BBC Digital Chief Highfield Quits To Lead UK Online TV JV Kangaroo
This story was written by Robert Andrews.
Updated: BBC future media and technology director Ashley Highfield is quitting to become CEO of Project Kangaroo - an upcoming online TV JV between ITV (LSE: ITV), Channel 4 and the BBC's revenue-making BBC Worldwide wing - marking a return to the commercial sector after eight years. He will replace interim CEO Lesley MacKenzie.
A former Flextech and NBC boss, Highfield's pet BBC projects have included the 131 million programme to digitise production and multiplatform output - notably the controversial but successful iPlayer brand. A commercial alternative led by the BBC's revenue-making wing, Kangaroo will offer programming outside iPlayer's one-week public service window and will, therefore, use both pay-for and ad-supported models. Erik Huggers, whom Highfield appointed future media and technology director 11 months ago from Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), could not be in the frame as his replacement. More detail at our sister site paidContent:UK...
By Robert Andrews