The Guardian on UFO and Carlton America

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ISOSHADO

Jackson takes ITV's American brief  
The Guardian 14/01/2004    
     
Paul Jackson, one of the UK's most experienced TV entertainment executives, is to run ITV plc's US operation following the merger of Carlton andGranada. Currently on a six month attachment with Granada's Los Angeles office, Mr Jackson will be moving to California permanently following his appointment as chief executive of Granada America. Stephen Davis, who is the president and chief executive of Carlton America, will work with Mr Jackson as the president of the merged company's US production business. Before Christmas Mr Jackson had told colleagues he did not want the Granada America job because he had already spent two years in Australia shortly before his six month posting to LA and did not want to move abroad for a long period again. However, the Granada director of international production was talked into changing his mind by Simon Shaps, the chief executive of ITV plc's newly formed programme-making division, Granada Productions. Mr Jackson's appointment means all four of the top programme-making jobs under Mr Shaps in Granada Productions have gone to former Granada executives. John Whiston is to head drama, children's and arts, while Dianne Nelmes will run the daytimeand lifestyle department and Jim Allen has been appointed director of factual and entertainment. Mr Jackson will oversee an operation that brings together Carlton and Granada's drama and entertainment operations in LA and factual programming units on the east coast of America. During his time in Los Angeles, Mr Jackson has overseen Granada projects including the US version of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! for ABC. Another NBC reality show, American Princess, has just completed production and Granada also makesa US version of its successful docusoap Airline for cable channel A&E. Carlton America finances around 15 television movies every year and is also developing US versions of Soldier Soldier and Gerry Anderson's sci-fi series,UFO. Mr Jackson joined Granada in late 2000 as chief executive of its Australian production operation, after spending three years as head of entertainment at the BBC. He came back to London in early 2002 to run Granada's entertainment department and was appointed director of international formats and entertainment towards the end of the same year. Mr Jackson has a long and distinguished track record, both as a producer, director and as a programming executive. In the 80s he produced award winning comedies including TheYoung Ones, Red Dwarf and Three of a Kind. He joined Carlton Television asdirector of programmes when the company first won its ITV franchise in 1992, and became its managing director when it took over the London weekday licence from Thames on January 1 1993. Mr Jackson later became the managing director of Carlton Productions before leaving the company in 1996. After a stint as a freelance director, Mr Jackson became head of BBC entertainment in 1997. Mr Davis has run Carlton America since the company was launched inSeptember 1999, following Carlton's move to take full control of US television movie production joint venture Hamdon Entertainment. He had been president and chief executive of Hamdon since January 1997.
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