MUMBAI: Rich Ross will be the new Disney Channel Worldwide president. The announcement was made by Walt Disney Media Networks co-chairman and ABC Television president Anne Sweeney.

Ross will be now responsible for the day-to-day management of Disney's basic cable channels for children and families, Disney Channel and Toon Disney in the US, and 22 international Disney channels. These include three Playhouse Disney Channels and three Toon Disney Channels in the UK, France and Spain. In India, Disney is expected to launch three channels later in the year.

He will also oversee Disney-branded programming blocks in 51 countries. They reach 600 million television viewers worldwide.

Ross joined the Disney Channel in 1996 as senior VP, programming and production. He was named president in 2002. In his most recent position, he oversaw all programming, production and marketing for Disney Channel. Ross expanded the network's original programming offerings to include hit shows likeLizzie McGuire andDisney's Kim Possible .

He supervised the creation of Disney Channel's critically acclaimed learning-based programming block for preschoolers, Playhouse Disney, which includes Stanley and the Emmy-award winning Rolie Polie Olie .