MIKE MCHALE, senior vice president-group media director at Publicis' Optimedia, has left to start his own consulting shop, Cleverworks.

BETSY FRANK, executive vice president-research and planning at Viacom, is leaving after eight years with the company, but will remain as a consultant.

ALEX WALLACE has been named vice president of NBC News, where she will oversee "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams." Wallace was executive producer of "Today, Weekend Edition" and senior producer of "Today."

HERB SCANNELL, vice chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon Networks, has left Viacom. His duties will be split between Cyma Zarghami, who will head the newly formed MTVN Kids and Family group, and Doug Herzog, who will lead TV Land.

MARY G. BERNER has resigned as group president of the Fairchild unit of Condé Nast Publications to pursue other business opportunities. Her responsibilities will be split among Charles H. Townsend, president-CEO of Condé Nast Publications, and Mitchell B. Fox, a group president of Condé Nast Publications.

RICHARD F. ZANNINO was named CEO of Dow Jones & Company, effective Feb.1, replacing Peter R. Kann, who will remain as chairman until his retirement in 2007. Kann’s wife, Karen Elliott House, senior vice president of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, is also leaving the company.

MARTHA NELSON was named the first editor of the newly formed People Group, where she will oversee ancillary products and projects under the People brand. Deputy editor Larry Hackett will replace her as managing editor of People.

JAY MEYER, director of corporate sales, and STACEY STAATERMAN, director of corporate sales development, have been promoted to vice presidents of American Express Publishing Corp., effective immediately. Meyer directs ad sales across the American Express Publishing stable, while Staaterman oversees marketing and branding initiatives for the corporate sales team.

JEAN MADDALON has been promoted to COO of American BusinessMedia.  She joined ABM in 1999 and was named CFO of the association in December 2002.

FRANCIS X. FARRELL, publisher of National Geographic Adventure, and RAINER A. JENSS, publisher of National Geographic Kids, have been promoted to vice presidents in National Geographic’s magazine division.

BARRY LOWENTHAL is the new president of the Media Kitchen, the media arm of Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners. He also takes the title of managing partner. Lowenthal comes from Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York, where he worked as media director. He replaces Paul Woolmington, who left in December to become a founding partner of the New York startup office of Naked Communications, a U.K.-based marketing services company.