Mannion: editor-in-chief
David Mannion has been appointed the first editor-in-chief of the ITV News Group and will oversee both national and regional news operations, writes Wale Azeez.
The appointment of Mannion, currently editor of ITV News, comes ahead of the late-night bulletin’s move to a permanent 10.30pm slot and the official commencement of the ITV merger on 2 February.
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Mannion’s first objective will be closer integration and editorial cooperation between ITN, ITV News, the regional newsrooms, the 27 regional news production units and the 24-hour ITV News Channel. His remit does not cover the Scottish, Grampian, Ulster and Channel regions.
In addition to reporting to ITN chief executive Mark Wood, Mannion will work for Clive Jones, recently appointed chief executive of the ITV News Group.
Jones said Mannion would “give inspired leadership to all our news programming and ensure an integrated editorial philosophy”.
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He added that, with ITV director of programmes Nigel Pickard, the News Group would work “to get the best out of a news infrastructure and talent pool which has been fragmented and dysfunctional in the past”.
The mobility of talent around ITV News Group has been placed at the centre of the new editorial strategy.
Speaking to Press Gazette, Meridian Television managing director Lindsay Charlton said the most talented regional journalists “should have a connection to opportunities on the ITV News Channel and the ITV network news that I don’t believe they would’ve had naturally in the past”.
He said Jones wanted to ensure “the brightest and the best” in the regions were brought through to national news and current affairs.
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