Plantin to replace Quinn as head of ITV network 7
Marcus Plantin, ITV Network director responsible for network scheduling for the past two years, is to take over from Andrew Quinn as Network Centre chief executive.
News of the move emerged yesterday (Tuesday) as ITV Network Centre celebrated its first full calendar year in operation with a presentation and publication of its annual review for 1994.
Plantin will replace Quinn when he retires in October. Plantin will assume overall managerial responsibility for Network Centre alongside his existing scheduling role.
Agency sources gave news of Plantin’s advancement a cautious welcome.
“While he can be credited for recent significant improvements in ITV ratings performance, one might question his abilities as an ITV figurehead,” says one source.
Others interpret the elevation of the former LWT director of programmes as an endorsement of ITV’s programme performance. “If the schedules had not performed well, it might well have been a very different story,” adds another.
ITV Association chairman Leslie Hill also confirmed yesterday the creation of a new role, that of director of the ITV Association.
The role will cover the ITVA’s work in broader policy areas, including Europe, as well as acting as spokesman on industry matters, Hill explains. An appointment is imminent.
The ITVA is the trade body representing all ITV companies. The ITV Council, on which each ITV chief executive sits, oversees and incorporates the ITVA. Since its launch, the ITV Network Centre has taken over some of the ITVA’s former responsibilities.
* The Independent Television Commission has approved amendments to ITV’s networking arrangements, involving subsidies to the five smallest ITV companies to enable them to receive network programmes at a discount.
