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April 10, 2000
Markle Foundation Names Alice Cahn Of Children's Television Workshop To Direct Program On Interactive Media For Children
Cahn to Run Major Program That Explores Ways To Help Children Benefit From Interactive Media

Established Leader in Children's Television Turns Focus To New Media And How It Can Best Serve Children and Parents

New York, NY - Markle Foundation President Zoë Baird today named Alice Cahn to lead the foundation's Interactive Media for Children Program. Cahn, who will be a Managing Director at Markle, moves from Children's Television Workshop, where she currently serves as President of the Television, Film, and Video Group, and is responsible for CTW's global creative development and production.

Said Zoë Baird, "I am delighted that Alice has joined the Markle Foundation. She has been a major figure in entertaining and educational children's media for many years. Alice is now in a position to create the models and expectations for how interactive media can best benefit children." She added, "As children's waking hours become increasingly influenced by interactive media and toys, it is critical that we encourage the development of quality content. Alice's extraordinary track record as a leader in children's television and her desire to turn her attentions to new media bode well for the next generation of media consumers and for the field at large."

Said Alice Cahn, "I am so proud of what we have accomplished at The Workshop: debuting DRAGON TALES as a top-rated series on PBS; Amy Tan's SAGWA slated for PBSKids Online and Television; increased audiences and impact for SESAME STREET across the screens; and much more. My move to The Markle Foundation is an opportunity to take what I've learned about children, families and the impact of media and apply it more broadly to new and emerging technologies. I intend to build partnerships that create motivating, responsible, engaging content and delivery systems that positively impact children and families. The Markle Foundation is an exciting institution on the cutting edge, working to advance public benefit from new information technologies."

About Alice Cahn

Alice Cahn currently serves as President of the Television, Film, and Video Group at Children's Television Workshop, where she is responsible for all CTW's domestic and international creative development and television production as well as home video and audio production and the development and production of film projects for the nonprofit organization. Prior this, she served as Director of Children's Programming at PBS, where her responsibilities included strategic planning, the direction of all PBS children's projects, and the development of series including: Teletubbies, Wishbone, Kratts' Creatures, Arthur, and Where in Time is Carmen San Diego.

Prior to her tenure at PBS, Ms. Cahn designed national outreach programs that linked television, businesses, and education at the Los-Angeles-based Education First!, and served as Program Director for Children's Instructional Television at KQED, Northern California Public Broadcasting. Alice Cahn received her Masters in Educational Technology from San Francisco State University and holds a New York Teacher's License, K-8.

About Markle's Interactive Media for Children Program

Markle's Interactive Media for Children Program is a multi-faceted program of research, investments, and public education that works to create and support quality interactive media for children. The program includes: A major commitment to gain in-depth knowledge about the impact and potential of new media to help children learn and grow; specifically, efforts include the setting of a national research agenda on how interactive media can contribute to the cognitive, emotional, physical, and developmental needs of children;