ITV bidder interested in top job
Media executive Roger Parry today confirmed his interest in succeeding Charles Allen as chief executive of broadcaster ITV.
The chairman of Johnston Press, who earlier this year considered a private equity bid for the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, said: “If the board of ITV offered me the same sort of remuneration deal and managerial control that a bid would offer, I’d be neutral to those alternatives.”
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Parry added: “I wouldn’t be interested in pursuing Charles’strategy. ITV became completely obsessed with regulation and cost-cutting. What they have got to focus on is programming and selling airtime.”
Mr Allen resigned earlier this month, bowing to the pressures of declining advertising revenues and low viewing figures. A number of high-profile names have already been linked to the job.
Potential successors include outgoing Ofcom boss Stephen Carter, Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan and former BBC director-general Greg Dyke.
Finance director John Cresswell has been appointed interim chief executive from October 1 and will work alongside Mr Allen to ensure an “orderly transition”.
Mr Parry’s original bid plan is believed to have called for ITV to be split into a broadcasting arm and a production arm but he told the FT: “There has to be much greater managerial distance (between the two divisions) but you don’t have to have separation of ownership.”
He would prioritise selling ITV’s programming more widely while leaning less heavily on in-house production, he added.
Mr Parry, who worked for seven years at media buyer Aegis and for Thames Television almost 20 years ago, added ITV “has got to get its confidence back”.
Mr Allen spent 15 years of his career at Granada and ITV, 10 of which were as chairman or chief executive. He was a key player in the 2004 merger of Granada and Carlton which created a cohesive group for the first time.
In March, Mr Allen fended off takeover interest from a consortium of private equity firms which planned to replace him as chief executive with Mr Dyke and his departure is unlikely to deter bidders for the firm.
