Company Town : Disney Names Programming Chief

Channel One executive David A. Neuman was named president of Walt Disney Television to oversee development and production of Disney’s network series, movies and specials.

Neuman, who starts the job in May, has been president of programming for the in-school Channel One, which is owned by K-III Communications. Before that, he worked for five years at NBC. Neuman reports to Dean Valentine, president of Walt Disney Television and Walt Disney Television Animation.

* Diane Sokolow joined Phoenix Pictures as senior vice president in charge of East Coast operations.

* John Jacobs, currently senior vice president of worldwide media at Warner Bros., was named president of worldwide marketing and distribution operations for producer Peter Guber’s Mandalay Entertainment, effective when his Warner contract expires in May.

* Dawn Taubin was named senior vice president of advertising and publicity for Warner Bros. Juliana Olinka was named vice president of international publicity.

* Emerson G. Yearwood joined Falcon Cable TV as corporate director of cable and telephony regulatory affairs.

* Spelling Entertainment Group named Karen Miller vice president of programming. Pam Shae was named director of talent for Spelling Television.

* Karen Brown was hired as director of marketing research for New Line Cinema.

* Pat Rogers has joined performing rights organization SESAC as senior vice president for writer and publisher relations.

* Entertainment lawyers Michael Barnes and Kevin Morris have formed Barnes & Morris, a corporate finince and entertainment law firm in Santa Monica.

* SW Networks named Elliot Lee Speigel director of affiliate relations.

* W. Scott Yankus was named technical director of KUSC’s daily business magazine Marketplace.

* Universal Television named Jim Watters executive vice president of production.

* Cary Baker has been named vice president of media at Discovery Records.

* At Trilogy Entertainment Group, Mark Stern has been named president of production of motion pictures and television, Terri Clark has been promoted to senior vice president of motion picture development, and Matthew Nesburn has been promoted to vice president of development.

* John McKenna has been appointed vice president of the new London division of Warner Bros. Feature Animation.

* Don Golden has been named vice president and Western regional manager for MGM Domestic Television Distribution.

* Hearst Entertainment Inc. has promoted Ron Ulloa to senior vice president of business affairs.

* Lisa Dallos has been named newsmagazine publicity director for King World Productions Inc.

* Keven Duffy has joined October Films as director of West Coast acquisitions.

* Disney Interactive has named Isaac Kerlow vice president of creative resources and Harry Jenkins vice president of software production.

* Christopher Rovtar has been appointed to senior vice president sales for Tradewinds Television.