Scholastic taps Olshansky to guide co-pro strategy

Since it first came on the scene five years ago as a new cog in its parentco's mighty franchise-building machine, New York-based Scholastic Entertainment has been one of those rare birds able to fully finance its shows domestically. But the unit is now facing a drastically different U.S. kids programming landscape in which all the major players have tightened the strings on their commissioning purses. 'The gatekeepers right now are the broadcasters, and they want to dedicate their best real estate and a large part of their budgets to the things they make and own,' explains Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Entertainment and executive VP of Scholastic Inc. 'There is a willingness to acquire product, but not high-priced product.'