Company Town : Fox to Name Top V.P. of New Film Unit

Twentieth Century Fox is expected to announce this week the appointment of Jon Jashni as senior vice president of production for its Fox Family Films Inc. unit.

Jashni was president of Giant Pictures, the joint film venture that music mogul Irving Azoff established with Time Warner.

Jashni produced “The Inkwell” for Walt Disney’s Touchstone Pictures and helped package such projects as “The Fountainhead” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

He previously worked at IndieProd Co. and Columbia Pictures.

Fox’s Family Films is a new unit whose first release will be the upcoming “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.”

* HBO named Bob Cooper president of HBO Pictures and HBO Showcase, and Chris Albrecht was named president of HBO Original Programming.

* Cheryl Bayer, former head of casting at ABC Productions, has joined Creative Artists Agency in the television and motion picture area.

* Chrysalis Music announced the appointment of Mark Friedman as general professional manager and the promotion of Cliff Cantor to director of artists and repertoire.

* MJ Peckos has joined First Look Pictures Releasing as senior vice president of domestic distribution and marketing.

* Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group has promoted Steve Bardwil to senior vice president of legal affairs.

* Jim Dietle has been appointed director of business affairs for Columbia TriStar Television Distribution.

* Michael J. Powers has been named industry group leader for the West Coast entertainment industry, a new division of William M. Mercer Inc.

* Debra Stein was appointed senior vice president of marketing and public relations for LIVE Entertainment Inc.

* Lisa Westfield Avent is the new vice president in charge of North American licensing and merchandising for Nelvana Communications.

* EMI Records Group North America appointed Sharon Silver senior director of compensation and benefits.