BBC Appoints O’Connor to Head of London Factual

LONDON, November 19: BBC
has named Karen O’Connor as the head of London factual, a post recently
established as part of the pubcaster’s Delivering Creative Future plan.

As head of London factual
production, O’Connor will be responsible for the development of content across
all platforms. The appointment is effective in January 2008.

Currently, O’Connor is
acting commissioning editor for BBC News & Current Affairs where she has
overseen strands and series like Panorama, Equator, Conspiracy
Files, Andrew Marr's History Of
Modern Britain and programs for
younger audiences on BBC Three. Previously she served as creative director for
News & Current Affairs.

BBC’s director-general, Mark
Thompson, announced the Delivering Creative Future plan last month. The
six-year plan emphasizes reforms to turn the pubcaster into a “smaller but
fitter” organization, with every division focusing on savings in order to
reinvest in original BBC content that can be deployed on a variety of
platforms. As part of the plan, the pubcaster will shed 1,800 jobs by the end
of the period, and close an estimated 2,500 positions by 2012/2013.

"I'm delighted to welcome
Karen O'Connor as the Head of London Factual,” said the BBC’s controller of
factual, Keith Scholey, who made the announcement. "London factual is the
biggest factual production center in the world covering a huge range of output.
Karen's experience, skills and enthusiasm are going to help us drive this
essential production house forward in new and exciting ways."

—By Ned Berke