ITC TO MERGE ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP GROUPS

THE Independent Television Commission (ITC) are to merge their Advertising & Sponsorship and Programmes Groups under Sarah Thane as Director, with Ian Blair as Deputy Director, with effect from October 1, 2001.
The move anticipates the likely structure of the new communications regulators OFCOM which will bring five of the current regulators under one roof when it becomes operational in 2003.
Patricia Hodgson, Chief Executive of the ITC, said: “Given the likelihood of a single content area within OFCOM, there are clearly strong reasons for creating a new Group focused on content and audience interests. So this move is future-oriented and designed to help us lead the transition towards the new organisation.”
Sarah Thane is currently Director of Programmes and Ian Blair the Deputy Director of Advertising & Sponsorship.
The changes follow the appointment of Stephen Locke, Director of Advertising & Sponsorship, to the role of Project Director for the Regulators' Steering Group, with responsibility for co-ordinating the preparations OFCOM.
Locke, who has been involved in the OFCOM Scoping Project since April 2001, will be seconded full-time to transition planning from 1 October. (CD)