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GMG's Dodson joins Northwest Vision board
Northwest Vision and Media has announced 4 additions to its board.
The most controversial appointment is likely to be Mark Dodson, chief executive officer of Guardian Media Group, who’s recently angered staff and unions with a series of job cuts.
The 3 others joining are Alex Connock of Ten Alps, Code Computerlove’s Tony Foggett and Debra Hayward, head of film at Working Title.
“We’ve recently widened our remit to cover new sectors and felt that our board should reflect that new role,” explained Steve Morrison, chair of Northwest Vision and Media.
“Our board is made up of influential media, arts and cultural representatives, who are passionate about and committed to the development and growth of the creative and digital industry in the region. Taking on four new members adds to that mix of industry expertise and will help us deliver even more efficiently to our sectors.
“I am delighted to join the Board of North West Vision and Media at this exciting time - they are a beacon for the creative and digital industries within the Northwest and I look forward to the opportunity of working with them,” said Dodson.
With Tony Foggett's appointment it means NWV&M has a voice for the digital industry:
“I believe the widening of their remit will bring a new energy to the organisation and I'm encouraged by the opportunities it presents for our sector.
"As a member of the board I hope to help the organisation connect with the creative services industry and ensure that they deliver the support we need to continue to generate growth and excellence in our region."
While Ten Alps chief executive Alex Connock is well known to How-Do readers and an avid supporter of MediaCityUK, Debra Hayward is likely to be a new, yet highly influential name.
She is head of film for Working Title Films and alongside her US counterpart is creatively responsible for its entire slate of motion pictures - including Frost/Nixon, Atonement and State of Play.
She was co-producer on Bridget Jones’s Diary, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Love Actually and About a Boy.
Debra said: “I'm delighted to be joining the Board of Northwest Vision and Media and look forward to doing what I can to support and promote the creative and digital industries in the region. There is a wealth of talent and the work of Vision and Media is vital to their continued success."
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Dodson needs to build a new career as a quangocrat. You would have thought he'd avoid media quangos, however, especially one with the word vision in the title. Bit like asking Eddie the Eagle to advise on how to win Olympic medals.
Yes, Sykes, but how many papers will promise more prominent and favourable editorial coverage in return for ads...
They deserve each other. Simon, you won't be wrong.
This just re-inforces the old adage - It really is who you know and not what you know that is important. In my opinion I can see no other reason for Dodson being involved.
Nicely put Mr_Osato. The only real reason why the MEN is profitable is because of the huge amounts of money the public sector pours into their coffers to keep it afloat.
It's no secret that councils from Greater Manchester lean on editorial to stop potentially embarassing articles...
Great news that Tony is on the board. It will really help push the M of NWV+M. Well done T.
Hmm...but on the other hand Mr O, while brand Dodson may be a bit tarnished, he HAS worked in the private sector. How many of NWVM's generously public-funded employees have been that daring? Maybe he can bring summat to the party after all.
Tameside Mafia, I don't think anyone will be shocked by what you claim, councils up and down the country try and use their advertising support for papers to influence editorial. Lancashire County Council tried it a while back and when the local papers ignored them, they launched Vision
Badly missed the boat? Not half. Even within the regional press, the MEN has performed badly on the digital front, putting too much emphasis on Channel M, despite the fact city-wide TV stations simply don't work. The result has been massive cutting back on the MEN at a time when he should have been circling the wagons around it. Then there's the decision to take home a massive bonus at a time when he's making dozens redundant (to help cover the losses on Channel Morbid) - something virtually every other media executive has decided to waive this year. And now he's on a body which is supposed to shape our media future? Crikey, perhaps Mihir Bose was right - we're not the place to come
Getting Tony on there is a massive relief. NWV and M looks pretty ill suited to handle the digital remit without experience of that calibre. I don't know Mark Dodson at all and so would have to wait to make judgement, but someone responsible for an organisation that seems to have rather bady missed the boat when it comes to the digital sector would not have been high on my list of requirements.
Happy to be shown I'm wrong, if I am