BBC.com MD Kym Niblock is leaving the corporation, 19 months after taking the role; New York-based EVP Luke Bradley-Jones will add her responsibilities to his role, MediaWeek says. Niblock joined in November 2007 after being one of BBC Worldwide’s online launch directors and, earlier, BSkyB (NYSE: BSY) broadcast operations head.
Not so much a site as a descriptor, BBC.com is the moniker BBC Worldwide’s overseas-facing BBC.co.uk, whose news page added advertising when Niblock joined. The site has since beefed up its ad sales operation considerably and we think will post significant ad gains when earnings are reported in July.
Many will consider Bradley-Jones’ top priority will be internationalising iPlayer – the BBC hasn’t disguised its ambition to do so but, whilst the BBC in 2006 agreed terms for free seven-day UK VOD with producers, designing a framework to take long-form programming worldwide will be no mean feat, so BBCWW’s international activities are for now likely to involve long-form download-to-own and short-form streamed clips.