Hallmark adds news faces to improve image

Mumbai: Crown Media International LLC has announced the appointment of Betty Ho (research manager, Asia) and Jenny Tan (advertising sales director, Asia).

Reporting to vice-president (research and media planning) Suzanne Sell, Ho will look after research in the Asia Pacific region with specific focuses on Australia, India, Taiwan and Singapore. Ho has more than five years experience in the research industry.

Before joining Hallmark Channel, Betty spent more than a year with iamasia, where she set up the Internet user panel. Prior to that, Ho worked for ACNielsens regional-television division in Hong Kong, specialising in multi-country media projects throughout the Asia Pacific region for clients such as Star TV, Disney, BBC World and Turner.

Tan will report to vice-president (advertising sales, Asia) Gregory Ang. He has an expanded role of accounts management, overseeing the strategic directions of advertising sales in Asia. Working closely with the new research manager, Tan will provide initiatives and new inputs to advertisers, clients and sales representatives.

Prior to joining Hallmark Channel, Jenny was the advertising sales manager of Discovery Channel, responsible for regional accounts of Ericsson, Mercedes Benz, Philips and Apple.

Says Crown Media International LLC Asia managing director and chief executive Terence Yau: Our distribution continues to grow with the new basic carriage agreements in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia markets earlier this year. It is important for us to step up our efforts in marketing, advertising sales and research to provide tailored services to our affiliates, advertisers and consumers. I am glad to announce these appointments and promotions, as they are well-experienced professionals in the cable and satellite industry.

Crown Media Holdings owns and operates cable television channels dedicated to high quality, broad appeal and entertainment programming. The company currently operates and distributes Hallmark Channel in the US and more than 111 countries. The combined channels have over 88 million subscribers worldwide.

Reaching over 18 million households in Asia, Hallmark Channel also offers educational kids programming. Significant investors in Crown Media Holdings include: Hallmark Entertainment Holdings, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards; Liberty Media Corp; DirectTV; VISN Management Corp, a for-profit subsidiary of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition; and J P Morgan Partners (SBIC) LLC.