MUMBAI: BBC has announced that Sam Taylor is to lead its news channel.

The editorial and creative leader of the BBC‘s move into a new HD ready digital newsroom was appointed BBC News Channel, BBC News at One controller.

The BBC News Channel is a 24-hour rolling news service available on Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media and online via the BBC News website, mobile services and on tablets. It was first launched in November 1997 as BBC News 24.

The BBC News Channel is the BBC‘s flagship continuous news channel, reporting on breaking news and the main stories of the day. It shows the main BBC One bulletins at 1 pm, 6 pm and 10 pm, as well as BBC Breakfast. There are headlines on the hour as well as UK and foreign news, sport, business news and weather.

Taylor joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1997, and has worked as a producer and editor on the BBC News Channel, before becoming editor of BBC News at One and editor of BBC Newswire, the Corporation‘s multimedia internal news service.

As an output editor on BBC One bulletins, he helped shape the BBC‘s coverage of some of the biggest stories of recent years - 7/7, the London Olympic Bid, the 2005 election and the death of Dr David Kelly. Most recently he has been responsible for the design and delivery of the BBC‘s plan to move its newsrooms from Television Centre and Bush House into one building at New Broadcasting House (NBH), and has led the development of BBC News output on social media.

The BBC adds that his track record in television news combined with a deep expertise in digital news media mean he is very well placed to lead the News Channel, and take forward its role at the heart of the BBC‘s live and breaking news services on all platforms.

BBC Newsroom head Mary Hockaday said, "This was a competition with high quality candidates. Sam won out because he has great news judgement in line with BBC News editorial values and a real sense of the channel‘s strengths and how to build on them. He takes a creative approach to leadership combined with great integrity. A real track record in covering hard news takes nerves of steel. Having clear strategic vision and knowledge of the new media landscape takes intellect and editorial flair. Sam combines all these qualities. He is a creative leader with his feet on the ground.‘‘

BBC News Group director Helen Boaden said, "The channel is vital to the success and credibility of BBC News; Sam‘s creative flair, digital savvy and editorial experience make him the ideal Controller at a time of great change" Taylor said, "I am delighted to take on this role. The BBC News Channel has been part of my life since its launch 15 years ago. I‘m taking over a channel that in the past few years has become the clear market leader, and is more respected and widely available than ever before. I‘m looking forward to taking the channel and its very strong team into New Broadcasting House where not only will we have a fantastic new studio, we will also be able to work even more closely with colleagues across the BBC - and ensure that our audience gets the very best live, breaking and developing journalism, wherever and whenever they want it."

He will take up his role later in the month.

MUMBAI: Anshuman Misra has quit Turner International Asia Pacific as SVP and MD of Networks and Content Distribution to embark on his next career move, the company announced.

Hong Kong-based Misra, who had spent almost 14 years with Turner in Asia, has resigned from his position with effect from 12 October .

Commenting on Misra?s resignation, Turner International Asia Pacific President and MD Steve Marcopoto said, "On behalf of everyone at Turner in Asia, I?d like to thank Anshuman for his significant contribution to the company?s success since 1998. He has been a first class colleague and trusted business partner throughout and we wish him every success in the next stage of his career."

Misra commented, "After working without a real break for more than two decades, I look forward to taking a few months off before I start the next chapter of my work life. I hope it?s as exciting as the time I?ve had with Turner. I want to thank everyone at Turner for all the support and camaraderie. I walk out of the company very satisfied but also sad to leave such a great bunch of people."

Prior to joining Turner, Misra was General Manager, BBC World (India) where he managed the distribution and sales of the news & current affairs channel.

Before joining BBC, Misra was with Turner Broadcasting System in Atlanta in the licensing and merchandising division, Turner Home Entertainment (THE) and in 1994 he moved to New Delhi to establish Turner Home Entertainment in India.

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has secured a deal with Emirates to launch CBeebies as the airline?s first-ever branded channel targeting children aged six and under. Loved by children and their carers the world over, CBeebies offers programmes which encourage the BBC?s youngest audiences to learn through play in a consistently safe environment.

From 1 November 2012, Emirates will feature CBeebies showing a selection of shows like ?Charlie and Lola? and ?Nina and the Neurons?. The CBeebies channel on Emirates will also be home to several titles developed by the BBC and BBC Worldwide for the international CBeebies television network, including ?Andy?s Wild Adventures?, ?Baby Jake? and ?Mr Bloom?s Nursery?.

The dedicated CBeebies branded channel on Emirates compliments additional programming from the BBC, such as ?Sherlock? starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, the documentary series ?Frozen Planet?, narrated by naturalist Sir David Attenborough, and classic comedy series ?Absolutely Fabulous? and ?Fawlty Towers?. Also available on Emirates is the BBC?s Live Text News and Sport service, which has kept passengers up to date for almost a decade.

BBC Worldwide Channels senior VP, GM Europe, Midddle East and Africa Ian McDonough said, "As a company, we are committed to serving our international audiences - both young and old - with the best British content across a range of media platforms. This CBeebies branded channel on Emirates will keep young fans entertained and bring yet more children on a journey of learning and discovery."

The deal was brokered by BBC Worldwide Channels Travel Distribution Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa Zina Neophytou,.

She said, "We?re delighted to partner with Emirates Airline to bring the BBC?s flagship preschool brand CBeebies to its in-flight entertainment system, ice. We have worked closely with Emirates to tailor the new channel to complement their existing entertainment offering. With such a vast range of quality content available from BBC Worldwide, we welcome opportunities to forge partnerships in the travel space to create bespoke channel environments which reflect our international portfolio - CBeebies, as well as BBC Knowledge, BBC HD, BBC Entertainment and BBC Lifestyle."

Emirates VP corporate communications product, publishing, digital and events Patrick Brannelly said, "Emirates believes that providing the best in in-flight entertainment is one of the key factors in a successful flight and we continuously invest in expanding our offering to our passengers.

"Building upon the large selection of children?s TV channels already onboard, adding the dedicated CBeebies channel is just another example of how Emirates meets the needs of our passengers - be they young in age or young at heart."

MUMBAI: The UK pubcaster BBC has announced that following BBC Vision?s announcement to maximise on-screen spend by creating a single integrated business function across Production and Commissioning, Commercial Director Bal Samra has announced three new controllers of business for Drama, Film and Acquisitions; Comedy and Entertainment; Knowledge and Daytime, and the Controller of Legal and Business Affairs.

Samra said, "By creating one single operational spine for each of the genre groups and a more strategically focussed, smaller central team, we will reduce duplication and minimise internal transaction costs. I want to create a more effective business model that works today and is fit for the future, which supports commissioners and producers alike and which delivers to our ultimate aim of putting as much money back into content as possible.

"Through these appointments, together with the changes in the way we work, the savings will enable us to deliver the additional investment announced earlier in the year of at least ?27m for 2013/14."

The Controllers of Business will be responsible for all the key business functions within their genre. Drawing together slate management, business affairs, commercial, talent rights and production management, they will work alongside the editorial Commissioning and Production Genre Controllers, aiming to improve collaboration and driving best value from the in-house guarantee and provide a better service to indie suppliers too. These are significant roles and critical to the success of the Vision Change plan.

The four appointments are:

Nick Betts - Controller of Business, Drama, Films and Acquisitions. He is currently BBC Vision head of commercial and business development.

Lisa Opie is Controller of Business, Knowledge and Daytime. She is currently Twofour Digital MD, where she leads a team of content producers, web developers and account directors across centres in the UK and the USA. She has also held the position of Director of Branded Business for the Twofour Group.

Tamara Howe is. Controller of Business, Comedy and Entertainment. She is currently BBC Vision Controller Production Operations and, alongside Liam Keelan, has been leading the Vision Change programme. Prior to joining Vision, she was BBC Children?s COO and was responsible for overseeing the department?s move to MediaCityUK.

Roger Leatham is controller of Legal and Business AffairsIn this new pan-BBC role, he will be responsible for leading the engagement with the BBC?s rights partners and talent unions and be accountable for legal and business affairs standards across Rights & Business Affairs. Currently the Head of Talent and Rights Negotiation, he has worked across all the output divisions of the BBC, as well as BBC America.

MUMBAI: BBC DG George Entwistle has said that he would put outstanding, world class creativity at the heart of the BBC.

Unveiling his plans to staff after taking over as DG from Mark Thompson he asked everyone in the BBC to challenge themselves to deliver more creative and distinctive output for licence fee payers.

And he announced a series of management changes to turn the BBC into "a more creative organisation, led and managed in a radically simplified way".

"I intend to change the way we?re led to put the emphasis where it belongs - on creative people doing creative things; on our audiences and the exceptional quality of work they deserve," he told staff across the BBC.

Speaking from the studio in New Broadcasting House where Newsnight and the Andrew Marr Show recently began broadcasting, the new Director-General said he was privileged to have been asked to lead the finest broadcasting organisation in the world.

Citing the London 2012 Olympics as an example of how good the BBC can be when everyone pulls together to deliver outstanding coverage, he asked staff to use this as a template for all their work.

But he challenged the BBC to meet the audience?s ever-increasing expectations.

"Though our best is often brilliant - in some of our output, we do settle for less than we should. So I believe we owe our audiences a determined effort to raise the creative quality of what we do."

Speaking to staff in the studio and on the BBC?s internal video channel, he added, "I want to make a promise - to listen to you and to work tirelessly on fixing the things that get in the way of high creative quality, making the BBC a place where you really can do your best, and deliver the best of British creativity to our audiences."

Announcing plans to reduce the management board from 25 to just 12, Entwistle also announced the closure of the Operations division.

"With immediate effect, I?m reorganising the BBC to group all the operational and finance functions in one business division under the Chief Financial Officer."

Entwistle said his focus on creativity could not be in isolation of the BBC?s financial challenges, but savings could not just be imposed from the centre. Instead, front-line content makers also needed to be responsible for cost savings - incentivised by allowing them to reinvest some of the savings in better funded output.

The new management board of 12 replaces 25-strong BBC Direction Group. The finance and operations divisions reorganised, with immediate effect. Our operational and finance functions will be brought together in a new Finance and Business Division under the Chief Financial Officer.