ITV chairman resigns his post

ITV's last network chairman Leslie Hill will leave his post at the end of the month saying that he has decided to "move on" before the introduction of the Communications Bill.
The ITV network chairman's post will be replaced by a council made up of the five franchise owners – who will meet on a monthly basis. SMG's chief executive Donald Esmie will chair the new council.
"My time in ITV has spanned the most significant period of adjustment and consolidation in its history and the recently published draft legislation will mean a further period of intense change and opportunity for the network," he said.
"I pay tribute to all of my ITV colleagues who, over the years have worked hard and with good humour to make a complex structure work so well. I have enjoyed working with them immensely."
Mr Hill, former head of Central which was bought over by Carlton in 1993, became network chairman in January 1994. His decision comes a month after ITV chief executive Stuart Prebble left the organisation saying that there was no longer a viable role for him, and three months after ITV Digital was placed into administration.
The dissolution of the network chairman's post is a sign of the dominance of Granada and Carlton, who now share 10 of the 16 franchises.
ITV, www.itv.co.uk
(GMcG)