Alan Yentob, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Creative Director, announced today (Monday 4 April)
the appointment of Alison Sharman as the new Controller
of CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
Alison Sharman, currently Controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Daytime, will become the
creative leader of the two children's channels, the CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Channel and
CBeebies, and will be responsible for their editorial vision, commissioning
and scheduling strategies.
She will have overall responsibility for all children's production,
children's acquisitions and CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ online.
Following Dorothy Prior's move to become Controller of Production Resources,
Alison will take up her new role on 20 June.
Susan Spindler, Deputy Director of Drama, Entertainment and CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, will
caretake the role in the interim.
Alan Yentob said: "Alison has proved herself to be an outstanding creative
leader. The clarity and freshness of vision she showed in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Daytime,
backed by a real willingness to surprise and challenge both the audience
and the industry's traditional perceptions of daytime television, made
her the first choice for this important role.
"I'm delighted that she will now bring that sense of innovation and
the broadest range of programme ideas to television for young audiences
- in some ways the toughest audience to reach - and I am confident that
under her direction CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ will go from strength to strength."
Alison Sharman said: "CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in microcosm, bringing real range
and quality to young audiences.
"I want today's children to form the same kind of bond with children's
programmes from the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ as I did in my youth; for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ to really
matter to them despite the fact that there are so many other things
claiming their attention now.
"I am really excited to inherit such strong services and to be
given such a fantastically rich and broad canvas to both build and experiment
on."
Jana Bennett, Director of Television, said: "Alison has been a tireless
champion of the importance of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Daytime, and has pioneered the introduction
of original drama and current affairs to the broad mix on offer - a
mix which has kept Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Daytime as the market leader.
"She has also ensured that Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Daytime is highly responsive to
news events, from Concorde's last flight to the Beslan school siege.
"She leaves Daytime in really good health on both Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ONE and
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO."
Jana will now begin the search for Alison's successor.
Notes to Editors
CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is the generic term for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's children's programming and online
services which incorporates:
CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and CBeebies programming on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ONE and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO;
The CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Channel and CBeebies, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's subscription-free, dedicated
children's digital channels, which launched in February 2002.
CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is aimed at six to 12 year olds and CBeebies is aimed at pre-school
children;
CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ online and interactive services.
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