17/02/2010

Boss Wins Accolade As UTV Cuts Back

The man said to have been responsible for developing a regional TV station into a multimedia group - while cutting jobs - has been honoured with a local business award.

Although taking the company through a period of substantial cost-cutting, John McCann, Group Chief Executive and Executive Director of UTV Media plc, was announced as the winner of the 2010 Institute of Directors Lunn's Award of Excellence.

The judges said that as well as being responsible for developing UTV into a multimedia group, he has also led it into being a TV provider to television, radio and new media.

But, over the same period at the Belfast broadcaster, numerous well-known front-of-camera staff have been leaving the rapidly-changing business.

Three flagship shows - Insight, UTV Life and Late and Live - were axed and the station's top team of news journalists, features and sports reporters was also significantly reduced.

UTV programming requirements changed following the regulator Ofcom's announcement on national news content.

Ofcom's ongoing review into how public service broadcasting will survive the digital switchover in 2012 meant that regional news bulletins faced cut-backs after the industry regulator backed plans to slash programming.

Ofcom said ITV could cut back on regional programming (such as that produced by UTV) by up to half as it suffered an advertising slowdown.

During February, Mr McCann was presented with the perpetual trophy to mark his achievements at the Institue of Director's (IoD) annual dinner at the Europa Hotel, Belfast, in recognition of his business success.

A chartered accountant, John joined UTV in 1983 as Financial Controller/Company Secretary. After becoming General Manager in 1989 he was appointed to the Board in 1992 and became Managing Director (new Group Chief executive) from October 1999.

Judges included Joanne Stuart, IoD Northern Ireland Chairman; Peter Lunn, Managing Director of John H Lunn Jewellers; Linda Brown, IoD Northern Ireland Divisional Director; Richard Buckley, Business Eye Editor; John Simpson, a Northern Ireland economist; and Paul Rooney of PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

See: ITV Announces Plans To Cut 430 News Jobs

(BMcC/Gk)

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