BBC EMEA appoints new VP programming

Dean Possenniskie, GM and SVP BBC Worldwide Channels said, “John continues to demonstrate a phenomenal understanding of the BBC brand, our content and our audiences which translates time and again into high audience retention and growth, and great feedback from viewers. It was important that the business followed the period of rapid channel launches in the past years with a strong programming strategy, and John and his team have executed that superbly.”

Since joining BBC Worldwide Channels in September 2007, Taite has overseen the creation of 12 fully localised channels across EMEA, as well as the recently re-launched pan-regional channel BBC Entertainment.

In his new role, Taite will have editorial control for all BBC-branded channels across EMEA, leading an expanded team of schedulers, media planners and presentation planners. He will continue to report to Dean Possenniskie, BBC Worldwide Channels' SVP and GM for EMEA, and David Weiland, SVP Programming and TV Channels.

Said Taite of his promotion: “One of the most exciting things about working for BBC Worldwide is building synergy with our other business divisions and territories. I'm looking forward to growing our channels business with more channel launches and more cross-divisional campaigns that harness the power of our growing network, our fantastic content and our phenomenal brand.”

In addition to Taite's promotion, BBC Worldwide Channels is also expanding its EMEA programming team with the creation of three new Heads of Scheduling roles for Poland, Africa and the Nordic region. The appointments are planned to be made in the coming months.

Taite comes from a background in production, commissioning, US Studio acquisitions and network programming. He joined BBC Worldwide Channels from MTV Networks UK and Ireland, where as director of scheduling and acquisitions, he was instrumental in commissioning some of MTV's biggest UK hits including, Pimp My Ride:UK, Footballer's Cribs and Virgin Diaries which won the Broadcast Best Multi-channel Programme Award in 2006.