HTV WEST APPOINT NEW DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMES

HTV West's new Director of Programmes, Jane McCloskey, is to add commissioning responsibility for HTV West’s programmes to her current role as Director of Programmes for Carlton West Country.
McCloskey replaces Sandra Jones who is to step down next year after more than 30 years in broadcasting, the last 20 with the West of England ITV license company. She will work alongside Jones until her retirement next year.
Jones began her career with Granada Television in the sixties, working on some of the early episodes of such television institutions as ‘Coronation Street’, as well as network drama, current affairs and documentaries. She joined HTV 20 years ago, and produced a wide range of programmes before being promoted to her present position in September 1997.
McCloskey began her television career with HTV in 1982, when in her teens. She wrote a script for HTV’s then head of drama, Peter Graham Scott, for his highly successful network children’s drama series ‘Into the Labyrinth’, and had the satisfaction of watching it being recorded – at the tender age of just 17.
After producing the BBC Election Night Special in 1992, she joined the independent company Prospect Pictures, making long-running travel series for Carlton and GMTV.
Nine years ago she went to work for GMTV as Head of Features, then in September 1996 was appointed Director of Programmes at Carlton West Country.
In her new role as Director of Programmes for HTV West and West Country McCloskey will be responsible for further enhancing and developing regional programming across the South West of England.
The new appointment will forge a strong link across the two ITC regions harnessing the local talent base and providing a solid foundation of regional programmes on which to grow network production.
A new Head of Features is also to be appointed to HTV West to help manage the regional schedule working alongside the new Director of Programmes.
McCloskey will report jointly to Carlton West Country Managing Director Mark Haskell and HTV Managing Director Jeremy Payne. (CD)