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: Thinkbox has announced that European entertainment network RTL Group and e UK entertainment and communications company Virgin Media have joined the organisation as Associate Members.

RTL Group and Virgin Media are Thinkbox?s first Associate Members, which entails consultation and involvement across Thinkbox activities and with Thinkbox?s working groups. Full shareholder status is currently reserved for TV broadcasters and their sales representatives.

Thinkbox CEO Tess Alps said, ?We?re delighted that both RTL and Virgin Media have decided to support Thinkbox?s mission by becoming our first Associate Members. We?re also grateful for the acknowledgement of the work we are doing and their desire to help us do more to explain the commercial opportunities in TV?s rapidly developing future, be that TV on-demand, addressable advertising or product placement. We look forward to working with them and our shareholders to continue helping advertisers enjoy the unparalleled success that TV advertising, in all its forms, brings.?

VMDS for Virgin Media commercial director Mark Brandon said, ?Virgin Media is pleased to become an Associate Member of Thinkbox. The TV advertising value chain is evolving fast, with next generation TV platforms such as Virgin Media playing an increasingly prominent role in this evolution. We look forward to bringing our content knowledge, on demand expertise and business perspective to Thinkbox.?

Thinkbox?s shareholders are Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media, Turner Media Innovations and UKTV. Thinkbox represents over 90 per cent of the commercial TV market in the UK through its shareholders? owned and partner channels.