie (the first non-Disney animated movie to earn more than $100 million domestically) and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, the latter which received an Oscar® nomination. A founding principal and executive producer for Chauncy Street Productions, Hecht also co-created Nickelodeon’s highly successful Kids Choice Awards, a long running franchise which attracts A-list Hollywood talent.