BBC's Huggers Confirmed Future Media & Technology Director

(PaidContent.org)  This story was written by Robert Andrews.

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As we and several others forecast back in April, BBC future media and technology (FM&T) controller Erik Huggers has just been confirmed in the director role, its top new media post, replacing Ashley Highfield on August 1. He will control a 2008/09 budget of 114.4 million ($228 million) for BBC.co.uk alone, but Huggers' responsibilities encompass all internet, interactive TV, mobile, broadband and emerging platforms operations, including iPlayer, totaling around 400 million ($797 million). He inherits a division from which radical changes are expected, after last year's 36 million ($72 million) BBC.co.uk overspend. Dutchman Huggers was recruited essentially as Highfield's deputy in May 2007 and was always the most likely candidate to replace the outgoing director, who left a 466,00 salary to become CEO of the BBC Worldwide/ITV/C4 VOD JV codenamed "Kangaroo" on July 1. More detail at paidContent:UK