The BBC has raided Granada Sky Broadcasting (GSB) to hire Christine Madden as the new head of marketing for BBC1, a key role as the channel struggles to compete with ITV.
Madden, 33, will report to Jane Scott, controller of TV strategy and marketing, and will be responsible for developing and implementing the marketing strategy for the channel, including a review of on- and off-air identity.
Madden has spent the past three years at GSB as marketing manager. She oversaw the repositioning of men's channel Granada Men & Motors and introduced the 'home of the hits' strapline to Granada Plus.
Before that, she was head of promotions and marketing services for Kiss 100, where she was responsible for maximising revenues from new and existing customers.
One of Madden's key tasks will be to help BBC1 to reconnect with its audiences. According to figures from ITV, BBC1's average share of all-time viewing has slipped from 29.9% in 1998 to 27.3% last year.
In the BBC's annual report last year, the corporation's governors ruled that BBC1 'needs to win back the public's affection'.
This year, the channel faces increased competition from a revitalised ITV, which has made maintaining a peak-time lead over BBC1 one of its key objectives.
Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC1, recently announced that she is to axe the air-balloon logo in favour of a warmer, more modern image for the channel.
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