The person who oversaw the relaunch of ITV‘s streaming service will lead Scotland’s STV as CEO.
Rufus Radcliffe has been appointed to succeed Simon Pitts, who was named Chief Govt at British media agency World earlier this 12 months. Pitts exits on October 31 and Radcliffe will grow to be STV Group boss a day later.
Radcliffe exited ITV, the place he was a member of the UK business community’s Govt Committee, in April after 13 years. He has most lately been Managing Director of Streaming, Interactive and Information, enjoying a serious function in ITV’s shift from linear broadcasting to digital, particularly overseeing the launch of streamer ITVX. He had additionally beforehand been Chief Advertising Officer, serving to to launch BritBox.
ITV and STV have a uniquely shut relationship, with the latter being the previous’s franchise licensee in Scotland. In apply, this implies most of ITV’s greatest exhibits resembling soaps Coronation Avenue and Emmerdale run on the community regionally.
Paul Reynolds, Chair of STV Group plc, mentioned: “The board is delighted to welcome Rufus to steer STV following a aggressive choice course of involving a number of the finest management expertise within the UK media business. We now embark on the subsequent section of STV’s thrilling development journey as a digital first, content-led enterprise and Rufus brings with him a uncommon breadth of strategic and operational experience from his earlier vital business roles. We very a lot stay up for working with him.”
Radcliffe added: “STV is a superb model with an enviable monitor report of creating prime quality, must-watch content material and has a robust relationship with viewers and advertisers. I’m thrilled to be becoming a member of and can’t wait to work with everybody at STV to construct on the large success and development of the previous few years.”
In additional modifications, Non-Govt Director Simon Miller is stepping down from the board in December, with Colin Jones becoming a member of.