BBC Chairman Jumps Ship To ITV Top Job
The BBC has been shaken up by the shock announcement that the Corporation’s chairman, Michael Grade, has jumped ship to become executive chairman of ITV with immediate effect.
Various names have been in the frame for the top job at Britain’s biggest commercial broadcaster since Allen’s departure, such as Stephen Carter, former head of media regulator Ofcom; Dawn Airey, a senior executive at Sky; Michael Jackson, a one-time chief executive of Channel 4; and Malcolm Wall, formerly with United Business Media (see ITV Draws Up Two Candidate Shortlists For Top Job). However, Grade had not been mentioned.
This latest development comes at a tumultuous time for both ITV and the BBC, with the Corporation just days away from its licence fee announcement and ITV barely out of the headlines after BSkyB’s almost 20% acquisition of the broadcaster.
ITV’s shares fell considerably in the summer, when Charles Allen’s future was in doubt (see ITV Chief Executive Could Exit), before rallying in the summer and then dropping 5% after the recent BSkyB acquisition (see ITV Share Price Falls After BSkyB Acquires Stake). However, the broadcaster’s share price has risen recently, indicating a more positive close to 2006.
